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Big 12 breakdown: Top newcomers to watch in 2016

Collin Johnson

The football season is about to begin and teams in the Big 12 are looking to have new players step up to bring them to more successful seasons. While a few true freshmen will be counted on to immediately step into a significant role, numerous transfers are hoping to step in without missing a beat as well.

RELATED: Impact newcomers in the ACC | Big Ten | SEC | Pac-12

BAYLOR

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Roy is the biggest defensive lineman on Baylor’s roster. Roy has an excellent opportunity to be a critical player on the Bears’ defense after it fell off against the run in the second half of last season.

IOWA STATE

Bobek has been on quite a journey through the midwest in his college career, and seems to have found a very positive situation with the Cyclones. He was a 2011 four-star center who committed to Ohio State, then transferred to Minnesota. After a heart problem and a torn MCL, he’s come back one more time to join an offensive line group that is the going to be the focal point of Matt Campbell’s offensive philosophy.

KANSAS

Mayberry is likely to be the next man up behind either starting cornerback and if his responsibilities stopped there, he would still be in line to receive a good amount of playing time. Teams will be looking to light up Kansas every week after their winless season in 2015, so he’ll have his chances to step up and make some plays.

KANSAS STATE

Pringle is looking at making an instant impact in the Wildcats offense after starting his career at Butler Community College, where he averaged 15 yards per catch and scored nine times on 28 catches. Deante Burton was K-State’s leading receiver last season with 38 catches for 510 yards, so there is room for another receiver to help give the passing attack a shot in the arm.

OKLAHOMA

The search for a go-to receiver post-Sterling Shepard includes a number of candidates, but Jones offers the best option as young player to make the quickest impact. The Sooners are set to reload at the position with the group they currently have committed in 2017, but in the meantime, Jones has every opportunity to establish himself in the offense and give next year’s class someone to chase come next season.

OKLAHOMA STATE

Oklahoma State has plenty of options for playmakers on offense, but Stoner has been a guy that has shown right away the he should be getting a pretty good workload as a true freshman. The Cowboys offense puts up points in bunches and threw the ball nearly 40 times per game last season, so Stoner could become a factor very quickly as OSU looks to build on last year’s success.

TCU


Expectations are high this season for TCU and part of the excitement comes from the talent the Horned Frogs have on the defensive line. Boesen, who transferred from Long Beach City College after starting his career at Boise State, immediately impressed in TCU’s spring game and will have plenty of chances to make plays in the backfield with the offense sure to put up high point totals again this year.

TEXAS

Who knows how long the leash on Tyrone Swoopes is? What’s being counted on is that whether it’s he or freshman quarterback Shane Buechele taking the snaps, they are going to need someone to throw it to. Johnson is the early standout in camp sessions and provides a big target for either quarterback to pick out at 6-foot-6, 212-pounds. The Longhorns will be looking to keep the ball on the move this season, so Johnson should be ready to get some looks.

TEXAS TECH

Pipkins, like Bobek, has had to overcome significant physical issues to get one more shot. After serious neck and knee injuries at Michigan, he is hoping that he can put it together for one more season in Lubbock and give the Red Raiders the lift in the center of their defensive line they so desperately need. Coming out of high school, the five-star was ferocious and unstoppable on the interior, now he’ll be tasked primarily with stopping opponents’ ground attacks.

WEST VIRGINIA

After hovering around 2,000 yards rushing in his junior and senior seasons in high school, McKoy finds himself in line to pick up some touches as a true freshman in a Mountaineer offense that is never lacking for impact offensive players. McKoy is a viable threat as a receiver too, and should be ready to contribute from Week 1.

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