2016 NFL Draft: Baylor and TCU have the Big 12’s best pro talent

It seems the perception of the Big 12 is changing. While Texas and Oklahoma have struggled lately, Baylor and TCU have excelled, both finishing in the top 10 last season. And yet, the NFL still seems to favor the old guard in the draft. In 2015, Baylor and TCU combined to have just four players taken while Oklahoma and Texas combined for 11.

That could change in 2016, thanks in large part to Baylor. The Bears feature the conference’s top two prospects in pass rusher Shawn Oakman and offensive tackle Spencer Drango. TCU has an intriguing quarterback in Trevone Boykin and a high-end receiver in Josh Doctson. By comparison, Oklahoma has an average group of players, and Texas’ draft-eligible prospects haven’t quite lived up to their recruiting hype.

With the help of some of our SB Nation bloggers, we look ahead to the Big 12’s best prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft and rank them by school.

(Analysis by Dan Kadar)

Baylor’s list of NFL prospects begins with the monstrous man of 1,000 memes. Senior Shawn Oakman, the 6’9, 280-pound pass rushing Goliath, is an intimidating force at defensive end. He registered 11 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss last season because he plays with good strength and has a solid first step. The knock on Oakman is consistency, from week-to-week and even in-game. If he can cure his bouts of ineffectiveness, the talent is obviously there.

Offensive tackle Spencer Drango surprised some when he elected to return for his senior season at Baylor. He has has smooth footwork and gets himself into proper position quickly. Drango is also polished, with sound hand technique and a wide base that he uses to maintain leverage. Speed rushers give Drango trouble on occasion, so he may be a fringe NFL left tackle, but otherwise he has an excellent skill set.

Both of Baylor’s starting defensive tackles -- Andrew Billings and Beau Blackshear -- are draftable players. Billings in particular is a stout nose tackle who can take up blockers and still get into the backfield, evidenced in his 11.5 tackles for loss last season. Junior wide receiver Corey Coleman is on the small side, but his speed and breakaway skills will be sought after. Junior running back Shock Linwood is a good straight-ahead runner with some pop and wiggle.

(Analysis by Jamie Plunkett)

Quarterback Trevone Boykin is one of the most dynamic players in college football. The big question is, will his arm be good enough at the next level? Senior Josh Doctson is probably the most NFL-ready player on TCU’s team. The 6’3 wide receiver has great hands, runs clean routes and has above average speed. Wide receiver Kolby Listenbee also has a top-notch speed and height combo, making him an intriguing prospect for NFL squads looking for a deep threat.

Aaron Green has a great first step and can get up to top speed quickly as a running back. He may need to add a few pounds still, but the tools are present. Offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai will probably get looked at simply because of size, but he also has good hands and great footwork. Senior defensive end Terrell Lathan is incredibly strong. This big boy should be able to help NFL squads plug up the middle. Kicker Jaden Oberkrom’s career-long 56-yard field goal doesn’t do his big leg enough justice.

(Analysis by Dan Kadar)

It’s hard to know what to make of Sooners linebacker Eric Striker. He was highly productive again last season, with 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks, but there aren’t many 6’0, 223-pound pass rushers in the NFL. Striker has good speed and a nice first step, but he gets overpowered and clearly needs to add strength. Cornerback Zack Sanchez has a nose for the ball, pulling in six interceptions in 2014. Sanchez isn’t the biggest cornerback but he plays with good instincts. Senior Charles Tapper also has a future as a rotational 3-4 end.

(Analysis by Wescott Eberts)

Hassan Ridgeway finished second behind first-round draft pick Malcom Brown, with 11 tackles for loss and six sacks for Texas in 2014 after becoming a full-time starter in the season’s fourth game. Massively powerful and quick for his 6’3, 314-pound frame, Ridgeway could become one of the country’s best defensive tackles if he can improve his conditioning and play angry. His physical talent is unquestionable.

Since arriving as the No. 1 running back nationally in the 2012 recruiting class, senior Johnathan Gray has struggled to live up to the outsized expectations that accompanied him to Austin, following his record-setting prep career. In 2015, he’ll have the opportunity to be the lead back for Texas, now fully recovered from his 2013 Achilles injury. If he can continue to show the ability to produce big plays by making defenders miss in the open field, he’ll set himself up to continue his football career after college.

