Breaking down the Big 12’s 2018 recruiting classes

I don’t know that I want to try and rank them all again. Last year I developed a system for weighting the grades I handed out and then added it all up. This year I think I’m done with that. It’s fun content and makes for good debate but I’m not sure how valuable it really is.

Recruiting is really about grabbing players that can project to be good role players in your system of choice while snatching up enough star power to carry the role players to greater heights. From there it’s about developing everyone and then adjusting if you find holes where you need role players and adjusting to who the actual playmakers are on your team. How much can grades capture all that?

Instead, I’m going to link all the breakdowns and include my internal ranking of the top 5 players in each class. I’m listing them by the same order I broke them down, north to south.

Iowa State Cyclones

1. Re-al Mitchell: 6-0, 190. Californian QB
2. Will McDonald: 6-4, 220. Wisconsan DE
3. Greg Eisworth: 6-0, 195. Texan JUCO S
4. Jaeveyon Morton: 5-9, 180. Detroit CB
5. Michael Rose: 6-4, 215. Ohioan DE

West Virginia Mountaineers

1. Dante Stills: 6-4, 265. West Virginian DE
2. Bryce Wheaton: 6-, 200. North Carolinian WR
3. Kwantel Raines: 6-3, 200. Pittsburgh S
4. Oyenmwen Uzebu: 6-6, 305. Atlanta OT
5. Briason Mays: 6-4, 290. Tennessee OL

Kansas State Wildcats

1. Derick Newton: 6-2, 268. Californian DL
2. Lance Robinson: 5-10, 181. New Orleans S
3. John Holcombe: 6-4, 227. Houston QB
4. Rahsaan York: 6-0, 210. Californian JUCO LB
5. EJ Turner: 6-0, 179. Georgian WR

Kansas Jayhawks

1. Anthony “Pooka” Williams: 5-9, 170. Louisianan RB
2. Elijah Jones: 6-2, 180. Iowan JUCO CB
3. Najee Stevens-McKenzie: 6-4, 215. Brooklyn JUCO DE
4. Corione Harris: 6-0, 165. New Orleans CB
5. Jacobi Lott: 6-5, 308. Amarillo OL

Oklahoma State Cowboys

1. Sean Michael Flanagan: 6-1, 181. Arkansas S
2. CJ Moore: 6-5, 175. Oklahoman WR
3. Tanner McAlister: 5-11, 182. DFW CB
4. Blake Barron: 6-0, 225. DFW LB
5. Tyrese Williams: 6-3, 285. Houston C

Oklahoma Sooners

1. Delarrin Turner-Yell: 5-10, 170. Texan S
2. Ronnie Perkins: 6-3, 256. Missourian DL
3. Brayden Willis: 6-4, 220. DFW TE
4. Jordan Kelley: 6-3, 293. Oklahoman DT
5. Brendan Radley-Hiles: 5-10, 183. IMG DB

Texas Tech Red Raiders

1. Alan Bowman: 6-3, 208. DFW QB.
2. Sa’Rodorick Thompson: 6-1, 192. DFW RB
3. KeSean Carter: 5-10, 150. Houston WR
4. John Scott: 6-3, 255. Galveston SDE
5. Jaylon Hutchings: 6-1, 270. Texan DL

TCU Horned Frogs

1. Te’Vailance Hunt: 6-2, 185. bEast Texas WR
2. Atanza Vongor: 6-1, 200. DFW S
3. Anthony McKinney: 6-8, 330. Iowan JUCO OT
4. Taye Barber: 5-9, 185. Houston slot WR (apparently)
5. Fabian Franklin: 5-11, 207. Mississippi RB

Baylor Bears

1. Princeton Pines: 6-5, 327. Louisianan OL
2. Christian Morgan: 6-1, 188. Houston S
3. JT Woods: 6-2, 175. San Antonio S
4. Christoph Henle: 6-6, 245. Austrian/DFW TE
5. Jackson Gleeson: 6-0, 160. DFW WR

Texas Longhorns

1. Caden Sterns: 6-1, 192. San Antonio S
2. Moro Ojomo: 6-3, 280. Katy NT
3. Jalen Green: 6-0, 171. Houston CB
4. D’Shawn Jamison: 5-10, 174. Houston DB
5. DeMarvion Overshown: 6-4, 200. bEast Texas S/LB