Breakdown: Five QB commits that can make an instant Big 12 impact
Many teams in the Big 12 still have a long way to go to fill out their 2017 recruiting classes, but even some of the smallest groups already include quarterback commits. In a conference where high-flying offenses are king, several of the QBs in the fold offer promise to uphold recent tradition. The bigger question now is which ones will make quickest and biggest impact.
Robinson arguably brings the most raw potential to TCU’s quarterbacks group. He’s in better shape physically than a year ago and seems the most able to pick up where Trevone Boykin left off. Without a clear favorite heading into next season, Robinson could find himself walking into a favorable situation if one of the current young signal-callers on the roster doesn’t take a convincing hold of the position. Robinson could still stand to sharpen up some basic elements of his passing, but his ability to make plays with his legs compensates for that, especially if he is thrust into a starting role sooner than later.
Despite the Longhorns having one of the more crowded quarterback groups in the Big 12 in terms of bodies, Ehlinger’s potential impact should be clearer by the time he gets on campus. Shane Buechele offered promise in Texas’ spring game. Rumors persist that Jerrod Heard could be moving to receiver. Kai Locksley doesn't seem to be a serious contender to play quarterback at the college level. Matthew Merrick and Josh Covey remain unproven commodities. Meanwhile, Ehlinger figures to be more of a candidate to leapfrog those ahead of him than to be stuck behind a depth chart logjam. Ehlinger does the things that Buechele did well in his spring game debut, and seems a more natural second option once he’s on the roster.
Baker Mayfield leaves a young quarterback group behind after this season, but Robison’s challenge will be to beat out 2016 four-star Austin Kendall and Texas A&M transfer Kyler Murray, who was also a four-star prospect in 2015. That being said, Robison could potentially do so, as Murray ran nearly half as much as he threw in eight games for the Aggies and Kendall seems to be the type of player that has a higher floor than ceiling. Robison does bring more of a cavalier-style of play to the position and is a more outspoken personality than Kendall. If Robison clicks with the team, coaches and fans the way that Mayfield has, he could be next man up for the Sooners.
Right now, Martin is the closest thing to a quarterback the Red Raiders have in their 2017 class, but that’s not to say that Martin can’t be effective at the position. With all of the higher-ranked QBs Texas Tech has offered committed elsewhere, and other similarly ranked prospects still undecided, all signs point to Martin being as good an option as any to be the man in this class. Martin’s potential to make an immediate impact is higher if Patrick Mahomes chooses to return for his senior season, giving Martin a year to watch a proven talent in conjunction with Kliff Kingsbury’s tutelage.
Woods, like Martin, will be another prospect that likely requires a degree of patience. He fits in the perfectly with the profile of the other quarterbacks already on the Cowboys' roster, but still needs to improve both accuracy and arm strength. He is a load of a player physically and can be a punishing runner when he pulls the ball down to run. Oklahoma State has been recruiting with an aim for becoming more dynamic offensively, so a player like Woods that is a strong runner at the quarterback position gives them that option.