ESPN College Football

Mel Kiper has updated his Big Board, the list of the nation's top 25 draft-eligible prospects. You'll need ESPN Insider to see the whole thing.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck tops the list, of course, but there are plenty of Big 12 talents on the list.

6. Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma

Jones will draw inevitable comparisons to Sam Bradford (and other OU quarterbacks with huge numbers). But he has good size, a strong arm, and has improved his accuracy. Major prospect.

7. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

A potential first-round pick for the 2011 NFL draft. Versatile, explosive and really works to get open. Great ball skills and can break tackles.

17. Ronnell Lewis, DE/LB, Oklahoma

A defensive end at Oklahoma, Lewis will take his elite athleticism to outside linebacker at the next level. Too quick for many offensive tackles, he should pile up sacks. Added here after eligibility issues cleared up.

A couple thoughts:

• I was really surprised to see Lewis on the list, but you can't deny his physical skills. He'll play the standup defensive end at Oklahoma that Jeremy Beal perfected at Oklahoma. Beal was a much more refined talent at the position, but Lewis' measurables look like they'll have him hear his name a lot earlier than Beal did.
• Blackmon is actually the No. 2 receiver. He's below South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery, who is No. 5 on the Big Board. He doesn't play in as high-octane of an offense, but he's got huge talent. The battle between him and Blackmon to be the No. 1 receiver should be fascinating.
• If there was any doubt, there won't be now: January will be decision time for Jones.

Oklahoma's Ronnell Lewis started just four games last season, but last month, showed up as the media's All-Big 12 first-team pick at defensive end.

He made just 22 tackles and had one sack, but Lewis' opportunity is coming fast.

"We had guys in front of him and it was hard, because that standup position that he plays, Jeremy [Beal] played, and Jeremy played well," said Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis. "You can only get him in so much, because you're taking an All-American off the field."

Beal is gone now, though, as is Pryce Macon, who took on a starring role in last season's Big 12 title game, making five tackles for loss, forcing two fumbles and making three sacks. Lewis suffered a scary injury in the Fiesta Bowl against UConn that forced him to be carted off the field, but despite spending the night in a hospital before returning home, he's back for the fall.

Now, he's set to start opposite Frank Alexander as the Sooners' second defensive end, with a chance to start the play from a standing position, a more natural fit for the former linebacker who starred in eight-man football back in his hometown of Dewar, Oklahoma.

"He just has to play and get on the field," Travis Lewis said. "He's a guy that can make plays. He's a physical specimen. He's strong, he's powerful, he's fast. You just need to get him out there in space and make plays."

With the exodus of talent at Oklahoma, now is his chance. But with one talent's exodus comes another's rise, especially at programs like Oklahoma, which annually fields top 10 recruiting classes.

"This year, it's all him," Travis Lewis said. "He can go out there and get it."

I've done it. You've done it.

"Hey, is that guy still around?"

Even with two fewer teams, it's hard to keep track. Our next series, which we did last year, too, takes a look at two key players for every team in the league that are taking their talents elsewhere, returning to campus, or arriving to try and write a legacy of their own.

So really, this series isn't so much for the fans of the teams in the posts, but more for everyone else. It wouldn't be a bad idea to bookmark this series.

Next up: Oklahoma

Going:

Jeremy Beal, DE

Beal will go down as one of the greatest Sooners ever, after notching 28 sacks in his final three seasons and establishing himself as one of the program's great pass rushers. He appeared in 54 games and started 43 in his four-year career, earning All-American honors as a Hendricks Award finalist in 2009. The 6-foot-3, 267-pounder was drafted in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos.

DeMarco Murray, RB

Murray's 13-year Sooner career (we kid, but seriously, he and Beal have been around forever) finished with his name atop the storied Oklahoma record books for the career touchdowns (64) and career all-purpose yardage (6,498 yards). Throughout his career, Murray earned a reputation as an injury-prone back, but the 6-foot-1, 207-pounder played in 50 of 55 games for the Sooners, including 26 of 27 in his final two years on campus, missing only a road win over Kansas with a sprained ankle. Murray was drafted in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys, and looks likely to be replaced by a committee of running backs.

