ESPN College Football

NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. tracks the fluctuating stock of college football's top 25 prospects throughout the year, and debuted his Big Board this week.

The shocking truth? The Big 12 didn't have a single prospect in the top 25.

What's that mean? Not much, beyond the fact the Big 12 doesn't have many big-time individual talents.

It still has plenty more solid teams.

Kiper also took a look at a few players who just missed the list.

Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
Based on talent alone, Jones has the potential to be a top-10 pick. He struggled down the stretch last year (the absence of the great Ryan Broyles certainly didn't help) and looked like a player who was really trying to carry his team. He forced things, lost his mechanics a little and probably made the right decision to return for another year. I know he's working hard this offseason, and he could bounce back in a big way in 2012.

Kiper's on the money with that one. I talked about it a little earlier this offseason, but Jones probably has the most volatile draft stock of anyone in the league. Depending on how 2012 goes, he could progress into the top 10 or even fall out of the top three rounds or worse.

Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma
Out of place at linebacker last year, Jefferson actually played pretty well. Back to his more natural position at safety, I expect him to be a force in 2012. The former high school quarterback is a superior athlete and should thrive.

It's been a little frustrating lately for Jefferson. He's a freak athlete, but his lack of a true position kept him off All-Big 12 teams in 2011, even though he's clearly one of the most gifted defenders in the Big 12. That'll change pretty quick if he spends all year playing traditional safety.

Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas
A star coming out of high school, this could be the year Jeffcoat really comes into his own. He played pretty stiff in his first season-plus in Austin, but he had 7.5 sacks in his last seven games last year. Watch out.

Todd McShay is higher on Jeffcoat than Kiper, but his production will tell the story of how his stock moves in 2012. Like Jones, he could be a top 5-10 pick, but Jeffcoat's floor is probably much higher because of his eye-popping physical attributes.

We're moving on with our postseason position rankings. Today, it's time for linebackers. If you missed it, here's how I ranked them in the preseason.

At this position, depth is a major factor in these rankings. Additionally, I included nickelbacks in this grouping. Hybrid defensive end/linebackers will be grouped with defensive lines.

More postseason position rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs
• Receivers/tight ends

1. Iowa State: The Cyclones top the list after a huge year from their outstanding duo, Jake Knott and A.J. Klein. They combined for 231 tackles in 2011, both finishing among the top four in the Big 12 in tackles. They had 241 together in 2010, but this season Knott played through injuries and Klein was awarded co-Defensive Player of the Year honors from the league's coaches.

2. Texas: The Longhorns will sorely miss an outstanding duo of their own with tons of experience. Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho are both NFL-bound after combining for 215 tackles.

3. Oklahoma: The Sooners weren't quite as good as expected in 2011, but part of that was because of a Travis Lewis preseason toe injury that slowed him for much of the season. Lewis, Tony Jefferson and Tom Wort all topped 70 tackles in 2011, and are a solid group.

4. Kansas State: Arthur Brown reinvigorated this group, finishing eighth in the Big 12 with 101 tackles, but the Wildcats linebackers were more than just Brown. Tre Walker and converted safety Emmanuel Lamur combined for 135 stops and helped lead one of the league's most underrated units and a much-improved run defense.

5. Texas A&M: The Aggies' backers were big pass-rushers, though they struggled in coverage this season. Sean Porter was the Big 12's sack champion with 9.5, and Caleb Russell and Jonathan Stewart combined for six more. Damontre Moore is the rawest talent of the bunch, but built on that in 2011, making 72 tackles.

6. Oklahoma State: OSU's group was good, but not great. Alex Elkins' crazy story came to an end with 90 stops in 2011. He showed up everywhere for the Cowboys, but reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year Shaun Lewis didn't quite have the sophomore season some had hoped. Caleb Lavey added some solid play for the turnover-hungry unit, producing 74 tackles and five tackles for loss.

7. Missouri: Zaviar Gooden wasn't quite the impact player Mizzou had hoped, but he was solid alongside a group that's been injury prone over the past two years. Sophomore Andrew Wilson emerged as the team's top tackler with 98 stops, and Luke Lambert added 82 more. A high ankle sprain in the season opener kept Will Ebner off the field, but he'll be back in 2012 after the NCAA granted him a fifth year of eligibility.

