Big 12 Recruiting Focus: The Window is Narrowing for Power 5 Schools to Find a Top Tier 2018 Quarterback

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

Photo credit: Raymond Joyce Photography

Twitter: @RJPSports

Every college football program wants to build their recruiting class around a gunslinger that can put points on the board and lead the team on and off the field. Finding a fit between a program, staff, and player along with style of quarterback wanted, pro-style verses dual-threat, and regional talent available in a given year helps play the part in which program lands which recruit and which top quarterback gives a team new hope for the future.

In a five-part series focusing on Power Five Conferences and Class of 2018 quarterbacks committed, the following breaks down which schools are set for now in the pocket and which schools are left scrambling. Next up is the Big 12 Conference.

The Atlantic Coast Conference

The Big Ten

The Pac-12

The SEC

The Big 12

Since the formation of the Big 12 in 1996 taking parts from the Southwest Conference and Big 8, the Big 12 has the moniker of a two-team conference but the reality is Oklahoma rules the nest. Over the 22 years in existence, nine different schools have won a Big 12 title but the Sooners have claimed 10 outpacing rival Texas by seven more banners. The Longhorns have three titles barely stepping ahead of Baylor, Kansas State, and former conference foe Nebraska with two each. TCU (2014) and Oklahoma State (2011) are the only other current conference members to have claimed a trophy.

But a new era is truly beginning in the Big 12 with Tom Herman replacing Charlie Strong on the Longhorns’ sidelines and Lincoln Riley stepping in for the recently retired Bob Stoops in Norman. Besides Texas and Oklahoma’s new coaches, Baylor has a new head coach in Matt Rhule and Iowa State is in year two with Matt Campbell as is Kansas with David Beaty. Change is coming but will the shakeup disrupt business as usual in the Big 12 hierarchy?

Great defenses may win championships but great offenses win regular season games building to the big game. Per Rivals quarterback rankings for the 2018 class, 25 pro-style and 30 dual-threats, there are only five ranked uncommitted pro-style and 10 ranked dual-threat quarterbacks left to cover the country. Four Big 12 teams are still without a committed Class of 2018 signal caller; Baylor, Kansas State, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.

Big 12 Class of 2018 QB Status

Baylor

Iowa State – Re-al Mitchell (California), No. 28 ranked dual-threat

Kansas – Clayton Tune (Texas), three-star pro-style

Kansas State

Oklahoma – Tanner Mordecai (Texas), No. 20 ranked dual-threat

Oklahoma State – Spencer Sanders (Texas), No. 18 dual-threat

Texas – Cameron Rising (California), No. 4 pro-style and Casey Thompson (Oklahoma), No. 10 dual-threat

TCU – Justin Rogers (Louisiana), No. 4 dual-threat

Texas Tech *received commitment from Alan Bowman on June 14

West Virginia

Top Regional Quarterbacks Available

In Big 12 country, is there such a thing as a pro-style quarterback anymore? The list of ranked dual-threat quarterbacks available narrows based on regional boundaries:

Jace Ruder – Kansas, No. 14 ranked dual-threat

Gerry Bohanon – Arkansas, No. 15 ranked dual-threat

Chance Amie – Texas, No. 21 ranked dual-threat

*Alan Bowman – Texas, pro-style

The Future in the Big 12

If the current quarterbacks committed is a tell-tale sign, Tom Herman is in the conference driver’s seat in Austin. Not only does he have a Top 10 ranked dual-threat committed in Casey Thompson, but Thompson is also from Oklahoma. Adding insult to injury, the other Longhorns’ commit, Cameron Rising, a four-star from California, was a one-time verbal commit to the Sooners. One of the key pieces Texas has missed consistently on the gridiron over the last decade is a stud quarterback like Vince Young (2005) or Colt McCoy (2009).

Regardless of how the verbal commitment list shakes out in the pocket on National Signing Day, the most overlooked in the group will be Iowa State commit Re-al Mitchell. Mitchell is the full package with great mechanics, a strong arm, and blazing speed. He is a winner too having led his St. John Bosco squad to a California Division I title during his junior season.