Staying:

Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles, QB and WR

The past two seasons, this has been one of the best pass-catch combos in college football. Broyles has 220 catches for 2,742 yards in the past two seasons, despite missing two games and nearly all of two others in 2009 with a fractured shoulder blade. In 2010, Jones made big strides as a passer, finding a second target opposite Broyles, Kenny Stills, and a host of other young receivers on the way to 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns, both significantly more than any other passer in the Big 12.

Travis Lewis, LB

Lewis, like Beal and Broyles, will have four years in the spotlight after next year. Lewis has 360 tackles in three seasons, and enters 2011 as the likely favorite for the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2, 233-pounder is one of the league's best run-stopping linebackers and the leader of the Sooners defense. The San Antonio native earned a reputation as one of the league's biggest trash talkers over the past season, but when you back it up on the field like Lewis does, it remains safely on the side of entertainment, rather than annoyance.

Coming:

Brandon Williams, RB

Williams is likely to be a big part of the running back platoon that replaces Murray. He enrolled early and made an immediate impact, sliding into a rotation along with Roy Finch and Brennan Clay at the top of the depth chart. The 5-foot-11, 189-pounder is a good balance of size and speed and came to Oklahoma as the nation's No. 7 running back.

Trey Metoyer, WR

Metoyer hasn't officially qualified yet, but if he does and makes it to campus this fall, he should give an already solid Oklahoma receiving corps a big boost. The Whitehouse, Texas, native was the nation's No. 8 receiver and at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds, could offer a big-time threat as he matures. Oklahoma already has Broyles and Stills, as well as Trey Franks and Dejuan Miller, but redshirt freshman Justin McCay, last year's top recruit, and Metoyer could make the unit even deeper.

Click here for more from The Revolving Door.

If you missed my take on our team polls last week, here you go. Moving on to the player polls.

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Chuck Cook/US PresswireOklahoma State's Justin Blackmon will open the season as a leading candidate to be the Big 12's offensive player of the year.

Who is the offensive player of the year?

• Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State: 32 percent
• Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma: 29 percent
• Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M: 23 percent

Comment: Interesting results here. Personally, I'll be voting Blackmon in the preseason, but if I had to guess, I think Jones wins the official award in December. Blackmon should have a big season, but I don't think he'll be able to duplicate what he did last season with defenses focused on shutting him down and a new, inexperienced playcaller.

Meanwhile, if Jones duplicates what he did last season and Oklahoma wins 11 games, Jones will take this award home, and probably the Heisman. Christine Michael's return will be great for the Aggies, but bad for Gray's chances to win the award.

Who is the defensive player of the year?

• Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma: 41 percent
• Brad Madison, DE, Missouri: 16 percent
• Keenan Robinson, LB, Texas: 16 percent

Comment: Like I wrote last week, this one's wide open. I'll probably be voting for Lewis in the preseason, but at the end of the season, I can't shake the feeling that someone will come out of nowhere to win the award, a la Blackmon a year ago. Lewis is the most established name in the group (which, by the way, should have included Iowa State linebacker Jake Knott. My bad on that one.), but we haven't really seen any of these guys take over a game the way Von Miller or Jeremy Beal could, or even the way Nebraska's secondary worked together to do it.

Which player will have the conference's biggest impact?

• Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas: 33 percent
• Steele Jantz, QB, Iowa State: 19 percent
• Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State: 19 percent

Comment: Rather than mix the top offensive and defensive players in this poll, I went with relative unknowns nationally. I was pretty surprised with the results. Brown being the best of this group next season wouldn't surprise me one bit, but I'm going with Arthur Brown, who if I was pressed right now, I'd bet on being the best defensive player on Kansas State's team next season, with apologies to David Garrett.

Malcolm Brown will have brighter lights on him in Austin, but Arthur Brown was making a big impact on the scout team last season and this spring as a likely starter.

Who will be the conference's most improved player?

• Damontre Moore, LB, Texas A&M: 30 percent
• Corey Nelson, LB, Oklahoma: 26 percent

Comment: Both good choices here, and about what I expected. Moore has more space to make an impact with his improvement, but Nelson sounds ready to be a major player at this level. He just has to wait for his opportunity to be a key cog for the defense.

Moore, meanwhile, could have a very different profile nationally this time next year.

Who is the Big 12's toughest player to replace?

• Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M: 41 percent
• Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri: 36 percent

Comment: No love for my pick here, Daniel Thomas. He had just eight percent, the second fewest votes. Gabbert probably would have been my No. 2. Miller's raw size-speed numbers are the hardest to replace or duplicate, but in terms of what he meant to the defense or offense, Thomas and Gabbert should leave behind bigger holes.

