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Big 12 Spotlight: Top remaining targets for each team

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position

David Ugwoegbu
David Ugwoegbu (NICK KRUEGER | rivals.com)
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Many of the teams in the Big 12 still have spots to fill in their recruiting classes this year, but several programs are in a great position as the midway point of fall approaches. Still, no class is full and there are still a number of top prospects each team is keyed in on to help put their respective recruiting classes over the top.

Here is a look at the biggest targets for each team heading into the back half of the fall.

RELATED: Top remaining targets for Big Ten teams | SEC | ACC | Pac-12

BAYLOR 

Pinning down where the next Baylor commit is going to come from has often been a difficult proposition. Many of the Bears’ pledges have come early in their recruitments, and those that haven’t committed early haven’t always seriously considered Baylor as other offers have continued to come in. Doerue has seemed to buck that trend a bit, and he would give Baylor another tough runner in conjunction with Qualan Jones, who committed in May. Baylor could still stand to add more bodies to both sides of the line, but the Bears have also been successful running the ball this season with the bigger-bodied John Lovett, so bringing in more physical backs seems to be a sound strategy.

IOWA STATE 

Williams might not be the biggest name on this list, but the Cyclones aren’t too far from filling their class, and Williams was on an official visit to start September with Kym-Mani King, who committed following the trip. Williams is listed as a linebacker in the Rivals database, but Iowa State has told him it likes him as a safety. With a long frame and speed to work with, he would be the second safety in a solid defensive back crop in 2019. Iowa State has done a good job of getting out ahead of curve with its recruiting under head coach Matt Campbell without drawing too much from in-state talent. Williams would be another example of how well the staff does recruiting with strong official visit experiences.

KANSAS 

The Jayhawks are still in a tough spot on the recruiting front, even though they have a couple of wins through the first four games this season. Kansas turned some heads after last spring with the commitment of several four-star prospects from Louisiana - two of which, Corione Harris and Anthony Williams, ultimately ended up signing - and had another on the way in 2019 with Legendre until early August. Although Kansas will take help everywhere, there’s no question that reeling a four-star quarterback back into the class would be a major help. Legendre has said this season that his recruitment hasn’t exactly picked up a ton of steam, so Kansas could swoop back in and sell him on reconsidering his commitment.

KANSAS STATE 

The Wildcats are off to a bit of an underwhelming start, as well, and some good news on the recruiting front would at least give the program a little pick-me-up as it gets into the heart of its conference schedule. Carter would be the top commitment in the Wildcats’ class, and he would be the highest-ranked commitment since 2017. The only running back that K-State signed in 2018 was fullback Luke Sowa, and outside of Alex Barnes the offense isn’t getting much production from the position. Carter would help shore up the depth and quality of the backfield in one fell swoop.

OKLAHOMA 

Ugwoegbu is down to the Sooners and Texas A&M at this point, and he said has Oklahoma’s game against Kansas on Nov. 17 as the weekend he’ll take his official visit to OU. Ugwoegbu is one of those rare athletic talents that is built like a defensive end and plays linebacker. His versatility and closing speed in space could add a valuable element to Oklahoma’s front seven, but battling off the Aggies is going to be difficult. He’s been no stranger to A&M, but probably would need a little time at either program before he is setup for a prominent role in either defense. Once he gets to that point, however, he has all the physical tools to be a dominant and scary playmaker.

OKLAHOMA STATE 

Earlier this season, Glass confirmed that Oklahoma State had been among the most proactive teams recruiting him coming out of the summer. Glass is the teammate of fellow 2019 prospect and road-grading offensive lineman Cole Birmingham, so Cowboys fans have been optimistic that the bond there strengthens the chances with the four-star running back. After missing out on another four-star runner in Newton, Texas, prospect Darwin Barlow and not having another commit in the class, the conditions could be just right for Glass to see a big opportunity in a high-powered offense. While he’s certainly more of a power-runner than the zippy sort of athlete Oklahoma State typically uses, he’s a complete running back and likes the variety of things he’d be asked to bring to the offense.

TCU

Landing Powell would be a huge win for Gary Patterson's already impressive TCU class. Powell has pushed back his commitment date several times over the past few months and has gone from a hard Ohio State lean to looking as though he’s been favoring Oklahoma. The expectation is that he still chooses the Sooners, but Powell was in attendance for the Horned Frogs' game against the Buckeyes in Dallas and had contemplated taking an official visit to Texas last weekend to see TCU for the second consecutive weekend. Much of the conversation around Powell has been his projection as a defensive back in college, but the Frogs have gone pretty heavy in the secondary in this class and are still in the hunt for Rivals250 safety Jalen Catalon, as well. Powell is a versatile player who is built to play a variety of positions, so landing both would be the dream scenario for TCU.

TEXAS 

Even with the recent commitment of Tyler Owens, the Longhorns would love to add Catalon. The Mansfield-Legacy (Texas) safety had to call an early end to his senior season due to injury, but he recently named a top four that includes Arkansas and Oklahoma, in addition to TCU and Texas. He is due in Norman this weekend for an official visit to OU, but so many have suggested Catalon is leaning to Texas that if he doesn’t commit to the Longhorns at this point it would be a pretty big disappointment. Texas has proven that its defensive backs are the focal point of its defense, and even after taking a sizable group in 2018 there are still a few key guys that are on the shortlist to add this year - Catalon being one of the names at the top of the list.

TEXAS TECH 

The Red Raiders have certainly done well recruiting the 2019 class, and that started with getting an early commitment from four-star defensive end Steven Parker in the earliest stages of his recruitment. This class has been particularly strong on the defensive side of the ball, and though a steady supply of defensive backs seem to be a mainstay year-in and year-out, the addition of McGill would round the 2019 crop out pretty well. Alex Hogan and Markel Reed are perimeter corners, while Brandon Joseph and Keeyon Stewart are likely penciled in at safety. McGill has long been lauded for his coverage skills, but his size and quickness make him an ideal slot corner. Jonathan is the younger brother of current Tech player Jarel McGill, and he’s made several visits there both official and unofficial since the spring.

WEST VIRGINIA 

Pitt has the look of the team on Devonshire the hardest lately, but since the Mountaineers offered him in early spring, he’s kept them near the top of his recruitment. West Virginia was one of the first schools that was involved in his recruitment, but since then several other top programs have looked to move on him. Devonshire hasn’t made a ton of recruiting trips since last spring, when he attended a junior day at WVU, but the Mountaineers staff is hoping that a solid impression has been made and will keep them in the race.

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