8. Kansas: Steven Johnson led the Big 12 with 119 tackles, but the rest of the unit left a lot to be desired. Darius Willis has some potential, but the rest of the team's linebackers have their work cut out for them in 2012. Tunde Bakare also returns from a unit that ranked ninth in the Big 12 in rushing defense.

9. Baylor: The Bears needed help just about everywhere. Elliot Coffey was solid, and finished tied for fourth with 114 stops, but Baylor was eighth in the Big 12 in rush defense. Baylor has solid athlete in the secondary and on the defensive line, but at linebacker, Rodney Chadwick and Brody Trahan leave a bit to be desired. Ahmad Dixon was better in 2011, but still has a lot of potential that needs to be filled.

10. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are looking for a new defensive coordinator and the 4-2-5 made a short stop in Lubbock. The Red Raiders were awful everywhere on defense, but especially up front. Nobody in college football was worse at stopping the run, and D.J. Johnson, Daniel Cobb and Cqulin Hubert turned in forgettable performances. Time to get better for 2012.

Editor’s Note: Tune into the “AT&T ESPN All America Team Show” on Saturday (ABC, 1:30 p.m. ET) to see who ESPN’s writers and experts selected.

It's been a fun season across the Big 12, with a few big names who didn't play as well as we thought, and lots of unknowns who became household names by the end of the season.

I'll offer my comments below, but here's our All-Big 12 team for 2011.

OFFENSE

QB: Robert Griffin III, Baylor
All-purpose: Collin Klein, QB, Kansas State
RB: Terrance Ganaway, Baylor
RB: Henry Josey, Missouri
FB: Trey Millard, Oklahoma
WR: Kendall Wright, Baylor
WR: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
WR: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
TE: Michael Egnew, Missouri
C: Grant Garner, Oklahoma State
OL: Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
OL: Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State
OL: Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma
OL: Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

DEFENSE

DE: Frank Alexander, Oklahoma
DT: Dominique Hamilton, Missouri
DE: Alex Okafor, Texas
DE: Jamie Blatnick, Oklahoma State
LB: Sean Porter, Texas A&M
LB: Jake Knott, Iowa State
LB: Emmanuel Acho, Texas
NB: Tony Jefferson, Oklahoma
CB: Nigel Malone, Kansas State
CB: Carrington Byndom, Texas
S: Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
S: Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

SPECIALISTS

P: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State
PK: Randy Bullock, Texas A&M
PR: Dustin Harris, Texas A&M
KR: Tyler Lockett, Kansas State

Finally, a few notes and explanations:

• I loved the media's idea to craft an all-purpose spot to accomodate Collin Klein. The Big Ten did the same for Michigan's Denard Robinson last season. I followed suit, and did so on the defensive side of the ball with a nickel-back spot for Oklahoma's Tony Jefferson. Two players that missed first-team designation by the coaches, but clearly deserve to be recognized.
• Additionally, I prefer the teams to reflect the Big 12 style of play, so the nickel back fits. Each team doesn't have 11 players, but there were deserving linebackers. The same with Egnew and Millard. Does every team use a fullback or a tight end? No, but both are standout performers. They'd rotate in anyway, just as Jefferson would in a theoretical package.
• Tough call to leave Philip Blake from Baylor off my team, but Garner's been better. Blake is very, very close, though.
• Hated to leave off Brodrick Brown and E.J. Gaines, but I went with a more traditional two corners and two safeties, rather than four corners like the media's team.
• Steven Johnson and Arthur Brown would have been right behind my three linebackers. That race was probably closer than at any other position, except maybe cornerback. Difficult to leave either of those guys off my first team, but the three on the team were better. I gave Brown my Newcomer of the Year nod, though.
• I don't like going with three defensive ends and one defensive tackle, but there wasn't a defensive tackle who deserved the honor more than Okafor, my third defensive end. Okafor was a defensive tackle last year anyway, so that's close enough, right? He moved from tackle to end before spring practice earlier this year. In the Big 12, an additional pass rusher is necessary, too, right?
• I made a similar move with my offensive line. Went tackle-heavy, but the guards didn't have quite as many standouts.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma tried using defensive back Javon Harris.

Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III and receiver Kendall Wright made it obvious that wasn't going to work earlier in the season. Apparently, neither will using experienced senior Sam Proctor.

Oklahoma's Tony Jefferson, who most often plays a nickel back position, is playing deep safety, something Bob Stoops has said a handful of times he has no intention of doing. Joseph Ibiloye replaced Jefferson underneath at the nickel back.

