17 Comments

  1. David Keith Williams

    Jake McMillon is at least the third best Offensive Lineman in the conference, and only a few Longhorn followers know that. I’m very happy to see you recognizing him.
    “Hook Em”

  2. Will

    Fun list, nice to read something a bit different from the standard All-Big 12 teams out there.

    Really fascinated to see Ertz on there at second team. I saw him against WVU very early in the season and he was not impressive. I’m not sure I saw him again after that (I saw some of the win over Texas but was wasted for most of that) but I just wasn’t really aware of how much better he got over the course of the year. His rushing numbers at the end of the season were nuts. I see a lot of WVU fans sort of sleeping on K-St. this year (a monkey-is-off-the-back kind of thing). This list sure hammers home that the Wildcats are loaded with playmaker talent and not just a bunch of disciplined overachievers.

    One WVU guy I think you might see challenge the guys you have at left tackle is Yodney Cajuste. The coaching staff thinks he has the potential to play the same position in the NFL.

    Did putting this list together cause you to shift any expectations you had for the various teams in the conference, one way or another?

    • ianaboyd

      “One WVU guy I think you might see challenge the guys you have at left tackle is Yodney Cajuste. The coaching staff thinks he has the potential to play the same position in the NFL.”

      He could be good, I think their OL will be strong this year. But the WVU coaching staff thinks Cajuste could play in the NFL…the NFL is chomping at the bit to give Orlando Brown and Connor Williams a shot in this next draft.

      “Did putting this list together cause you to shift any expectations you had for the various teams in the conference, one way or another?”
      Not really.

      • Will

        Oh, yeah, I think you are absolutely right to have Williams and Brown listed. I’m thinking Cajuste might be an option for next year or maybe honorable mention at the end of the year. He’s raw and inexperienced, and his upside is maybe being as good as those guys. Just wanted to flag him as a guy to keep an eye on when UT comes to Morgantown.

    • David

      Keep in mind Ertz was playing injured last year. He had surgery on his arm over the summer and he’s looking better than ever. Losing by one point on the road isn’t exactly unimpressive when he went on to destroy Baylor and TCU both on the road, then handling Texas A&M in Houston at the Texas Bowl. Look out for Jessie Ertz. He stays healthy don’t count out Kansas State.

  3. Will

    Also, not to be obnoxious (too late), but I did enjoy my comment on your 2016 all Big 12 squad. It’s nice when blind homerism is vindicated.

    • ianaboyd

      The lesson I’ve taken from my major miss on WVU in 2016 is that having lots of guys that have been in the program for 3 years or more is what really matters, not returning starts.

      The 2016 WVU defense was filled with guys that were ready to go in that system. The fact that we hadn’t heard of most of them didn’t really matter.

  4. Steven

    Good selections!
    Did notice Specialists were not on your rankings?
    I have to admit, I’m a little biased towards Special Teams getting some love.
    “Special Reams are people too!”, lol

      • ianaboyd

        I just don’t have much to say on that front so I don’t say anything.

        Texas punter Michael Dickson could have an enormous impact on this season and the teams that have guys who are reliable inside 50 feet have a major advantage.

        If Texas wins 10 games and/or the Big 12 this year special teams will be a major reason why.

  5. Davey OBrien

    Matt Pryor is a senior this year so I am not sure about the next year comment and frankly has the mobility of my couch. Not trying to be harsh, but he has been beaten far too often by quicker defenders. Thomsen might help, but the better of the two TCU guards has been Morris.

    Kid from WVU is the best back in the B12 since Foreman left early. Warren from ISU has as much talent as any back in the conference, but dropped off a bit last year. Not sure what the definition of a flex back is, but Hicks was good as any back catching the ball out of the backfield.

    • ianaboyd

      Ha, I actually meant this coming year on Pryor. He’s about as wide as a couch, also.

      I like Crawford, he’s good and I like Warren as well, and Hicks. I may like Darius Anderson even more down the road at TCU. I only awarded two spots for RBs rather than the four that these lists often have (postseason at least) so lots of guys were going to get left out.

      My guess was that Crawford and Anderson were most likely to not only play well but have the supporting help needed to post big years.

      • Philly Frog

        Yokay.

        Some people around the program have been saying good things about a DE transfer from one of those pointy Louisiana schools.

        Banogu-ing the drum, if you will.

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