Miller was hurt early in season, and (admittedly, Damontre Moore had a lot to with it) the Wrecking Crew held on. There was a lot of talent around Miller and the Aggies should still be fine next seaosn.

Can anyone imagine what Missouri or Kansas State would have looked like without Gabbert or Thomas? Bryce Brown has plenty of hype, but Thomas' production the past two years with so much attention being paid to the line of scrimmage was staggering. He was the Wildcats' entire offense the last two years. Kansas State probably would have won 5-6 games in 2009 and 2010 without him. We'll see how they do with his replacement.

As for Gabbert, Franklin will learn on the go this season, but him trying to do it last season? Scary thought for Tigers fans.

This is a question that, perhaps more than the others, we can't answer until maybe October, but finding out will be fun.

OKLAHOMA

2010 overall record: 12-2

2010 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense (8), Defense (7) P/K (2)

Top returners: QB Landry Jones, WR Ryan Broyles, LB Travis Lewis, S Tony Jefferson, WR Kenny Stills

Key losses: RB DeMarco Murray, DE Jeremy Beal, S Quinton Carter, S Jonathan Nelson, OL Eric Mensik, WR Cameron Kenney

2010 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: DeMarco Murray (1,224 yards)

Passing: Landry Jones* (4,718 yards)

Receiving: Ryan Broyles* (1,622 yards)

Tackles: Travis Lewis* (109)

Sacks: Jeremy Beal (8.5)

Interceptions: Jamell Fleming (5)

Three spring answers

1. Replacing Fleming. Jamell Fleming, the team’s top corner from a year ago, isn’t enrolled. Gabe Lynn slid in his starting spot opposite Demontre Hurst and did well, while the Sooners moved former corner Aaron Colvin to safety. Fleming’s status is still very much in flux, but Stoops played it coy when asked about the position in the future. He’s “confident” the Sooners will be OK. We’ll see if that means faith in Lynn or faith that Fleming gets reinstated.

2. Sooners shake off a major injury. Oklahoma’s starting right tackle, Jarvis Jones, went down with a knee injury early in spring camp and may miss a few games next year, but the Sooners may have found a solid replacement in converted tight end Lane Johnson. That’s a big help for an offensive line that struggled to get a push up front at times last season.

3. Future star in the making. Linebacker Corey Nelson turned heads throughout the spring for his play, prompting coach Bob Stoops to call him the best player on the defense. For now, he’s stuck behind three-year starter Travis Lewis, but Stoops vowed to find a way to get the sophomore on the field somehow.

Three fall questions

1. Road woes officially over? Oklahoma finished strong last season, winning four huge games away from Owen Field, including wins over top 25 foes Oklahoma State and Nebraska to win the Big 12 South and Big 12, respectively. Will that maturity carry over to 2011? We’ll find out quick. The Sooners travel to Florida State, a likely top 10 opponent, in the season’s first month.

2. Running back by committee? DeMarco Murray was the featured back in 2010 after spending much of his career splitting carries. This year, though, a committee approach could return for the Sooners. Roy Finch, Brennan Clay and incoming freshman Brandon Williams are likely to split duties, but will any other back crash the party? And how will those carries be distributed?

3. What to expect from the safeties? Jonathan Nelson and Quinton Carter were outstanding, but both safeties are gone. Aaron Colvin showed big potential as a new starter this spring, and Javon Harris looks likely to slide into the opposite safety spot. Nickel back Tony Jefferson is also working at a traditional safety spot periodically. How will they look in the thick of conference play?

Sports Illustrated released a list of the top 40 prospects for 2012's NFL Draft, which is a healthy year away from right now.

The Big 12 players on the list?

• No. 2: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
• No. 10: Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M
• No. 25: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
• No. 28: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma
• No. 32: Kelechi Osemele, OT, Iowa State
• No. 35: Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M

But how accurate can these lists be a year out from the actual draft? Well, hit or miss, I suppose. Let's take a look back to last year's mock draft for 2011 from Todd McShay back in April 2010, a year before the draft that just occurred over the weekend.

No. 14: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M

Miller made a late charge up the draft boards with his measurables, running a 4.49 40-yard dash at an unfathomable 255 pounds. The Broncos loved it and took him second overall, behind only Heisman winner Cam Newton. A year under Tim DeRuyter allowed Miller to show he was more than just a pass rusher. He can pursue ball carriers and cover, too.

