The Big 12 doesn’t get enough respect for how much NFL talent it places in the NFL every year. I don’t mean just based on draft selections either, but lasting power and effectiveness. The Big 12 has a ton of quality talent to watch for in the 2020 season. The conference may even have the best overall college football team.
Baylor Bears: Vegas Win Total- 7.5
Everyone is expecting Baylor to be terrible this season, but with the fantastic Charlie Brewer returning and some explosive weapons surrounding him this may be a more interesting bet than people think. This may only be Dave Aranda’s first season as the head guy, but the former LSU defensive coordinator is primed to hit the ground running. Prediction: Over 7.5
Top Prospects:
Terrel Bernard, ILB, 6-1, 222 pounds, Jr.: A top-flight All-Big 12 linebacker, Bernard had an extremely productive 2019 season leading the Bears with 112 tackles while also recording 9.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, 4.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception.
Charlie Brewer, QB, 6-1, 206 pounds, Sr.: Brewer gets very little respect in regard to draft hype, but he is likely going to own every Baylor career passing record and surpass former Heisman Trophy winner and first-round selection, Robert Griffin III.
Connor Galvin, OT, 6-7, 302 pounds, Jr.: The All-Big 12 tackle enters his third season as the starter on the left side and looks to have big time potential with elite size to go with some solid tools.
Iowa State Cyclones- Vegas Win Total- 8
Iowa State is in a good position to beat this number, but it is just too close to call. The Cyclones are an extremely competitive team and have only lost by more than 14 points just once in the past 39 games. That loss was against Notre Dame in the bowl game this past season. Matt Campbell has done a solid job making this team competitive and in his fifth season as coach, they could take the next step. Prediction: Over 8
Top Prospects:
Charlie Kolar, TE, 6-6, 252 pounds, Jr.: Kolar was All-Big 12 last season and is a favorite to earn All-American honors in 2020. More targets and opportunities are expected of Kolar after he exploded for 697 receiving yards last season.
JaQuan Bailey, DE, 6-2, 255 pounds, Sr.: The All-Big 12 performer was expected to have a big season last year, but was forced to take a medical redshirt due to an early-season injury. The fifth-year senior is currently tied as the school’s career sack leader with 18.5 and this also makes him third among active players in the nation.
Brock Purdy, QB, 6-1, 210 pounds, Jr.: The Cyclones averaged more than 30 points per game for the first time since 1976 and the talented Purdy is the biggest reason this offense was so explosive last season. In his 13 starts, Purdy accumulated 3,982 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and only threw nine interceptions.
Kansas Jayhawks- Vegas Win Total- 3
Kansas looks terrible and I fully expect them to be two-touchdown underdogs to every Big-12 opponent. Les Miles is only in his second season and it is understood that he will be given plenty of time to build a contender. But in the meantime, these Jayhawks are atrocious. Prediction: Under 3
Top Prospects:
Andrew Parchment, WR, 6-2, 180 pounds, Sr.: Flying a bit under the radar, Parchment ranked in the top five of the Big-12 in both receiving yards per game with 69.3 and receptions on the season with 65. Parchment was named preseason All-Big-12 and on the Biletnikoff Award watch list, but he deserves more hype.
Pooka Williams Jr., RB, 5-10, 170 pounds, Jr.: Williams is an elite athlete who warrants manufactured carries. He is the first offensive Jayhawk to earn first-team All-Big-12 in back-to-back seasons. PFF rates Williams as the No. 3 third-down back in the country and this makes sense due to his effectiveness as a receiver.
Kyle Thompson, P, 6-4, 222 pounds, Sr.: Like Williams, Thompson has been named All-Big-12 twice and is regarded as one of the best punters in the country. He is more inconsistent than NFL teams would like but has demonstrated his big leg enough to warrant attention.
Kansas State Wildcats- Vegas Win Total- 5.5
This line is too close for me to put money on, but the talent surrounding Skylar Thompson is just not good enough to make me believe they can top this number. You can also expect this defense to be terrible again after being ranked last in the FBS in red-zone scoring rate, allowing opponents to score 97.1% of the time once they cross inside the 20-yard line. Prediction- Under 5.5
Top Prospects:
Wyatt Hubert, DE, 6-3, 258 pounds, Jr.: One of the few bright spots on a bleak defense, Hubert is one of the top pure pass rushers in the country and was named first-team All-Big-12 last season for his efforts. He was also named on the Bednarik Award watch list heading into 2020.