Jefferson might be Oklahoma's most instinctive defender outside of lineback Travis Lewis, and having him back there could help. Brandon Weeden hit Tracy Moore underneath for a 52-yard gain to set up a touchdown, but so far, Oklahoma's been solid over the top, where the Bears gave the Sooners big trouble.

It's definitely something to keep an eye on.

Oklahoma boasts a Heisman trophy candidate at quarterback in Landry Jones. Last weekend, its top receiver, Ryan Broyles, became the NCAA career leader in receptions.

Running back Dominique Whaley has been one of the best stories in college football, but while others focused on his status as a former walk-on, he quietly racked up more rushing yards than all but one player in the Big 12, despite playing in a platoon backfield.

The Sooners rank fourth nationally in total offense, and its biggest names live on the offensive side of the ball, but is it possible the Sooners' best side of the ball is defense?

"Our expectation is to play hard-nosed football and be the defense that we know we can be," safety Tony Jefferson said. "We’ve got a lot of talent on this team, especially on the defensive side of the ball."

The Sooners have stymed offenses in all six games this season. Tulsa was held 15 points under its scoring average. For Florida State, 22 points below its 35-point average. Even Missouri -- Oklahoma's worst defensive performance -- scored five points fewer than its average.

The Sooners held Texas and Kansas both to 17 points, nearly two touchdowns below their average.

"There’s always some spots here or there through six games you’d like to have done better, but I feel we’re playing pretty well," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

The Sooners gave up a whopping 6 yards in the second half against Kansas last week, keeping the Jayhawks' much-improved offense from recording a first down until the game's final minutes.

Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in total defense and ranks 22nd nationally with just over 317 yards given up each game. It ranks 11th by allowing fewer than 16 points a game.

That's even more impressive considering the Sooners have already faced offensive juggernauts. Ball State and Texas are the Sooners' only opponents this year outside the top 45 in total offense. The Cardinals scored six points.

If numbers don't do it for you, consider talent.

Frank Alexander has emerged as one of the Big 12's best defensive players, wrecking offenses up front while the Big 12's reigning freshman of the year, Tony Jefferson, states his case in the secondary.

He's flanked by arguably the two best corners in the Big 12 this season, Demontre Hurst and Jamell Fleming.

Oh yeah, and Oklahoma has done it all with its leader and the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Travis Lewis, on the mend from a broken bone in his foot.

Like the Sooners' multi-faceted offense, the defense can do it all.

"We’re not the kind of defense that runs one particular style. We have different types of defenses," Jefferson said. "If you’re an offensive team, you don’t know what we’re going to run or what we’re going to be in."

Jefferson, with the ability to play a traditional safety spot, nickel back or outside linebacker, might be the most versatile Sooner defender. The Sooners' base 4-3 defense can randomly become a three-man front. Defensive end Ronnell Lewis projects as an NFL outside linebacker, and can rush off the end or drop into coverage.

The Sooners can put four defensive ends on the field and use their speed and athleticism to further enhance a pass rush that's already managed 24 sacks this season, third-most nationally.

Oklahoma's 15 forced turnovers are more than anyone in the Big 12, save Oklahoma State.

"We’ve created a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and a lot of turnovers and gotten a lot of lost yardage plays," Stoops said of his defense, which leads the Big 12 with 48 tackles for loss, too. "That’s some of the things we’ve done the best."

Don't lose sight of the impact going up against one of the nation's best offenses every day has had. But maybe it works the other way, too?

Either way, put the two together (and Oklahoma does every Saturday), and the Sooners look like an ever-improving national title contender.

"I feel like we’ve done well, but I feel like we have a lot more to prove," Jefferson said. "We’ve still got a long way to go. We’re reaching the point in the season where there’s no more slacking off. Teams will take advantage of that. We know what we’ve got to do."

DALLAS -- Oklahoma has been the more experienced, more prepared and more aggressive team through the first half.

As a result, the Sooners have opened up a big lead and looked dominant while doing it. If not for early red-zone struggles, this could be even more lopsided.

Even still, at 34-10, this looks ugly for the Longhorns and it's a strong statement for Oklahoma to try and gain back some of the ground it lost in the polls in past weeks.

Turning point: Trailing 13-3, Texas quarterback David Ash threw an interception downfield to Tony Jefferson, who returned it 13 yards to the Texas 33-yard line to set up an eventual five-yard touchdown pass from Landry Jones to Ryan Broyles. That put Oklahoma up 20-3 and the game began looking out of reach for Texas. It still looks out of reach.