No. 18: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma

Beal's production was easy to fall in love with, but he couldn't outrun his less-than-ideal size/speed combination. Beal did a ton on the field, but NFL teams didn't like his measurables and lack of a projected position at the next level. He was drafted in the seventh round.

No. 22: Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State

NFL teams seemed to all agree to devalue running backs this year, but Thomas, the No. 2 running back on McShay's list back then, went fifth among running backs and was a second-round pick.

Nowhere to be found on the list, though?

Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, who went 10th overall. The same with Aldon Smith, who was seventh overall. Baylor offensive lineman Danny Watkins and defensive tackle Phil Taylor were also first-round picks who weren't projected as such a year ago.

Neither Gabbert or Smith had outstanding regular seasons. Taylor didn't either. But once NFL teams start to get a long look at players, they can become smitten. Or, on the other hand, not see a player as one that can help them at all for any number of reasons.

A lot can happen between now and then.

The NFL draft has come and gone, and I hope you're all prepared for no more NFL anything for awhile. I know I'm not.

Anyway, here's how the Big 12 shook out over the weekend, with a few thoughts to follow.

First round (8)

• No. 2: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M (Denver)
• No. 7: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri (San Francisco)
• No. 10: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri (Jacksonville)
• No. 17: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado (New England)
• No. 19: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska (New York Giants)
• No. 21: Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor (Cleveland)
• No. 23: Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor (Philadelphia)
• No. 27: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado (Baltimore)

Second round (2)

• No. 34: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas (Buffalo)
• No. 62: Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State (Miami)

Third round (2)

• No. 71: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma (Dallas)
• No. 95: Curtis Brown, CB, Texas (Pittsburgh)

Fourth round (6)

• No. 103: Sam Acho, DE, Texas (Arizona)
• No. 105: Roy Helu Jr., RB, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 108: Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma (Denver)
• No. 115: Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State (San Francisco)
• No. 118: Jalil Brown, CB, Colorado (Kansas City)
• No. 120: Alex Henery, K, Nebraska (Philadelphia)

Fifth round (3)

• No. 146: DeJon Gomes, S, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 155: Niles Paul, WR, Nebraska (Washington)
• No. 164: Chykie Brown, CB, Texas (Baltimore)

Sixth round (1)

• No. 196: Keith Williams, OL, Nebraska (Pittsburgh)

Seventh round (8)

• No. 216: Mikail Baker, CB, Baylor (St. Louis)
• No. 227: Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado (New York Jets)
• No. 229: Jonathan Nelson, DB, Oklahoma (St. Louis)
• No. 232: Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech (Pittsburgh)
• No. 234: Andrew Gachkar, LB, Missouri (San Diego)
• No. 246: Jay Finley, RB, Baylor (Cincinnati)
• No. 247: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma (Denver)
• No. 248: Eric Hagg, S, Nebraska (Cleveland)

Here's how the Big 12 teams ranked in terms of total draftees:

1. Nebraska - 7
2. Baylor - 4
2. Colorado - 4
2. Oklahoma - 4
2. Texas - 4
6. Missouri - 3
7. Kansas State -1
7. Oklahoma State - 1
7. Texas A&M - 1
7. Texas Tech - 1
11. Iowa State - 0
11. Kansas - 0

And the major conferences (counting where players actually played):

