[2023] Quick Big 12 Preview

[tsweezy]

Possibly the strongest conference at the top, the Big 12 looks to have a banner year, and added even more competitive teams

 

Team	2022 Record	Talent Rank	Best Player	2nd Best	3rd Best	1st round talents	Projected Draft Picks	Predicted Conference finish
TCU	9-4	2	TCUOTMikeHubbardPass BlockingSr4A	TCUDEMeyersWilsonRun StopperSr4A	TCUQBAndrewSolanoBalancedSr4A	2	7	1
Baylor	9-4	8	BaylorQBTravisKnebelScrambler(Jr)5A	BaylorSSGarrettSmithZone CoverageSr5A	BaylorCBSkyeLattimoreZone CoverageSr4A	1	3	2
Houston	6-6	41	HoustonDTLoganLopezBalancedSr5A	HoustonDESeanLeeBalancedSr4A	HoustonQBTrevonCothranBalanced(Jr)3A-	0	1	3
Kansas	8-4	26	KansasOGJoseMoustakasRun BlockingSr4A	KansasTEAlexAtkinsReceivingSr4A	KansasDTDanteGatesNose TackleSr3A	0	3	4
Oklahoma State	5-7	18	Oklahoma StateCBMarlonKozmaZone CoverageSr4A	Oklahoma StateDEWhitWilsonBalancedSr5A	Oklahoma StateDTCalebReiterBalanced(So)5A	0	4	5
Oklahoma	6-6	19	OklahomaDEOmariusBeasleySpeed RusherJr5A	OklahomaCBChazZeitlerMan CoverageSr4A	OklahomaWRTimMcRaePossessionSr4A	0	4	6
Texas	7-5	33	TexasWRDonatelloScottRoute RunnerJr4A	TexasDTChrisHolmesBalancedSr4A	TexasOTMikePennyPass BlockingSr4A	1	4	7
Kansas State	9-3	34	Kansas StateDEElfridPutkonenSpeed Rusher(Jr)4A	Kansas StateOGFrankValdes-ScantlingBalanced(Jr)4A	Kansas StateFSMaikelInfanteZone Coverage(Sr)3A	0	3	8
BYU	6-6	28	BYUOGReynaldoFalahPass BlockingSr4A	BYUOLBChandlerLambPass RushJr5A	BYUCBRicoHarrisonMan CoverageSr3A	0	2	9
West Virginia	3-9	130	West VirginiaDEKyleJohnsonBalancedSr4A-	West VirginiaCBAndreBellMan Coverage(So)4A-	West VirginiaDTMiguelCortesPass RusherSr3A-	0	0	10
Texas Tech	5-7	58	Texas TechQBXavierMeansScrambler(Sr)4A	Texas TechSSKeibertHouseRun StopperSr4A	Texas TechKLuisTerdoslavichPowerSr4A	0	2	11
Iowa State	6-6	73	Iowa StateCBMikeAlonsoZone CoverageSr4A	Iowa StateDEChadWaltersRun StopperSr4A	Iowa StateILBMeyersRossField GeneralSr4A	0	1	12
UCF	7-6	101	UCFCBEvanDukeMan CoverageSr4A	UCFWRJakeBoldenRoute RunnerJr4A	UCFRBStevenHuerterBalancedSr4A	0	1	13
Cincinnati	5-7	121	CincinnatiWRWillHuberRed Zone ThreatJr4A	CincinnatiILBRashaanSanchezRun StopperJr4A-	CincinnatiCBT.J.O'NealeBall HawkSr3A-	0	1	14

 

At the top of the conference and my national #3 team is TCU who has (tied) the most draft prospects with seven this season including multiple first round prospects. I have Baylor just a shade behind them at #6 nationally and led by a Heisman-caliber QB in Knebel. I don't think it's that crazy to predict both teams are favored to make the playoffs. I'm actually quite high on Houston (16) as well to make some noise in their first year in the conference. Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma are all also capable of ending up as top-25 teams, and there are a ton of teams that would be in the top half of almost any other conference.