Big 12 Spotlight: Freshmen to watch
The college football season is now only days away so there’s no better time to look at some impact true freshmen around the country. We look at 10 names to watch in the Big 12.
*****
THIS SERIES: Big Ten freshmen to watch | SEC | ACC
FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer portal team ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board
*****
Bryson Washington: Baylor
Rated as a high three-star safety in the 2023 class, Washington had been committed to SMU but flipped to Baylor in the summer before his senior season. Leading rusher Richard Reese is back and will handle the bulk of the carries but Baylor coach Dave Aranda has said Washington will see the field and it could be a lot as another option to Reese in the backfield.
*****
Barry Jackson: Cincinnati
The top six receivers either went pro or to the transfer portal so Cincinnati is completely revamping the position and first-year coach Scott Satterfield leaned on the portal heavily to bring in some talented players. But Jackson, who flipped from Nebraska to Cincinnati on signing day, had a great spring game and might be too dynamic to keep on the sidelines.
*****
Mikal Harrison-Pilot: Houston
TCU and Houston were the final two for Harrison-Pilot but the Cougars were always going to be nearly impossible to beat for the four-star receiver since his father played there and he’s been recruited by Houston since middle school. With Tank Dell leaving for the NFL, Harrison-Pilot has the skill set - speed and playmaking ability - to step right in and make a major impact. There is a lot of talent coming back at receiver but Harrison-Pilot is ready to go.
*****
Jack Sadowsky: Iowa State
Listed on his Rivals profile at 215 pounds, the low three-star from Batavia, Ill., is already up to 245 pounds and competing for the starting inside linebacker job already for the Cyclones. It helps Sadowsky that there is a lot of openings at the linebacker spots this season for the Cyclones but it’s also a massive opportunity to gain early playing time for one of the nation’s best defenses. Kansas, Kansas State and Louisville were some of his other main offers when he committed to Iowa State in the spring before his senior season.
*****
Tre Spivey: Kansas State
Kansas State has its quarterback and offensive line set but running back is a big question mark and so is receiver. That’s where Spivey, a high three-star receiver from Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton, could be an early contributor because he has the size and athletic ability (he’s also former MLBer Junior Spivey’s son) to make an early impact in Manhattan. Spivey was a talented high school receiver but never really got the national recognition he deserved - sounds like a perfect fit at blue-collar Kansas State.
*****
Peyton Bowen: Oklahoma
Another freshman who could see time is fellow five-star Adepoju Adebawore but Bowen has really come on strong early and is backing up his lofty ranking as the second-best safety in the 2023 class behind only Alabama’s Caleb Downs, who’s also expected to see significant time. From a standout interception in the spring game to a knack for always being around the ball, Bowen will see the field early and could play alongside Billy Bowman. In a wild recruitment, Bowen flipped from Notre Dame to Oregon only to not send his paperwork to the Ducks, take a step back and then sign with Oklahoma.
*****
Sesi Vailahi: Oklahoma State
BYU came in with a late offer and then Nevada and Utah State were involved but Vailahi took a late official visit to Oklahoma State and signed with the Cowboys during the second signing period. There are some talented running backs already on the roster but Vailahi is already drawing comparisons to former OSU running back Jaylen Warren and if his career pans out the same way he’d be a major steal for coach Mike Gundy and staff.
*****
Johntay Cook: Texas
The Texas receiver room is loaded but the former five-star receiver who earned that top billing after an impressive performance at the Under Armour Game is making waves and should be a big contributor this season. Playing with supreme confidence but backing it up with elite playmaking ability, Cook could be a weapon in coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense from Day 1. Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas A&M and others tried with Cook but he was always a Longhorns lean.
*****
Miguel Dingle Jr.: Texas Tech
Although he was just a two-star prospect and Charlotte and NC State were his only other offers, Dingle was one of the fastest linebackers in the country as a senior after missing his junior season with injury. A South Carolina legacy, the Gamecocks never got seriously involved but it could be to Texas Tech’s gain because Dingle is expected to at least compete for playing time on a defense in Lubbock that is getting better and better.
*****
Braeden Marshall: UCF
UCF has some cornerbacks returning and Clemson transfer Fred Davis coming in but Marshall has a very good shot at getting lots of work in the nickel spot in his first season in Orlando. Rated as a four-star cornerback outside the Rivals250, the Lake Mary, Fla., standout chose UCF over North Carolina, Pitt, Wisconsin and Nebraska in the summer before his senior season.