SEC - 38
Pac-12 - 33
Big 12 - 30
Big Ten - 29
ACC - 35
Big East - 22

• Texas A&M had just one player drafted, but the Aggies will have plenty next year, including a handful of possible first-rounders. Cyrus Gray, Ryan Tannehill and Jeff Fuller could all go very early in 2012, depending on what happens between now and then.
[+] Enlarge
Matthew Emmons/US PresswireOklahoma defensive end Jeremy Beal was drafted in the seventh round by Denver.
• Interesting that Miller went 245 selections before the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year, according to the media, Jeremy Beal. Also an interesting coincidence? The same team drafted both. I do think Beal will have a productive NFL career, and there's no denying what he did at Oklahoma, but the measurables were never quite there for Beal. What's not measurable? How difficult he is to block. That said, Miller was my vote for the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year.
• Good to see some hard-working, perhaps under-respected guys get drafted. This was an important year for that, considering those left over won't be able to get into NFL minicamps until the lockout ends and won't be able to do anything to further their NFL careers besides work out on their own. I'll have a post later today on some of those snubs. There's no guarantee that late-drafted guys like Baron Batch, Scotty McKnight, Jay Finley or Eric Hagg will catch on in the the pros, but I'd be willing to guarantee they'll do everything in their power to maximize what opportunities they get.
• One of the most interesting selections? Mikail Baker. He wasn't invited to the combine, and played just one full season on defense at Baylor after working as a kick returner and a cornerback in 2009 before a season-ending knee injury. You don't see that kind of impressive athleticism at Baylor traditionally.
• Let the debate continue: Kendall Hunter vs. DeMarco Murray. Murray getting drafted 40-some spots earlier only intensified that discussion, if you ask me.
• Also, what's more impressive from Art Briles? That Baylor had four picks, the most in school history since 1996? Or that despite those four picks, Baylor's returning an even better team than last season, when it ended a 16-year bowl drought?
• Colorado's draft, meanwhile? Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Dan Hawkins' coaching job in Boulder.
• Alex Henery didn't win the Lou Groza Award, but his fourth-round selection makes him the earliest kicker draft pick since 2006. Will that end the state of Nebraska's blood feud against respectable OSU kicker Dan Bailey, who did win the Lou Groza Award? I doubt it. (Save your emails. For the 100th time, I agree, Nebraska fans. Henery > Bailey.)
• A few guys who went way lower than I thought they would. In order of my surprise level: Beal, Gabbert, Amukamara, Hagg, Hunter.
• A few guys who went way higher than I thought, in the same order: Aldon Smith, Batch, Gachkar, Baker.

The Big 12 will likely have a pair of top-10 picks tonight and five selections in the first round, but there will still be six more rounds over the next two days, and plenty more Big 12ers will have a new home soon.

Middle and late-round picks are when you really have a chance to build a program, and here are a few folks who won't hear their names called tonight, but will on plenty of Sundays in the future.

Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State

He'll have the best NFL career of any of the Big 12 backs in this year's draft. Better than DeMarco Murray and Kendall Hunter. Roy Helu, too, if you're into that kind of thing.

Thomas is durable (never missed a game in two years), runs with a low center of gravity, making him one of the hardest guys to bring down in the league and is a great balance of power and speed. But what's most impressive? Despite leading the Big 12 in rushing the past two years, he's probably got the most upside of any back in the draft. He's only played the position since leaving junior college, where he was a quarterback.

Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma

He's a tweener at the next level. Not fast enough to be a linebacker and not big enough to play defensive end. He's not physically impressive. But he never has been, really. He's never a guy who wowed me, unless I was looking in the offensive backfield or on the stat sheet. He always had a strong presence in both.

For three years, he's been one of the best defenders in the Big 12, and it's hard to believe he won't exceed his modest expectations at the next level.

Sam Acho, DE, Texas

Unless his teammate, cornerback Aaron Williams, slips in the first round, it'll be the first draft since 1998 without a Sooner or a Longhorn selected in the first round. Even so, Acho assures there are still quality prospects from both programs available later in the draft.

He's got impressive agility for 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, and any player has a distinct advantage if he's got what it takes in the most important part of any NFL player: the brain. Acho definitely does, and won the Academic Heisman for his efforts in the classroom, too. A model citizen, even if Acho isn't an impact player on the field, he can be a big impact in the locker room. Don't be surprised if he ends up being both by the time his career is over.

We took a look at the offensive draft boards on Wednesday, and on the day of the draft we'll turn to the defense.

Analyst Todd McShay broke down the skill sets of each draftable player on the board and ranked them by those skill sets, divided up by position.

Here's what he had to say.

Defensive line

• Missouri's Aldon Smith was No. 3 on his versatility list, ranking defensive ends by their athleticism and ability to change direction and play in space.
• Baylor's Phil Taylor ranks No. 3 among defensive tackles as run-stoppers.
• Smith is No. 7 among overall defensive line prospects.
• Taylor is No. 11 overall at the position.
• Texas' Sam Acho is the No. 24 defensive line prospect.
• Oklahoma's Jeremy Beal is No. 25 on the list.
• Oklahoma State's Ugo Chinasa is No. 44.