Stat of the half: Texas had 60 yards of offense in the first quarter. The Longhorns had 38 in the second quarter, including 18 on a pass to Mike Davis on the scoreless final drive of the half. Oklahoma's defense is playing physical, pressuring the quarterback, and making big plays. Demontre Hurst already returned David Ash's second interception of the day 55 yards for a touchdown.

Best player in the half: Jones. The Sooner signal caller has made a good Texas defense look bad for most of the first half, racking up 305 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing and kept the Sooners offense humming throughout the half. Unbelievable stats against a pretty good, albeit inexperienced, Texas secondary.

What Oklahoma needs to do: Quit giving up big plays. Oklahoma looked like it was ready to send the Longhorns back to Austin after going up 27-3 late in the second quarter, but the Longhorns stuck around when Fozzy Whittaker took the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. He also cued the Oklahoma critics crying for a special teams coordinator. Texas' offense isn't built like Oklahoma's and can't sustain consecutive systematic drives. It doesn't have the experience. Big plays are all that can keep Texas in it, and if Oklahoma prevents them, it's over.

What Texas needs to do: Petition the Big 12 to vacate the results of the first half on account of ... uh ... something. Then figure out a way to shoehorn Philadelphia Eagles backup QB Vince Young into its 2011 lineup. After that, find a way to help its young core freshmen to come out of the tunnel with another year or two of experience.

DALLAS -- Give up a 3rd-and-25 while trailing by 10, and chances are it won't be a fun day.

But convert it?

That's what Oklahoma did on a gorgeous pass down the sideline from Landry Jones to Jaz Reynolds. Kenny Stills put the Sooners in the unfavorable spot with a touchdown catch that was wiped off the board with an offensive pass interference call.

More impressive was Jones' ability to make the throw with a defender on the way to plant him in the Cotton Bowl turf. Jones took the hit and completed the pass.

Oklahoma finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Broyles for a 20-3 lead early in the second quarter.

Texas isn't showing a ton of fight early and Red River first-timers David Ash and Case McCoy have a turnover apiece, which neither had done so far this season.

McCoy fumbled on the opening drive to set up Oklahoma's second field goal, and Ash threw an interception to Tony Jefferson to set up Broyles' score.

Jefferson, who intercepted three passes last week, now has the most in the Big 12, with four.

Not an ideal situation for a young Texas team now sitting in its toughest spot of the year and with two quarterbacks who had thrown 57 career passes entering today's game.

They'll have to try to rally, but it's easy to see so far in this one: The odds and momentum heavily favor the Sooners thus far.

A drama-filled weekend of football and maybe more drama this week with conference membership. Here's a look back at the strictly on-field activity.

Best offensive player: Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M. Michael was dominant despite Texas A&M's second-half struggles. The 221-pounder had one of the day's highlights on what might have been an accidental Statue of Liberty play, snatching the ball out of Ryan Tannehill's hand for a 48-yard touchdown. He finished with a career-high 230 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries. Honorable mention: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Best defensive player: Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma. Jefferson picked off passes on three consecutive possessions to spark Oklahoma's 62-6 blowout win over Ball State, and added five tackles. Honorable mention: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State.

Best play: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State. Brown was lurking behind the defensive line when Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III's pass was derailed by a hit as he released it. The ball landed unexpectedly in Brown's chest, who bobbled it twice, but hauled it in to set up a late fourth-quarter go-ahead field goal that proved to be the game-winner.

Best fashion sense: Kansas. Oklahoma State was off this week, but the Jayhawks debuted some smooth baby blue unis as an homage to the 1961 Jayhawks team. A very, very nice look and better than any of the 48 combinations Oklahoma State has in its arsenal. Came complete with white helmets and each player's number on his helmet.

Best game: Arkansas 42, Texas A&M 38. Texas A&M may have trouble finishing, but it's college football's most entertaining team the last two weeks. This week, the 18-point lead was trimmed much more slowly, but officially was lost in the final minutes on a Broderick Green run in a great atmosphere at Cowboys Stadium. The Aggies can sling it, pound it, and have given up 948 yards passing the last two weeks. Honorable mention: Kansas State 36, Baylor 35

Worst half: Iowa State's first half. Mack Brown acknowledged earlier this year that Texas would have to win games by grinding with scores like 20-16 and 17-13. Iowa State trailed at home 34-0 at halftime in one of the most anticipated games ever at Jack Trice Stadium. Not good. Dishonorable mention: Texas A&M's second half.

