The Big 12 got the cold shoulder from the college football playoff committee last season and while they refused to let that force their hand in terms of a conference championship game, they are out to prove they’re just as good as any of the other power conferences. It starts with the talent on the field as the Big 12 as it was evident last year that it was lacking. Only three Big 12 players were taking within the first 68 picks of the 2015 NFL Draft. It looks like things are on the up-and-up talent-wise, though and it starts with these five guys.
Trevone Boykin, TCU Horned Frogs
Quarterback
Any list of Big 12 stars has to begin and end with this year’s preseason favorite to win the Heisman trophy. Boykin actually finished fourth in Heisman voting last season and is poised to take another step forward in his senior year. He threw for nearly 4,000 passing yards and ran for over 700 yards with 42 total touchdowns in his first year in the Air Raid offense under coordinators Doug Meachem and Sonny Cumbie, and he could be even more efficient in his second season in the offense.
Josh Doctson, Kolly Listenbee and Deante’ Gray lead an impressive returning wide receiver core will help maximize Boykin’s potential. There aren’t very many good defenses in the Big 12, so that should help Boykin rack up the numbers. There is no doubt that Boykin will be among the Big 12’s biggest stars if he can manage to stay healthy from start to finish.
Samaje Perine, Oklahoma Sooners
Running Back
Perine was a workhorse for the Sooners in 2014 as he averaged 6.51 yards per carry for 1,713 rushing yards and a ridiculous 21 touchdowns. Nobody will forget when Perine smashed Melvin Gordon’s single-game rushing record when he ran for 427 yards and five touchdowns against Kansas. Oklahoma football fans can’t wait to see what he has in store for an encore in his sophomore season.
Perine suffered a minor knee injury in practice that head coach Bob Stoops confirmed won’t keep him out for any extended period of time. That caused a major sigh of relief for Sooners fans that understand what their prized running back brings to the table for their offense.
Corey Coleman, Baylor Bears
Wide Receiver
Baylor has been a factory for explosive offensive talents over the last few seasons and they have arguably one of the best receiver’s in the nation. Coleman is burner that is set to make a huge impact for them this year as a junior wide receiver. He had 64 catches for 1,119 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games as a sophomore last season and has the potential to dominate the Big 12 this season.
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Shawn Oakman, Baylor Bears
Defensive End
The Bears have plenty of impact players on both sides of the football and Oakman is one of them. He has the potential to wreak havoc on the line of scrimmage in his senior year. Oakman registered 51 tackles including 19.5 for a loss last season and his 11 sacks off the edge is proof of how productive he can be attacking opposing quarterbacks. Baylor is once again among the Big 12 favorites and Coleman and Oakman are among the top reasons for it heading in to this season.
Dominique Alexander, Oklahoma Sooners
Linebacker
Alexander will be the heart and soul of the Sooners’ defense this season and will play an integral role in how well they perform overall. Alexander registered 107 tackles, including six for a loss last season. While he registered just 1.5 sacks, he has the potential to really raise that total in his junior season. Oklahoma will have issues on both sides of the football to overcome if they are going to be a contender in the Big 12 but look for Alexander to shine as the best player for them regardless of position.
