Prospects with most on line in bowl season: Top 10 overall | ACC | Pac-12 | SEC | Big Ten
The first bowl is Saturday, and to get you prepared for what seemingly will be a never-ending onslaught of games -- there are a record 38 bowls this season -- CFB 24/7 is taking an in-depth look at some of the top prospects in the postseason.
Today, we'll look at the 10 Big 12 prospects with the most on the line in the postseason. There already has been a national look, but we'll include underclassmen in our conference-by-conference breakdowns.
1. Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
Bowl game: Cotton Bowl vs. Michigan State, Jan. 1
Analysis: Petty came into the year as one of the top senior signal-callers in the country but saw his stock tumble after a rough first half, which included a back injury that might have affected his throwing ability. He bounced back in a big way during the Bears' stretch run, however, and led the team to a Big 12 championship. Going against Pat Narduzzi's Michigan State defense will present a big test, and having a great game could raise his stock considerably. Turn the ball over and miss on throws, though, and Petty could be written off by more scouts.
2. Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor
Bowl game: Cotton Bowl vs. Michigan State, Jan. 1
Analysis: Nobody in the Big 12 has generated as much buzz over his pending draft decision like Oakman. A big-time performance that includes a few sacks against Spartans quarterback Connor Cook could help boost that stock even further. There's still not a ton of tape of Oakman as a starter, so the more plays he makes in a 13th game, the better.
3. Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma
Bowl game: Russell Athletic Bowl vs. Clemson, Dec. 29
Analysis: Teammate Daryl Williams gets NFL folks a little more excited because of his bigger size at right tackle, but Thompson is also likely to hear his name called in the draft. How high will he go? That depends on how well he slows down all-world defensive end Vic Beasley in their one-on-one matchups.
4. Cedric Reed, DE, Texas
Bowl game: Texas Bowl vs. Arkansas, Dec. 29
Analysis: The Razorbacks' offensive line is one of the biggest in college football, and that's a tall task for Reed, who came back for another year with the Longhorns to showcase his talents in games like this. After a slow start, including just 1.5 sacks in his first nine games, he picked things up and totaled four sacks in his last three. Another quality game should help him in the eyes of scouts, who might be looking for a consistent effort throughout the game against a mammoth line.
5. Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor
Bowl game: Cotton Bowl vs. Michigan State, Jan. 1
Analysis: Goodley is one of the most explosive receivers in the Big 12, but his size at 5-foot-10 has some questioning how well he can handle the physicality of the next level. He has been equally physical at the college level, but a big game getting off against the Spartans' press-coverage techniques as well as finding holes in their Cover-4 looks could prove beneficial when NFL teams flip on the tape.
6. Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas
Bowl game: Texas Bowl vs. Arkansas, Dec. 29
Analysis: Diggs had perhaps his worst game of the year in the Longhorns' regular-season finale against TCU. He can get that bad taste out of his mouth with a quality outing against former SWC rival Arkansas. More than likely, Diggs will line up against Razorbacks WR Keon Hatcher, and a lot of folks will be watching with great interest to see if Diggs can slow him down.
7. B.J. Finney, C, Kansas State
Bowl game: Alamo Bowl vs. UCLA, Jan. 2
Analysis: Only a handful of centers get drafted each year, and Finney could be one of them if he continues his superb season against a talented UCLA defensive line. His ability to play guard will help his stock, but he'll get a bigger boost if he handles the Bruins' Kenny Clark and Ellis McCarthy in the Alamo.
8. Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State
Bowl game: Alamo vs. UCLA, Jan. 2
Analysis:Lockett, who recently made CFB 24/7's All-American Team as a return specialist, has set just about every Wildcats receiving record, and he undoubtedly wants to end his college career on a high note against the Bruins. If he can get behind a quality secondary and continue to look good on special teams, Lockett's stock will continue to rise.
9. Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
Bowl game: Liberty vs. Texas A&M, Dec. 29
Analysis: White seems to have established himself as one of the top receivers in the country -- he joined Alabama's Amari Cooper on CFB 24/7's All-American Team -- but minus a 16-catch effort against Texas on Nov. 8, he was relatively quiet in the Mountaineers' final five games of the regular season after beginning the year with seven straight 100-yard receiving games. What can change that? Facing the Texas A&M secondary sure can. If White can slice and dice the Aggies like he did teams earlier in the season, don't be surprised if he carries that momentum over and continues to rise up boards.
10. Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
Bowl game: Peach vs. Ole Miss, Dec. 31
Analysis: The Horned Frogs' signal-caller should have been invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, and an impressive performance against the stingy Landsharks defense could help him head into 2015 as the Heisman favorite. If he falters some, expect to hear a few folks mention that much of his success this season came against the weak defenses in the Big 12.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
