The 10 most intriguing players in the Big 12 in 2023

Big 12 Media Days kicks off in Texas today,, so with much of college football’s focus on an ever-changing conference, why not highlight 10 of the most intriguing players in the league in 2023?

Notably, this is not a ranking of the Top 10 players in the Big 12 or even the 10 best future NFL Draft picks. Perhaps some of the guys mentioned — i.e. Quinn Ewers — checks both boxes this fall, but instead, this is a look at 10 players who offer legitimate curiosity. 

My 10 most intriguing Big 12 players in 2023:

QB Quinn Ewers, Texas 

The ‘what ifs’ with the former No. 1 overall recruit are endless in 2023. What if Quinn Ewers lives up to his billing and leads Texas back to the Big 12 Championship?] What if he flops and loses his job to Maailk Murphy? 

Ewers has Top 10 NFL Draft pick talent and is among the preseason Heisman Trophy favorites, but unlike some of the other top QBs in the country in 2023, he remains mostly a bet on potential at this point. He’s surrounded by awesome pieces and has reportedly made real strides in his game this offseason, so now is the time to see if those projections turn into consistent production. 

RB Treshaun Ward, Kansas State

The Florida State transfer tailback was recently voted the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year after rushing for 628 yards and seven touchdowns for the Seminoles in 2022. 

Ward averaged more than 6.6 yards per carry last season, but he was slated to continue backing up Trey Benson, so he left Tallahassee for a bigger role at Kansas State.  The veteran tailback has the tough task of replacing All-American Deuce Vaughn, and while he’ll share the load with DJ Gibbens, Ward has All Big-12 potential 

QB Chandler Morris, TCU

It seems like a long time ago that Chandler Morris beat Max Duggan for TCU’s starting quarterback job only to get hurt in the opener and get Wally Pipp’d by the eventual runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. 

Morris gets his turn in the spotlight this fall though, looking to lead the Horned Frogs back to the Big 12 Championship. Despite losing Duggan and first-round wideout Quentin Johnson, there’s actually the potential for TCU’s passing game (which ranked No. 4 in the Big 12 last season) to better in 2023.  Potential. We don’t really know what to expect from Morris, who really has looked awesome just once in a game vs. Baylor in 2021, or a new pool of playmakers that includes transfers (top OK State receiver JP Richardson, LSU slot Jack Bech, Alabama wideout JoJo Earle) and the expected ascendance of junior Savion Williams. 

LB Dasan McCollough, Oklahoma

One of the marquee transfers in the Big 12 in 2023, Dasan McCollough could be the precise impact playmaker the Sooners’ defense needs for a major turnaround this fall. 

As a freshman at Indiana last season, McCollough, who lined up all over the field, recorded 49 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and three PBUs. He is poised to play the “Cheetah” position for Brent Venables, acting as a hybrid linebacker/big nickel at 6-5, 225-pounds. McCollough earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors a year ago, and he has the upside and talent to become a household name on a bigger stage this fall. 

RB Devin Neal, Kansas

Most casual fans probably have no idea who Devin Neal is. Even ardent college football fans likely wouldn’t guess that Kansas’ running back is the leading returning rusher in the Big 12 — both in yards (1,090) and yards per carry (6.06). Neal is actually the lone returning 1,000-yard rusher in the conference, and he averaged just 13 carries a game as a sophomore. 

The Jayhawks return quarterback Jalon Davis and nearly every other notable starter off last year’s 6-7 team, but Neal could emerge as the face of the program if Lance Leipold is able to continue his remarkable turnaround at KU. Neal, a 5-10, 211-pound tailback who also played on the Jayhawks’ baseball team the prior two seasons, is a Lawrence native. If he can avoid durability concerns, he could be in store monster junior season.  

RB CJ Donaldson, West Virgina 

While the Mountaineers saw their roster raided by the transfer portal this offseason, Neal Brown & Co., did well to make sure their most talented player remained in Morgantown for the 2023 season. 

Donaldson burst onto the scene in WVU’s opener against Pitt in the Backyard Brawl, rumbling for 125 yards on just seven carries in his collegiate debut. The 6-2, 245-pound converted tight end finished the season with 526 yards and eight touchdowns (over 6.1 yards per carry) before breaking his foot against TCU.  The sophomore caught just nine passes in seven games but stands to be involved more in the overall offense this fall. He changed his number to 4 this offseason, hoping his explosive play on the field leads to a hallmark ‘C4’ nickname.

WR AD Mitchell, Texas

AD Mitchell has a couple of the biggest catches in Georgia football history, helping the Bulldogs win back-to-back national titles with touchdowns in all four playoff games the last two seasons. 

The smooth wideout was hurt for most all of last year, missing 10 games with a bad ankle injury. He opted to transfer to Texas to be closer to his daughter and family, and a potential increase in targets shouldn’t hurt, either. The Longhorns have a stacked receiving room, but Mitchell is every bit as talented as Xavier Worthy. He had a crazy one-handed catch in Texas’ spring game, and if he can stay healthy in 2023, he could emerge as Ewers’ top target.

WR Jerand Bradley, Texas Tech 

What started as a whisper has become a well-discussed off-season topic: Texas Tech is a team to watch in 2023. Well, one of the reasons why is the Red Raiders stand to have a breakout offense, especially with the continued growth of sophomore wideout Jerand Bradley. 

As a freshman, Bradley finished seventh in the Big 12 in receiving yards (744) and tied for third in touchdowns (six). He averaged nearly 15 yards per reception. His best production came late last season, too, when he teamed up with quarterback Tyler Shough — the Red Raiders’ starter this fall.  Texas Tech added speed transfer receiver Drae McCray to the roster this offseason, which should give Bradley even more room to operate out wide. In Zach Kittley’s pass-happy scheme, Bradley could certainly top the 1,000-yard mark in 2023 — and perhaps even lead the Big 12 in receiving. 

RB Richard Reese, Baylor 

Only two players in the Big 12 scored more touchdowns than Richard Reese in 2022 — and both will play in the NFL this fall. 

Despite his diminutive size — just 5-9, 175-pounds soaking wet — Baylor’s slippery tailback found the end zone 14 times, trailing only Texas’ Bijan Robinson and TCU’s Kendre Miller. Reese rushed for nearly 1,000 yards (a Bears freshman record) en route to being named the Big 12 freshman of the year. What’s in store for a sophomore encore? Baylor added Oklahoma State transfer Dominic Richardson to share the load, but Reese remains the most explosive and dynamic option.  

QB John Rhys Plumlee, UCF

John Rhys Plumlee is a fantastic football player. An amazing athlete. A quality quarterback? Eh, that remains a debate. 

UCF enters the Big 12 with bubbling optimism, mainly because the Knights return their star playmaker under center. And yet, it will be fascinating this fall to see if Rhys Plumlee has made strides as a passer in his senior season (he’s a career 57.8% completion and 6.8 yards per attempt as a starter) or if he remains mostly a  “Reels” highlight machine as a dual-threat runner (862 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022).  For UCF to truly compete in the Big 12 in Year 1, Rhys Plumlee has to be better on standard passing downs — which mostly hinges on improved accuracy. He has the speed and playmaking ability to be the most exciting quarterback in the league this fall, but can he consistently put all his tools together?