Joshua Youngblood, WR, 5-10, 180 pounds, So.: Made more of an impact as a returner last season, a big jump can be expected from Youngblood as the Wildcats will incorporate him into the offense more often this season. Youngblood was a freshman phenom as a kick returner, running three back to the house last season. Another All-Big-12 performer, Youngblood was also named to the Big-12 Academic All-Rookie Team.
Josh Rivas, G, 6-6, 323 pounds, Jr.: Rivas earned first-team All-Big 12 honors last season as only a rotational piece on the interior, but with him taking over the role full time in 2020, the sky is the limit. Rivas is an exceptional run blocker and will be the leader of an inexperienced offensive line.
Oklahoma Sooners- Vegas Win Total- 10
Oklahoma doesn’t rebuild, they reload and despite some new faces sprinkled in some important areas, the Sooners have had no issues in the past of dominating this conference. Oklahoma is a legit bulldozer on the recruiting trail and if the hype surrounding Spencer Rattler is half true, this team should hit the 10-game mark easily. Prediction- Over 10
Top Prospects:
Creed Humphrey, C, 6-5, 307 pounds, Jr.: Humphrey is the heartbeat of this offensive line and the main reason it was one of the strongest in the nation last season. The former five-star Oklahoma native has been nothing less than outstanding as a Sooner and will be looking to repeat as a Rimington Award finalist, Big-12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and of course as an All-American. One of the best offensive linemen in the country, Humphrey may hear his name heard early on draft night.
Kennedy Brooks, RB, 5-11, 214 pounds, Jr.: Brooks is another high-quality All-American caliber player and is on the Doak Walker Award watch list after earning All-Big-12 last season. Brooks gained 1,011 rushing yards last season and will likely see a larger role with the departure of Trey Sermon. Brooks doesn’t have eye-popping traits, but is productive and very solid.
Adrian Ealy, OT, 6-6, 341 pounds, Jr.: Another former five-star recruit, Ealy was dominant last season and earned All-Big-12 honors and despite Humphrey getting all the attention, Ealy is another reason why this Sooner offensive line is so dominant.
Oklahoma State Cowboys- Vegas Win Total- 7.5
This is another total that seems too low as this is the most talented Oklahoma State roster in recent memory and anything less than ten wins should be viewed as a disappointment. The schedule is also pretty favorable and assuming quarterback Spencer Sanders gets even slightly better this team can compete for a conference title. Prediction: Over 7.5
Top Prospects:
Chuba Hubbard, RB, 6-0, 201 pounds, Jr.: Hubbard earned All-American status after his first season as a starter and led all of the FBS running backs with 2,094 rushing yards. This insane production should be no surprise as we got a glimpse of his greatness in 2018 when he hit the 100 rushing yard mark in three of their last four games. Scoring 21 rushing touchdowns and averaging 6.4 yards per carry last season was an indicator that this Canadian maybe the most talented player in America. Named preseason Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Hubbard is a home run threat as evidenced by his FBS leading seven runs of 50 or more yards last season.
Tylan Wallace, WR, 6-0, 185 pounds, Sr.: A Biletnikoff Award finalist in 2018, Wallace was on pace for another 1,000-yard season in 2019 before a knee injury robbed him of the last five games. If he can come back at full strength, he should earn All-American honors and prove to be the best receiver in the country.
Josh Sills, G, 6-6, 338 pounds, Sr.: Another All-Big-12 selection, Sills will actually be entering his first and only season for the Cowboys after transferring from West Virginia, where he was a two-year starter.
TCU Horned Frogs- Vegas Win Total- 7.5
TCU has been on a steady decline since winning 11 games in 2017 and there is zero evidence that this team can improve on the five victories from last season. This line is surprisingly large Their typical strong defense is no more and without spring practice the inexperienced corners are going to get pummeled by these insane Big-12 receivers. Quarterback, Max Duggan showed some flashes, but even his inconsistency is concerning. Prediction- Under 7.5
Top Prospects:
Garrett Wallow, OLB, 6-2, 230 pounds, Sr.: First-team All-Big-12, Wallow was a one-man wrecking crew recording a Big-12 leading 125 tackles and a team-leading 18 tackles for loss. There is good reason why Wallow is on the Bednarik Award watch list heading into 2020.