Linebackers

• Oklahoma State's Orie Lemon is No. 3 on the strength/toughness list among inside linebackers.
• Texas A&M's Von Miller is No. 2 among outside linebackers in range against the run.
• Miller is the No. 1 surest tackler among outside linebackers.
• Miller is the No. 1 overall linebacker prospect.
• Lemon is the No. 22 linebacker prospect.

Defensive backs

• Texas' Aaron Williams is the No. 4 overall defensive back.
• Texas' Curtis Brown is the No. 12 overall defensive back.
• Oklahoma safety Quinton Carter is No. 15.
• Texas' Chykie Brown is No. 33.
• Iowa State safety David Sims is No. 42.
• Oklahoma cornerback Jonathan Nelson is No. 53
• Oklahoma State cornerback Andrew McGee is No. 54.
• Missouri cornerback Kevin Rutland is No. 55.

Marshall, you can't pay your mortgage with hacky sacks and good vibes.

• Oklahoma State safety Markelle Martin nearly left school when the pressures of school got to him. But he rebounded and recently won an academic award, writes Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman.
• Iowa State is looking for a big playmaker at defensive tackle, writes Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune.
• The quarterback competition at Kansas looks pretty similar this year, but it's quite a bit different, writes Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World.
• I stopped by the AFC North blog to talk about Texas CB Aaron Williams with James Walker.
• It won't be easy, but Oklahoma is trying to replace long-time starting defensive end Jeremy Beal, writes John Hoover of the Tulsa World.
• Bradley McDougald and Keeston Terry were receivers, but now play safety and have less than a season of experience at the position combined. Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal-World writes that they're coming along well.
• Tony Jerod-Eddie, Cyrus Gray and Ryan Swope were a few standouts in Texas A&M's last workout, writes Richard Croome of the Bryan-College Station Eagle.
• Kansas opened part of practice for the third time this spring on Monday, and Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World has a few observations.
• The NFL forwarded a letter from the NCAA warning players to not jeopardize the eligibility of other athletes by possible violations at draft parties.
• The best thing to take away from this video? Former K-State quarterback Josh Freeman has the best afro in sports.
• Coach Mike Gundy endowed a $167,000 scholarship for the OSU quarterback spot.

Thanks for all the questions in the mailbag. Don't see yours? We'll have another one soon. Drop it in my mailbag.

Trey Willis in Krum, Texas, asked: Will the Big 12 lose any bowl alliances with the loss of 2 conference members next year? Also, is it conceivable, although unlikely that every Big 12 team could be bowl eligible next year?

David Ubben: I actually asked a Big 12 official about this recently. Right now it's still being ironed out. Those contracts will likely be altered, but this is one more thing that may not be finalized until the league's spring meetings in June. The Big 12 isn't going to be able to fill eight bowl spots next year.

Jesse in Amarillo, Texas, asked: Dear Ubbs, Do you think with all of the "love" Demarco Murray has been getting from Dana White and all of the UFC, that he is setting up something if football doesn't pan out? Would you step into the octagon with Demarco?

DU: I don't think that's really the plan for DeMarco. Football should work out for him. He started doing some MMA training during his summers awhile back, and I think he just developed a love for the sport. On Dana White's side, I'm sure he embraced DeMarco's interest. It's always good to have a high-profile athlete associated with a growing sport.

As for stepping into the octagon, I'd do it. DeMarco wouldn't, though. (Thanks to his NFL contract likely prohibiting it.) Guess that means I win by forfeit, right? I'll keep telling myself that.

Ronnell Lewis in Norman, Okla., asked: STOP! Hammer Time! Is it my time in Norman now that Jeremy Beal is gone?

DU: Now's the time if it's going to happen. I don't see Lewis getting beat out for a starting job across from Frank Alexander, but David King and R.J. Washington could make a push for playing time. The same goes for redshirt freshman Geneo Grissom. Get a nice start on a big year and that playing time will come, of course, but neither of those things is a given. Lewis looked like he struggled a bit with the mental side of the game last year, and the coaches barely even played him against option-attacking Air Force when he was at linebacker. He's a big hitter and a pass-rusher for sure, but to have big success, he's got to become a more complete player who better understands Oklahoma's schemes. That stuff takes time. Lewis has had it. Hammer Time is most likely now or never.

