Conference breakdown: The Big 12 landscape

There is a wide variance to the status of recruiting reputations in the evolving Big 12. Here is a breakdown of the current status of each school and a look at how each coaching staff is putting together its classes for 2017 and beyond.

RELATED: June commitments in Big 12

OKLAHOMA: The Sooners got the jump on the rest of the conference with a bevy of four-star prospects heading into this past spring. Chris Robison, Robert Barnes and Levi Draper were all committed before 2016. Tyrese Robinson, Trajan Bandy, Justin Broiles, Tre Brown, Jalen Reagor and Charleston Rambo were all four-star prospects committed before April. Last year Oklahoma finished with the 16th-best recruiting class with 11 players ranked with four-stars and higher. In 2015 the Sooners were even better, finishing 14th overall with 14 four-star players.

TEXAS: Charlie Strong got off to a quick start in this class, but the assumption is that he is far from done making big plays for some top in-state guys. The Longhorns pulled off a coup last year on Signing Day with many high-end commitments and a flip from five-star linebacker Erick Fowler. Some recruits could be waiting to see how things go for Texas this season before making the call to commit, but Texas has had a top-20 recruiting class in each of the last three years. Sam Ehlinger is a strong quarterback to build the class around, and LaGaryonn Carson could be a future cornerstone of the defense.

WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia recently got its biggest commitment in 2017 with four-star receiver Mike Harley. Harley is a prime example of the types of players that the Mountaineers have found ways to succeed with; a fast and capable player from Florida that the Seminoles and Gators passed on. West Virginia has finished 7-5 in three of the last four seasons, so generally, the hope is that Dana Holgorsen and staff can get more out of the players than others. Catching a guy like Harley in a talent-rich area of a pipeline state is a major win for the Mountaineers.

TCU: TCU is another team whose recruiting class has a few anchors with high-ceiling complementary pieces. The Horned Frogs should also be making plays for some of the players that were considering or committed to Baylor this spring. Guys such as cornerback Chevin Calloway and tight end Kedrick James are two four-star guys that could be taking a closer look at TCU now. Four-star offensive lineman Chuck Filiaga is transferring from Vista Murrietta in California to Aledo, where Rivals100 offensive lineman and TCU commit Wes Harris goes. Gary Patterson has an opportunity to capitalize in 2017 after he finished with the best recruiting he had in the last three years in 2016.

TEXAS TECH: Being able to find and develop guys like Patrick Mahomes is what’s going to keep Texas Tech as a dangerous team both on the field and recruiting in-state for more top guys. Four-star offensive lineman Jack Anderson has long been a Red Raiders commit, but getting a flip from Jared Hocker and recently-decommitted Will Farrar (UCLA), represented good progress in its class heading into the fall. The Red Raiders have been living in that 7-5 realm as well, but do a good job identifying talent and seem primed to recruit on a higher level soon.

OKLAHOMA STATE: The Cowboys have taken a more open-minded approach to their priority targets. On both sides of the ball, Oklahoma State has recruited guys that seem to fit a variety of possible roles. Offensively, they had been looking to sell a wildcat role to Rivals250 and Iowa commit Eno Benjamin. Tracin Wallace committed with understanding he’d get a shot at quarterback, but as a likely receiver, he could also see some action in that role instead. Defensive back Brendan Vaughn looks like he could play nickel-linebacker as easily as he could strong safety or nickel-corner and top target Devodrick Johnson fits the same sort of profile.

KANSAS: Kansas coach David Beaty has some cause for optimism following a winless first season in charge. After only being able to put together a small recruiting class last year that only yielded four three-star players, he already has a four-star commitment in Louisiana defensive back Michael Lee and two potential offensive playmakers in wide receiver Reggie Roberson and running back Dominic Williams. Beaty’s work is more two-fold as he’s going to have to work hard to keep those guys aboard as well, but progress is very often gradual rather than instantaneous.

KANSAS STATE: Kansas State has done a good job of getting quarterbacks in its classes, if nothing else. The Wildcats have shown their potential recently that they are a capable team with a quarterback that’s playing well. After getting a four-star passer in each of its last two classes and only being a year removed from a nine-win season, Kansas State could be close to being an interesting team in the conference again. So far Dewayne Betts represents the hope for QB in 2017 but Bill Snyder’s staff should still be checking all available avenues for a marquee name in this class.

IOWA STATE: Iowa State has to live outside of the state for the majority of its recruits. Just one commit in each of the 2014 and 2016 classes and just three in 2015 came from in-state. When the in-state rival is coming off a near miss to the College Football Playoff last season and already has two four-stars and a top-20 class early on, the Cyclones' staff has its work cut out for itself recruiting on much of the same foreign soil. Iowa State’s class does sit in a good place heading into the fall, as it won recruiting battles for Richard Bowens, Joshua Johnson and Angel Dominguez.

BAYLOR: Clearly Baylor is in a tough spot after releasing its 2016 class from its collective letters of intent and seeing all but one of its 2017 commits choose to look elsewhere. Interim coach Jim Grobe will be selling the facilities and program’s recent success prior to this spring’s events, but without knowing what even his potential future is with Baylor and what consequences may still be oncoming, the Bears are going to have a tough time finding prospects confident in making a four-year commitment there.