Trevon Moehrig, S, 6-2, 208 pounds, Jr.: An All-American candidate and one half of a dominating safety duo at TCU, Moehrig earned first-team All-Big-12 honors after recording 62 tackles, 11 pass break-ups and four interceptions last season.
Pro Wells, TE, 6-4, 257 pounds, Jr.: Wells is a big red-zone target who led the Horned Frogs in receiving touchdowns last season with five. The All-Big-12 performer will be looking for an increased role after the departure of Jalen Reagor. Wells was named on the Mackey Award watch list.
Texas Longhorns- Vegas Win Total- 9.5
This line is too close for comfort, but this Texas team has enough talent to win a conference championship. Tom Herman has this team consistently playing at a high level and returns a play-making quarterback in Sam Ehlinger, three starters on a solid offensive line and two extremely active linebackers. If the Longhorns can win one against their three toughest opponents in LSU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, then they should hit the over. Prediction- Over 9.5
Top Prospects:
Samuel Cosmi, OT, 6-7, 310 pounds, Jr.: Already projected as a top ten pick, Cosmi is a versatile lineman with starting experience on both the left and right sides. Had he entered the 2020 Draft, Cosmi would have been a day one selection as a redshirt sophomore.
Caden Sterns, S, 6-1, 205 pounds, Jr.: Another player already marked as an early-round prospect, Caden Sterns is an All-Big-12 performer that is looking to elevate his play as a junior.
Bijan Robinson, RB, 6-0, 200 pounds, Fr.: Hasn’t taken a college snap yet, but the five-star recruit and number one running back in the nation is coming in with some insane hype. It is well deserved as Robinson has superstar potential.
Texas Tech Red Raiders- Vegas Win Total- 6.5
Another super close line, but I do expect a big jump in Matt Wells’ second year as head coach. Wells has upped the ante as far as recruiting goes and the talent is on an upward trajectory. The Texas Tech offense is already explosive, but if this defense improves at all we are looking at an over bet. Prediction- Over 6.5
Top Prospects:
Jack Anderson, G, 6-5, 320 pounds, Jr.: Anderson is one of the best guards in the Big-12 and is an All-Big-12 level performer, but he has to make a full recovery after having surgery last year.
Eli Howard, DE, 6-4, 275 pounds, Sr.: Howard is another All-Big-12 performer and is the best player on the Texas Tech defense. He is an outstanding pass rusher despite being the main focus of offenses.
Austin McNamara, P, 6-4, 175 pounds, So.: McNamara was named All-Big-12 last season and is already on preseason All-American lists for 2020. The punter managed to hit 20 of his 59 attempts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and only five went for touchbacks.
West Virginia Mountaineers- Vegas Win Total- 5
West Virginia doesn’t look good, to be blunt. Expecting them to match the five wins from last season is wishful thinking. The Mountaineers have a terrible offensive line and the rushing attack is abysmal. The defensive side is better, but they will be breaking in two new corners with no spring ball. Prediction- Under 5
Top Prospects:
Darius Stills, DE, 6-1, 282 pounds, Sr.: Stills would have likely been an early-round pick had he declared early after recording 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season as a junior. Stills enters 2020 with some serious hype as he is on preseason All-American teams and was named preseason Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Sam Jones, WR, 6-0, 184 pounds, So.: More of a pure athlete than receiver the All-Big-12 member, led West Virginia last season with 677 receiving yards, 69 receptions and also tacked on two touchdowns. The Mountaineers need to do a better job of manufacturing touches for the redshirt sophomore.
Dante Stills, DT, 6-3, 275 pounds, Jr.: Another All-Big-12 performer, Stills is the younger brother of Darius above. Dante recorded 11.5 tackles for loss and tied his brother for the team lead in sacks with seven as just a sophomore. He honestly may be the better prospect when their careers are over.