CB in Osage Beach, Mo., asked: David,Once Blaine Gabbert is drafted and signed, he will be the third straight Mizzou starting QB to make (and remain on) an NFL roster. That seems pretty rare, although not unheard-of (I think USC has a similar streak with Palmer, Leinart, and Sanchez right now). Am I right that this is pretty unusual?

DU: Yeah, it definitely is. Brad Smith, now a receiver/return specialist for the New York Jets is somewhat of a technicality, but Missouri's quarterback line is rivaled by very, very few across the conference.

Texas had Vince Young followed by Colt McCoy, but we'll see how five-star recruit Garrett Gilbert's career ends up. He may not even be the starter next year. That's still in flux. Before Young, Chris Simms made his way into the NFL. It seems like his ruptured spleen kind of derailed his career, among other things, but he's on the Titans' roster.

Oklahoma and Texas Tech have had great, great college quarterbacks who have had moderate to no success in the NFL after big college careers. Setting Sam Bradford aside (after all, he was the first Oklahoma quarterback ever to throw a pass as a quarterback in an NFL game since 1949), Jason White won a Heisman and Josh Heupel won a national title. That's pretty dadgum impressive, too.

Missouri's got a good thing going at quarterback, though, and the program has benefited. Their rise is only more evidence that having a great quarterback means wins in the Big 12 pretty often.

Scouts Inc. has put together a comprehensive draft board of each position, and as you've seen this offseason, plenty of former Big 12ers should hear their names called next month.

Here's a rough estimate of where each offensive prospect from the league is set to be drafted.

First round:

• Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
• Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
• Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
• Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor

Second round:

• Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor
• Aaron Williams, CB, Texas

Third round:

• Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State
• Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State
• DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
• Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma

Fourth round:

• Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma
• Sam Acho, DE, Texas

Fifth round:

• Orie Lemon, LB, Oklahoma State

Sixth round:

• Detron Lewis, WR, Texas Tech
• Andrew McGee, CB, Oklahoma State

Seventh round:

• Kyle Hix, OL, Texas
• Ugo Chinasa, DE, Oklahoma State
• Kevin Rutland, CB, Missouri
• Carl Gettis, CB, Missouri

Want to see the full boards? Here's the offense and the defense.

The official list of the Big 12's top 25 players is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we're revealing the list day by day here on the blog. Here's a refresher on my exact criteria.

We're inside the top 10 now, so things should heat up a little bit. Have a gripe with the list? Let me know in the mailbag.

No. 5: Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma

2010 numbers: Beal made 71 tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles and broke up seven passes.

Most recent ranking: Beal was ranked No. 11 in our preseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.

Making the case for Beal: The Sooners' four-year star should go down as one of the Big 12's great defenders of all time, and he capped his career with a great year. The 6-foot-3, 267-pound defensive end led the league in tackles for loss and ranked third in sacks. For all four years on the field, Beal was one of the Sooners' most consistent performers and if you couldn't find him on the field during a play, check the backfield. No. 44 was usually there.

Hard to believe defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who's been around quite awhile, didn't think Beal was suited for even his scout team the first time he saw him. That opinion changed when he saw the high school game tape, and at the end of Beal's career, there was no doubt he belonged. It's pretty clear he excelled. A pass-rusher and a run stopper, Beal could do a little of everything, and Oklahoma's defense benefited. Beal played in two BCS bowls and a national championship game during his career, and was a contributor for all four seasons -- a rarity in today's world of college football.

The rest of the list:

• No. 6: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
• No. 7: Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State
• No. 8: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
• No. 9: Sam Acho, DL, Texas
• No. 10: Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State
• No. 11: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
• No. 12: Lavonte David, LB, Nebraska
• No. 13: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
• No. 14: Levy Adcock, RT, Oklahoma State
• No. 15: Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
• No. 16: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
• No. 17: Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M
• No. 18: Eric Hagg, DB, Nebraska
• No. 19: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
• No. 20: Orie Lemon, LB, Oklahoma State
• No. 21: Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska
• No. 22: Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma
• No. 23: Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma
• No. 24: Tim Barnes, C, Missouri
• No. 25: Lyle Leong, WR, Texas Tech

The NFL combine ended this week, but now that the dust has settled, here's who helped themselves and hurt themselves with their performance in Indianapolis.