Best quarter: Oklahoma's second quarter. The Sooners were sluggish early and led Ball State just 10-6 with nine minutes left in the half. Then OU ripped off 28 consecutive points, aided by Tony Jefferson's three interceptions. Honorable mention: Texas Tech's third quarter.

Worst case of déjà vu: Texas A&M. What else is left to say about the Aggies unreal collapse for a second consecutive week? As dominant as Texas A&M was against Oklahoma State in the first half last week, the Aggies might have been even more so against Arkansas on Saturday. The offense scored at will, and the defense looked like it would shut down the Hogs if it could slow Jarius Wright. Nope. Now, it's 2-2.

Time to hand out some postgame awards after a fun Saturday of games.

Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma: Jefferson intercepted passes on three consecutive Ball State possessions and helped Oklahoma score 28 points in less than six minutes. A sleepy start for the Sooners was ignited by Jefferson's second quarter and Oklahoma rolled to a 62-6 win.

Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State: Brown did what was previously thought impossible: He intercepted a Robert Griffin III pass. Griffin hadn't thrown one this year in more than 170 attempts, but Saturday's turnover helped set up a game-winning field goal in a 36-35 win over Baylor. And Brown didn't even see Griffin before the ball landed in his chest after Griffin was hit as he threw. "It felt like a God-given catch, you know?" Brown said. "I just happened to catch the ball. Finally catch the ball." Brown finished with eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and his interception. Beastly.

Jaxon Shipley, WR, Texas: Shipley continued his fantastic start with six catches for 141 yards and a 40-yard touchdown with an acrobatic grab on an under-thrown ball. The Longhorns got efforts from everywhere offensively in a 37-14 win over Iowa State.

Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma: Broyles grabbed the Big 12's all-time record for receptions with his 304th in the game, and finished with four catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns. A momentous evening for an unbelievable career.

Eric Stephens, RB, Texas Tech: Stephens helped Texas Tech take the lead for good with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns as Texas Tech erased an early 20-point deficit to beat Kansas, 45-34. Stephens finished with 124 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.

Ball State looked like it would be a warm-up for Texas.

A second-quarter spurt for the Sooners proved it and sent Oklahoma to next week's showdown in Dallas with a likely No. 2 ranking and a spotless 4-0 record with wins over Florida State and Missouri.

Oklahoma won 62-6 with a 28-point spurt in less than six minutes in the second quarter, thanks to three interceptions on consecutive possessions by Tony Jefferson.

The Sooners didn't look strong early, but they can now shift their focus firmly to their chief rivals. Landry Jones finished with 425 yards and five touchdowns. Ryan Broyles also broke the school record for career receptions with 304.

We didn't learn much about the Sooners this week, but their second major gut check is on the way in the Big 12's signature rivalry game next week.

Texas is undefeated, and without playing any serious competition in the season's first month, has plenty to prove. Nothing would go further in proving it than an upset of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma and Texas are still in the first half of their games, but barring a collapse, we could be seeing a Red River Rivalry game featuring unbeaten teams in the Cotton Bowl next week.

Oklahoma didn't play well early, but it strung together 28 points in just under 5:30 to take a 38-6 lead. They have Tony Jefferson to thank for that. The safety all but assured himself Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week by intercepting passes on three consecutive drives.

The Sooners led just 10-3 after the first quarter, but Dominique Whaley (12 car. 96 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Oklahoma have taken over.

Meanwhile, in Ames, a showdown between Iowa State and Texas hasn't morphed into much of what we expected. The Longhorns lead 34-0 late in the first half.

David Ash has thrown for 113 yards and two scores, with a 48-yard score to Mike Davis and a 40-yard pass to Jordan Shipley, while Iowa State's cornerbacks looked lost.

Impressive performances for both teams, and exactly what both teams wanted heading into next week's annual epic.

It's going to be a great one.

Not even days after last season ended, the whispers began.

"You know, OU brings back a pretty good team next year. Maybe even the best team."

Did the Sooners deserve a No. 1 ranking in the preseason?

Months later, 60 coaches and 60 members of the media said yes, anointing Oklahoma as college football's team to beat heading into 2011.

But with a spring and summer to decide, the Sooners sat through plenty of discussion.