Regarded as the No. 2 offensive guard in the 2011 recruiting class, Sedrick Flowers has struggled to live up to that billing in Austin, entering just his second season as a full-time starter. He’s not the most mobile offensive lineman and he seems to struggle generating power at times due to a lack of flexibility, but he’s been excellent at avoiding disruptive plays. So, while Flowers isn’t a dominating blocker, he also rarely makes mistakes.

Duke Thomas lacks elite size at 5’11 and 178 pounds, but makes up for it with excellent athleticism. He should test well in the pre-draft process, and he has been a productive player in college, starting 23 games and recording 10 pass breakups and three interceptions as a junior. He is the Longhorns’ only representative on the preseason All-Big 12 first team. Prone to giving up big plays due to mental mistakes, Thomas admitted during the offseason that he must learn to play within the defense. Whether he can do so will ultimately define his NFL upside.

(Analysis by Mark Stickel)

Safety Karl Joseph is the most likely player to be taken first out of West Virginia. He was an immediate starter as a freshman (he’s started every game since he’s been at WVU) and has developed quite the reputation as a hard hitter with a nose for the ball. You can count on his name to be at or near the top of the tackles chart.

West Virginia’s other safety, K.J. Dillon, came in with Joseph, and while he hasn’t garnered the same playing time or accolades as Joseph, he has played in almost every game (35-of-38). Another hard hitter with a nose for the ball, the Mountaineers are expecting a strong senior campaign out of Dillon, who will likely add punt returning duties to his responsibilities this season.

(Analysis by Jon Morse)

In a lot of ways, it feels like K-State has taken over Nebraska’s old role in the Big 12, running unheralded low-star or walk-on offensive linemen out on the field to become stars. Cody Whitehair is almost certainly going to be the next NFL-bound member of that fraternity. He’s been a fixture on the Wildcat line his entire career, overshadowed only by B.J. Finney. Whitehair is a technically proficient blocker, who moves well. His only flaw is that he could stand to be a little meaner.

Others to watch: Danzel McDaniel, an extremely physical corner, and safety/field general Dante Barnett, who will lead the defense by example this fall. Both are considered by some national sources as top 10 prospects at their positions, and barring mishap should be draftable prospects. Good years could push one or both well up the draft board.

(Analysis by OkBroncos - More here)

Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, the returning Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, looks to build off of a strong 2014 in which he recorded 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. If everything goes well for Ogbah he should hear his name called in Round 1 of the 2016 NFL Draft. The only question then will be which team and whether he’ll go for the bro hug or the full-on hug when he’s welcomed by Roger Goodell.

The leader on defense for the Cowboys the past few years, middle linebacker Ryan Simmons posted 96 total tackles, with 12 tackles for loss last season. He returns for his second year as the leader in the middle for the Pokes. He isn’t going to shock with his speed or size, but he is almost always in the right spot at the right time.

(Analysis by Dan Kadar)

Senior offensive tackle Le’Raven Clark has been on the NFL radar throughout his college career. He has started 38 consecutive games primarily at offensive tackle, though he does have experience at guard. Clark is a good athlete capable of getting out on the move, which bodes well for a future in the interior. Scouts will want to see a more aggressive version of Clark this season, one that doesn’t let so many defenders come into his frame.

(Analysis by KFitzy87)

Unfortunately for Iowa State, there doesn’t appear to be much NFL-quality talent on its roster. Perhaps the player with the best chance of getting drafted in 2016 is experienced offensive lineman Daniel Burton, who possesses good size at 6’6, 319 pounds. Another offensive player to keep an eye on is wide receiver Quenton Bundrage, a speedy wideout who sat out almost all of the 2014 season after tearing his ACL in ISU’s first game. As for the defense, 2014 Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year Kamari Cotton-Moya could blossom into one of the best safeties to ever come through Ames, but chances are he will remain with the Cyclones through the 2017 season.

(Analysis by David)

Kansas lost the vast majority of its starters from last year, largely leaving this year’s team full of inexperience and underclassmen. There definitely aren’t any shoe-ins for the professional game, but a few players do a have a shot. The best is probably defensive end Ben Goodman. As a sophomore in 2013, Goodman racked up 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a blocked kick and an interception, despite not even starting. He was quieter last year after being moved into a more interior role, but in 2015 he’ll be back to blitzing off the edge and has a shot at racking up some sacks and getting a look at the next level.

Aside from him, left tackle Larry Mazyck certainly has NFL size and an improved senior year could get him attention as well. It’s hard to see much draft potential anywhere else on this team, mostly because so many starters will be freshmen, sophomore or juniors with little to no on-field experience.