:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14204139/20121229_jla_sq8_746.0.jpg)
Phil Steele has spoken. And he has an interesting perspective. His talent rankings certainly jibe with the resurgent Longhorn narrative. A few of his picks are premised more on name familiarity, cumulative starts, and inference than pure evaluation, so I'll offer some of my thoughts as well.
| OFFENSE | ||||
| 1st TEAM | 2nd TEAM | 3rd TEAM | 4th TEAM | |
| QB | Bryce Petty, Baylor | Casey Pachall, TCU | David Ash, Texas | Blake Bell, Oklahoma |
| RB | Damien Williams, Oklahoma | John Hubert, Kansas St | Andrew Buie, West Virginia | Malcolm Brown, Texas |
| RB | Lache Seastrunk, Baylor | James Sims, Kansas | Johnathan Gray, Texas | Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma St |
| WR | Mike Davis, Texas | Eric Ward, Texas Tech | Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma | Jordan Thompson, West Virginia |
| WR | Tracy Moore, Oklahoma St | Jalen Saunders, Oklahoma | Brandon Carter, TCU | LaDarius Brown, TCU |
| WR | Josh Stewart, Oklahoma St | Tevin Reese, Baylor | Jaxon Shipley, Texas | Tyler Lockett, Kansas St |
| TE | (FB) Trey Millard, Oklahoma | Jace Amaro, Texas Tech | Blake Jackson, Oklahoma St | Ernst Brun, Iowa St |
| C | BJ Finney, Kansas St | Dominic Espinosa, Texas | Eric Tausch, TCU | Tom Farniok, Iowa St |
| OG | (C) Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma | Trey Hopkins, Texas | Adam Shead, Oklahoma | Parker Graham, Oklahoma St |
| OG | Cyril Richardson, Baylor | Mason Walters, Texas | Cody Whitehair, Kansas St | Bronson Irwin, Oklahoma |
| OT | Cornelius Lucas, Kansas St | Daryl Williams, Oklahoma | Quinton Spain, West Virginia | Tayo Fabuluje, TCU |
| OT | Le’Raven Clark, Texas Tech | Spencer Drango, Baylor | Josh Cochran, Texas | Kyle Lichtenberg, Iowa St |
Comments:
Steele is positively disposed to the overall depth of the Longhorn offense, with 9 of 11 starters listed in the first four teams, but only WR Mike Davis is listed on the 1st team. Espinosa on the 2nd team is sure to spark some debate. As will Mason Walters. He certainly expects good things from our offensive line. There are 50 starting offensive linemen in the Big 12. Steele thinks we have 4 of the top 15.
Notable that Steele's first two QB selections are a brand new starter and a guy returning from Celebrity Rehab. And it's not really that crazy. However, listing Trey Millard over Tech's Jace Amaro is. I'd be very surprised to see OSU's Tracy Moore earn 1st team WR. I like the ballsiness of the Bryce Petty selection. Steele is making an argument about the Baylor offense, namely that it's a machine on automatic pilot. Hard to disagree.
Interesting hedge on Blake Bell at 4th team, IMO.
Defense
DEFENSE
1st TEAM
2nd TEAM
3rd TEAM
4th TEAM
DE
Devonte Fields, TCU
Cedric Reed, Texas
Chuka Ndulue, Oklahoma
Tyler Johnson, Oklahoma St
DT
(DE) Kerry Hyder, Texas Tech
Chucky Hunter, TCU
Jordan Phillips, Oklahoma
Marquel Combs, Kansas
DT
Calvin Barnett, Oklahoma St
Ashton Dorsey, Texas
Davion Pierson, TCU
James Castleman, Oklahoma St
DE
Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas
Delvon Simmons, Texas Tech
(DT) Will Clarke, West Virginia
Chris McAllister, Baylor
LB
Jordan Hicks, Texas
Caleb Lavey, Oklahoma St
Ben Heeney, Kansas
Will Smith, Texas Tech
LB
Steve Edmond, Texas
Corey Nelson, Oklahoma
Jeremiah George, Iowa St
Peter Jinkens, Texas
LB
Shaun Lewis, Oklahoma St
Eddie Lackey, Baylor
Joel Hasley, TCU
Frank Shannon, Oklahoma
LB
Bryce Hager, Baylor
(S) Sam Carter, TCU
Isaiah Bruce, West Virginia
(S) Sam Holl, Baylor
CB
Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma
Quandre Diggs, Texas
Carrington Byndom, Texas
Randall Evans, Kansas St
CB
Jason Verrett, TCU
Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma St
Joe Williams, Baylor
(S) Chris Hackett, TCU
S
Ty Zimmerman, Kansas St
Elisha Olabode, TCU
Ahmad Dixon, Baylor
Jacques Washington, Iowa St
S
Daytawion Lowe, Oklahoma St
Karl Joseph, West Virginia
Shamiel Gary, Oklahoma St
Adrian Phillips, Texas
Comments:
Texas places 9 selections on the first four teams: 3 on the 1st, 3 on the 2nd, 1 on the 3rd, 2 on the 4th. Steele is predicting a vastly improved Longhorn defense and his Steve Edmond (1st team LB) & Cedric Reed (2nd team DE) picks should be hotly debated.
Steele clearly thinks Texas, TCU, and Oklahoma State are the class of the conference talent-wise. Steele contends that we have 6 of the best 22 defenders in the league. Out of a possible 110 defensive starters.
TCU's Devonte Fields is a shoe-in at 1st team DE if he gets his act together. No guarantee, there. Meanwhile, Steele is short-changing Devonte's TCU teammate, the excellent Chucky Hunter, with a 2nd team listing.
Baylor's Bryce Hager will have to improve dramatically to be a 1st team LB, preferably racking up his tackle numbers nearer the line of scrimmage. I'm also not sold on WVU's Karl Joseph at 2nd team safety. Iowa State's Jacques Washington is listed on the 4th team at safety - he's 1st or 2nd team caliber IMO.
How much of all of these teams are predicated on name recognition and returning starts? What team is most likely to leapfrog some of these familiar names with new blood?
Special Teams
| SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||
| 1st TEAM | 2nd TEAM | 3rd TEAM | 4th TEAM | |
| K | Jaden Oberkrom, TCU | Edwin Arceo, Iowa St | Aaron Jones, Baylor | Michael Hunnicutt, Oklahoma |
| P | Kirby Van Der Kamp, Iowa St | Ethan Perry, TCU | Spencer Roth, Baylor | Ron Doherty, Kansas |
| KR | Tyler Lockett, Kansas St | Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma St | Jakeem Grant, Texas Tech | Brennan Clay, Oklahoma |
| PR | Tramaine Thompson, Kansas St | Levi Norwood, Baylor | Deante’ Gray, TCU | Quandre Diggs, Texas |