"At the end of the day, we always have a lot of hype around us. We really do," said coach Bob Stoops. "There’s always a ton of talk. That’s all it is, is talk."

But that talk served only as a backdrop for an eventful offseason full of highs and lows, an emotional grinder that no other program in college football endured. That offseason will finally screech to a halt on Saturday night when the Sooners host in-state opponent Tulsa.

In May, with several members of the team on a mission trip to Haiti, news broke that Austin Box, a senior linebacker on the team, had died from a fatal mix of painkillers.

"The hard part is Austin, not having him with us," coach Bob Stoops said. "The rest of it is nothing."

For the team's first five days of camp, ESPN's cameras invaded Oklahoma's practice for an all-access special.

"The whole deal with ESPN was very easy," Stoops said. "You really don’t even notice they’re there after awhile."

The result was a few hours of entertaining programming and a look inside the program that Stoops said provided "great publicity for our program and recruiting."

Early in camp, the Sooners were forced to practice without their defensive leader, three-year starting linebacker Travis Lewis. The volume of his voice is surpassed only by the impact it has on his teammates, but that's all he can do for the first few games of the season while nursing a broken toe.

But finally, with a No. 1 ranking and a bona fide Heisman contender at quarterback in tow, the season is just days away.

"The excitement is there because we get to go against another opponent and kind of prove ourselves," said center Ben Habern. "It’s always exciting running out in front of 85,000 people when it’s actually a game experience, so I think pretty much, we’re at the top of our excitement right now."

And what's helped them get to this point, rising above the fawning media and offseason tragedy?

Each other.

"This is the closest team I’ve ever been a part of," Habern said. "Within the locker room, and outside football, we love to hang out. A lot of us go to dinner after practice. We enjoy each other’s company."

Around 50 members of the team bussed to Box's funeral in Enid, Okla., providing support for one another and Box's family. Teammates provided laughs with impressions of Stoops in the locker room, and others retreated back home for a friendly game of soccer on the PlayStation game console.

Receiver Ryan Broyles and safety Tony Jefferson traded friendly jabs on the field early in camp with a bit of trash talk.

Finally, that trash talk and pad pops aimed at teammates will be directed at Tulsa.

"I’m excited to just go through a long season with these guys," Habern said. "And see where it takes us."

Time to take a look at a few of the under-the-radar young talents across the Big 12.

Three underclassmen to watch:

Jackson Jeffcoat, Soph., DE, Texas: Jeffcoat might be the most exciting sophomore in the entire league. A solid Longhorns defensive line last year already had true freshman Jeffcoat emerge as perhaps the team's best pass-rusher, never more impressive than in an early-season win over Texas Tech. A high ankle sprain, however, derailed any hopes of an All-Big 12 season. This year, that could change in a Big 12 without any truly elite talents on the defensive line.

Corey Nelson, Soph., LB, Oklahoma: Nelson was referred to as the most impressive player in Oklahoma's spring after a quiet freshman year. Now, the Sooners are bending over backwards to try and get Nelson's talent on the field in the midst of a loaded group of linebackers. An earlier experiment featured Nelson at the nickel back spot, and co-Defensive Big 12 Freshman of the Year Tony Jefferson moving from his home at nickel back to free safety alongside sophomore Aaron Colvin, a converted corner, at strong safety. Now, however, with Travis Lewis likely out to begin the season, Nelson will move back to weakside linebacker where he had backed up Lewis, and Jefferson will be back at nickel back.

Ahmad Dixon, Soph., S, Baylor: Dixon was a hometown blue-chip recruit for the Bears, and looks to become one of its biggest playmakers in his first year under new coordinator Phil Bennett. Bennett loves to emphasize speed, and Dixon will take over at nickel back, playing closer to the line of scrimmage in a role that coach Art Briles says is perfect for his skill set.

Three freshmen to watch:

Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas: Brown is probably the biggest name to enter the Big 12 this season, and he'll be worth watching. A physical, bruising, 220-pound runner, Brown may be called upon to help an anemic Texas running game looking for a punch under new coordinator Bryan Harsin.

Donnie Baggs, LB, Texas A&M: Baggs was a relatively unheralded recruit coming out of high school, but made an immediate impact for the Aggies defense after enrolling early and taking part in spring practice. He should be in the conversation for starter at one of the Aggies' inside linebacker spots where Michael Hodges left a void. Baggs may be called upon heavily in fall camp after one of the other contenders at inside linebacker, Kyle Mangan, was arrested last weekend.

Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas: The Longhorns put a second player in this group in Diggs, a freshman who made big noise in spring camp after enrolling early. The depth chart in Austin is still in flux and won't be anything close to concrete until game week approaches, but it'd be shocking if Diggs didn't contribute right away. The secondary lost three NFL corners from last year's team, and there aren't many more experienced players ahead of Diggs that could keep his natural sensibilities for the position off the field.

The comparisons to the upcoming 2011 season and what Oklahoma experienced in 2009 have been unmistakable.

Now, after the latest news emerging from fall camp in Norman, the similarities have become a bit eerie.

The Sooners opened 2009 as a top-five team with a Heisman-winning quarterback leading a loaded offense with a defense good enough to win a national title a year after coming up short against Florida.

This year, the Sooners opened the coaches' preseason poll as the nation's No. 1 team with a Heisman favorite leading a loaded offense and a defense likely better than the 2009 team. Additionally, the Sooners are coming off a 12-win season that culminated in a BCS bowl win against Connecticut.

But before the 2009 season, just days before the opener against BYU, news leaked that senior tight end Jermaine Gresham, named an All-American after his junior season, had suffered a knee injury. The severity was unknown, but it seemed likely he could return at some point.

Gresham never played again for OU after tests revealed torn cartilage in the knee, and the Sooners suffered a season-opening loss to BYU in Cowboys Stadium. In that loss, Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford played with a shoulder injury that he never fully recovered from. He had midseason surgery and ceded control of the team to Landry Jones.

Which brings us to today. Jones is still healthy. So is the rest of the team.

But linebacker Travis Lewis' toe injury can't help but conjure up scary images of a chase for a title gone awry before it even had a chance to begin.

Unlike the loss of Gresham, the Sooners have a fit replacement for Lewis with tons of promise.

Tight end essentially became irrelevant in Oklahoma's offense, which scored more points than any team in college football history during the run to the national title game in 2008.

Lewis, the preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, leaves a void at weakside linebacker, but he's backed up by touted blue-chip recruit Corey Nelson. The only thing keeping Nelson off the field was Lewis, who chose to turn down NFL money and chase a title, just like Gresham, Bradford, Gerald McCoy and Trent Williams did in 2009.

Now is Nelson's opportunity. Fans will get a chance to see him work at his natural position instead of the nickel back spot he'd been working at during fall camp.

This isn't 2009 yet, though it certainly smells similar.

Oklahoma finished 8-5 that season, hurt further by a rash of injuries on the offensive line that at one point forced defensive tackle Stacy McGee (a backup on this year's team) to move to offensive line.

The Sooners can still rise above Lewis' injury. They're good enough everywhere else to beat ranked teams Florida State and Missouri, who have September dates with the Sooners. Lewis could return in October, and until then, weakside linebacker could still remain a strength.

There's no replacing Lewis' experience, or his on-field energy, where he's one of the most talkative players in the league and the defense's unquestioned leader. Nelson can hold things together with his talent, though.

Barring further injury, Nelson and the Sooners have a chance to rewrite the forgettable history of 2009. In September, we'll find out if they can do it.

Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis will miss eight weeks with a broken toe, the team announced on Tuesday.

Lewis suffered the injury in practice on Monday, but it won't require surgery.

"We’re disappointed for Travis," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said in a release. "He has worked very hard and I know he’ll want to get back as quickly as possible.

"We’ll adapt in the meantime. We’ve recruited very well and have some excellent athletes in those positions. I’m confident that those players will perform well."

For now, that means playing time at Lewis' vacated weakside linebacker spot for touted sophomore Corey Nelson, who made huge waves in the spring and had been working at nickel back. The Sooners were experimenting with co-Defensive Freshman of the Year Tony Jefferson at free safety in fall camp to try and get Nelson on the field.

Stoops said Nelson was the most impressive player on the team during the spring, despite having no starting experience.

Don't be surprised if Jefferson moves back home to where he made so many plays in 2010.

The Sooners have matchups against ranked teams Florida State and Missouri in the season's first few weeks, but Lewis would likely return for the rivalry game against Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Oct. 8.

Lewis has led the Sooners in tackles for each of his three seasons, amassing 362 stops over his career. It's a huge loss for the Sooners, who will adapt with talent, but will miss Lewis' wealth of experience.

More coming on the blog later today...