STOCK UP

Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M

If there was such a thing as scouting combine MVP, Miller might have won it. The 6-foot-3, 246-pounder wowed everyone in attendance with speed and agility more befitting of a defensive back. He clocked an unofficial 4.46 40-yard dash time and had the longest broad jump, the quickest 60-yard shuttle and quickest three-cone drill. Add that to his production the last two seasons and a year spent learning coverage as well as a pass rush under Tim DeRuyter, and Miller could find his way as high as the third pick in the draft. That's especially good to see for a player who elected to stay in school an extra year after projecting as a middle-round pick a year ago.

Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

Gabbert is a polished talent, and elected not to throw while his main competition for the top quarterback spot did. Cam Newton had a nightmarish outing in throwing drills, and Gabbert impressed in interviews. He plans to throw at Missouri's March 17 pro day, but until then, he may have moved up as the top quarterback in the draft, ahead of Newton and Washington's Jake Locker. Questions about Gabbert's physical skills are non-existent, and he's given scouts confidence he'll be able to learn and adapt to a pro system after being in a spread throughout his high school and college careers.

DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

Like Miller, Murray showed he could carry a big frame and make it move. He didn't show a ton of breakaway speed late in his career after injuries early on, but the 6-foot, 213-pounder posted an impressive 4.41 40-yard dash time, fifth fastest among running backs.

STOCK DOWN

Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma

Beal, at 6-foot-2 and 262 pounds, may have to play linebacker at the next level, and his 5.11 40-time didn't give reason to believe the transition from defensive end to linebacker would work. He also struggled in positional drills and looked sluggish. I mentioned this on Twitter earlier this week, but comments from scouts about his unimpressive showing reminded me a lot of what Brent Venables told me at the Fiesta Bowl.

An excerpt:

Beal's high school coach in Carrollton, Texas, brought him to Norman for a camp and a chance to be seen by Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables, whose jaw didn't exactly drop at what was in front of him.

"If you saw him, he wasn’t physically imposing. He was a bigger guy, but he didn’t look -- I don’t know -- he wasn’t impressive looking," Venables said. "He didn’t move impressively."

Thanks, but no thanks, the Sooners said, saving their scholarship offer and setting their sights on a five-star defensive end elsewhere.

December arrived. Beal's coach returned. This time, he had game tape of Beal's most recent season.

..."You just watched a few plays and you were like, 'This guy is incredible,'" Venables said.

Is it the same case this time around? Maybe. It's certainly a possibility. You can't argue with Beal's production for four seasons at Oklahoma, quickly becoming a coach favorite because of his consistency in games and on the practice field. He wasn't named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior or earn All-American honors earlier in his career by accident. He was consistently productive and led the Big 12 in tackles for loss this season. That alone will get him a shot somewhere, even if he falls to free agency status after the draft. When he does get his chance, Beal will take himself as far as he can get. That might be a lot further than his raw numbers at the combine indicate.

Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma

Carter was known more as a hitter than a pass defender at Oklahoma, and his 40 time supported that idea. A 4.62 40-time isn't impressive for an NFL safety, and though that might improve eventually, it's not a number that will have teams clamoring for his services. The pool of safety talent isn't very deep this year, but Carter's combine performance didn't help him rise to the top.

The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off Wednesday, and when it concludes next week, draft boards from media and NFL teams alike could look very different.

Physical tests won't begin until Thursday, but the first round of players will arrive Wednesday and take part in various preparatory tests before the real sizing up begins.

A week from now, stocks will be up. Others will be down.

Here are the players from the Big 12 slated to take part, in case you missed it the first time around:

Oklahoma State -- 5

• Dan Bailey, K
• Ugo Chinasa, DE
• Kendall Hunter, RB
• Orie Lemon, LB
• Andrew McGee, CB

Texas -- 5

• Sam Acho, DE
• Chykie Brown, CB
• Curtis Brown, CB
• Kyle Hix, OL
• Aaron Williams, CB

Oklahoma -- 4

• Jeremy Beal, DE
• Quinton Carter, S
• DeMarco Murray, RB
• Adrian Taylor, DT

Missouri -- 3

• Blaine Gabbert, QB
• Kevin Rutland, CB
• Aldon Smith, DE

Baylor -- 2

• Phil Taylor, DT
• Danny Watkins, OT

Texas A&M -- 2

• Jerrod Johnson, QB
• Von Miller, LB

Iowa State -- 1

• David Sims, S

Kansas State -- 1

• Daniel Thomas, RB

Texas Tech -- 1

• Colby Whitlock, DT