Tracking the Enemy: Big 12 receiving corps look to take down Baylor

Baylor has some questions at receiver after KD Cannon and Ish Zamora left early but if Matt Rhule plays his cards right, the difference will be minimal. However, the Bears aren't the only team looking to find replacements for their top playmakers outside.

Get to know who can take down Baylor through the air and who's less than a threat this year in the Big 12.

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9. Kansas State

The Wildcats boast some talent around the hashes like speedsters Byron Pringle and Dominique Heath but the bigger question is how coach Bill Snyder will use them. Pringle had a field day in the bowl win over Texas A&M but when KSU doesn’t have a Tyler Locket-type player available, there’s not much action down field.

8. West Virginia

The Mountaineers are in a similar position as Baylor’s receiving corps. There are exciting building blocks but there’s mounting concern of the consistency. The star of the spring game was former quarterback David Sills, now a receiver, coming back from a JUCO stint. He’s found a connection with transfer QB Will Grier, putting up 98 yards on six receptions in the scrimmage.  Former All-American Kevin White’s brother Ka’Raun White is also a name worth some nerves. Baylor has yet to face the younger brother, but his athleticism is just as advertised and he is looking for a breakout junior campaign.

7. Oklahoma

The Sooners have steadily found a crack in defenses the past couple seasons with new receivers moving to the top of scouts’ clipboards. Dede Westbrook filled in for Sterling Shepard as a Heisman nominee last year and before Shepard, Jalen Saunders was the man of the hour. This year, there are a few candidates to step into Westbrook’s shoes but not one clear candidate. The biggest concern for Baylor might be top red-zone target Mark Andrews.

6. Kansas

I’ll confess, I’m a bit of a Kansas apologist. Ever since David Beaty was hired, I've fallen in love with the program's potential while everyone else makes Kansas jokes. A big reason is LaQuvionte Gonzalez’s ability. I was in love with his potential last year, seeing him as a catalyst for the rest of the Jayhawks’ offense. He was enough of a distraction to help Steven Sims become the leading receiver. You can thank those two for the evergreen Kansas beat Texas in football tweets. With the addition of Alabama transfer Daylon Charlot, a near carbon copy of Gonzalez, coach David Beaty is on to something big.

5. TCU

The Horned Frogs’ top receiver in 2016 was running back Kyle Hicks. That’s almost assuredly a bad sign for TCU. However, Gary Patterson’s crew has plenty of size and is gearing up for a big comeback with Swiss Army knife KaVontae Turpin returning to his surrounding cast and potentially work as Kenny Hill’s go-to receiver.

4. Texas

Seems like we say this every year, Texas has plenty of talent at receiver but few times has that played out as predicted. So while it’s tempting to put this group lower in sticking with the trend, it’s too hard to ignore the rising talent in Austin that hopes to make Tom Herman’s job easier. Standing at 6-foot-6, Collin Johnson’s ceiling is quite literally high. He looks to be one of the quintessential mismatches in the Big 12 but he’s also helped by numerous speed burners like former Baylor signee Devin Duvernay along with Armanti Formean who kicked off UT’s win over Baylor last year.  

3. Texas Tech

The biggest issue for the receivers isn’t whose in the group but who’s throwing the ball. Ideally, Pat Mahomes stays another year but given the opportunity to leave Lubbock as a top NFL prospect, you take that deal every time. But thanks to Mahomes’ efficiency in Kliff Kingsbury’s system, Tech boasts three receivers coming off at least 50-reception and 600-yard seasons. Jonathan Giles rose to the top as a top downfield target to lead Tech in receiving, but he put in his transfer notice and is leaving Lubbock. That leaves Keke Coulee and Dylan Cantrell as their top two returning receivers, a duo who almost beat Baylor on their own last year.

2. Iowa State

Two years ago was supposed to be the best receiving trio ISU was ever blessed, that is until this year. Matt Campbell has assembled an almost impossibly talented group led by Allen Lazard who has led the Cyclones in receiving the past two seasons. Lazard will be flanked by one of Campbell’s crowning recruits Deshaunte Jones who posted 62 yards and touchdown on Baylor last year and has shown considerable growth in spring practice. They’ll also be joined by a top 50 JUCO wideout in Matthew Eaton, another go-to guy for Jacob Park under center. Don’t sleep on tight end Chase Allen, either, one of my favorite Big 12 recruits from the 2016 class.

1. Oklahoma State

Could this be anyone else? The Pokes are real contenders in the Big 12 if only because of the talent at receiver that Mason Rudolph has to work with. James Washington is the do-it-all receiver that will surely be gunning for the Biletnikoff. I firmly believe he would have won that if teams didn’t start double-teaming him so well. But take away one limb, the Pokes grow one more. Jalen McCleskey is as consistent a slot receiver in the league and Chris Lacy’s wide catch radius makes him a game changer. The only downside is losing Jhajuan Seales, one of Rudolph’s favorite security blankets but he’s replaced by LSU transfer Tyron Johnson, a shifty run-after-catch receiver set to take the attention when Washington is blanketed.