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Published Jul 24, 2019
Three-Point Stance: Where Big 12 stands for 2020
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Mike Farrell  •  Rivals.com
Rivals National Columnist

Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell’s three point stance is here with thoughts on Big 12 recruiting, some huge Big 12 commitments and some random recruiting thoughts.

MORE: What's next for unpredictable Zachary Evans?

1. State of the 2020 cycle in the Big 12

Let’s finish our look at each conference as we hit the summer lull in recruiting and finish with the Big 12.

Dominating: Oklahoma

The Sooners have been the class of the Big 12 on the field for some while now and have been the most consistent program in recruiting over the last many years, so it’s no surprise to see them at the top. They have two elite running backs in this class and a very strong offensive line class. But it’s the defensive recruiting that will be key and it’s going well so far.

So Close: Texas

The Longhorns have five less commitments in the 2020 class and a hefty average star ranking, so they’re only behind Oklahoma when it comes to numbers. The offensive line class is very impressive and they have big-name players at other positions like quarterback, linebacker and defensive end. This will be a battle with OU until the end.

Struggling: Kansas State, Baylor

Kansas State and Baylor are going on some players that are questionable. They could end up as great prospects but they’re really relying on their ability to assess talent because they aren’t winning big head-to-head battles with their rivals in the Big 12.

Quietly Impressive: Kansas, Iowa State

Kansas is No. 2 in the Big 12 right now, which is very impressive and even though it’s due to having a large class already, Les Miles is doing a good job recruiting after the last few horrible seasons. Iowa State may not have a four-star in the class , but it has plenty of talented three-stars and a few guys who could surprise down the line.

Happy With Headliners: Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Texas Tech

The Cowboys have a solid class led by quarterback Shane Illingworth, who should put up monster numbers. West Virginia is led by four-star Florida quarterback Garrett Greene, and New Jersey offensive lineman Chris Mayo and Texas Tech has wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk leading the way for them.

Small But GoodTCU

With only 10 commitments, this is the smallest class in the Big 12, but there is a lot of quality there.

2. Recent impact commitments in the Big 12

Commitments have come so quickly over the last few months that I’m going to break down the recent ones I like by conference, finishing with the Big 12 today.

TE Jalin Conyers, Oklahoma – An athletic tight end who can stretch the field and fits well with what OU likes to do on offense at the position.

OL Andrew Raym, Oklahoma – He’s still raw but he has excellent upside and we’ve all seen how well OU develops raw linemen.

DB Bryson Washington, Oklahoma – A tall, skinny defensive back with great length and range and who has a frame to really fill out.

LB Taiwan Berryhill, Kansas – An athletic linebacker and another very good get for Kansas from Louisiana.

DE Van Fillinger, Texas – A good get from Utah, Fillinger could grow into a defensive tackle if needed and plays with power.

DE Vernon Broughton, Texas – Broughton is a massive defensive end who could also play inside and has the rare ability to beat you with speed or power as a 285-pounder. This is a huge get for Texas.

LB Prince Dorbah, Texas – Dorbah is a bit of a hybrid who will likely stand up at the next level and cover a lot of ground. He’s a raw pass rusher, but he’s very athletic.

QB Jalen Milroe, Texas (2021) – A very good get for 2021. Texas is building up some very nice depth at the position in these two classes.

OT Hayden Conner, Texas (2021) – A massive tackle, Conner is raw but you can’t teach his size, reach and strength and he will be a huge tackle or even guard at the next level.

WR Daniel Jackson, Iowa State – A big, physical receiver, Jackson will be a monster after the catch with his size and strength.

RB Miyan Williams, Iowa State – Williams runs with natural leverage and is very hard to get a clean shot on. He’s also very durable.

DB Jordyn Morgan, Iowa State – Another good get from Texas, Morgan just needs to fill out but he has length and ball skills.

LB Taurus Simmons, West Virginia – Simmons is a big linebacker with range and a good get from Georgia, an area where West Virginia can pick off some players.

OL Tyler Bailey, TCU – A monster offensive tackle, Bailey still has room to add weight and plays with a nasty streak.

DB Ryan Frank, Texas Tech – A big, rangy corner Frank can also play safety if he continues to add size.

3. And finally, more thoughts rattling around the brain

Here are some odds and ends from the recruiting world, which never stops spinning ...

Miami landed a very good commitment from defensive end Chantz Williams, who I like a lot and probably better than most. He’s not the biggest end out there but he’s explosive and plays with good balance. He’ll have to bulk up a bit in college and he’s athletic enough to play linebacker if he can’t get big enough to play on the line, so I really like his versatility.

Arkansas added a couple of nice pieces to the puzzle in linebacker Martavius French and defensive end Tyrece Edwards, both from Tennessee. Landing French bodes well for their chances with Memphis linebacker Bryson Eason who I have projected to head to Arkansas as well.

How about running back Zach Evans keeping us all guessing with visits to Texas and Texas A&M, two schools that didn’t make his “final five” released awhile ago. Many still think this will be Alabama, but watch out for LSU and I have a sneaking suspicion that the Aggies will be in this until the end as well.

Five-star Kelee Ringo is a strong lean to Georgia according to my sources and it will be interesting to see if he commits on his next visit there or if he holds off. Even if he does commit, he’ll likely take other visits.

I don’t think Rakim Jarrett ends up in this LSU class. It's just a hunch. I can see his recruitment ending like Stefon Diggs did years ago with a late commitment to Maryland. Don’t ask me why. I’m just hunching.

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