Why These 3 Houston Cougars Can Earn All-Conference Honors

When it comes to talent in Houston, who are the three best players that have a shot at Big 12 honors?

Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) puts on the MVP cowboy hat after the win over Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Big 12 conference has 16 teams in 2026.

Many of those teams have talent on their roster that shapes their culture and their identity as a team. Some teams have some impressive offenses, while others focus on the defensive side of the ball in order to stall out their opponents.

For Houston, the offense is definitely one of the most important areas that the Cougars focus on. Many talented players from other universities have joined Houston's offense this past offseason, increasing their depth and power on the roster.

When it comes to the talent on the roster, which three names have proven themselves to be some of the best in the Big 12?

3. Conner Weigman

Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) runs the ball during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Conner Weigman is one of the most consistent players on Houston's 2026 roster. He has proven himself time and time again why he is a starter at Houston, and potentially one of the best in the conference.

Weigman has been in this situation before, but has only gotten honorable mentions throughout the passing weeks. He is one of the more productive quarterbacks in the conference, with his 36 total touchdowns last year tying the conference lead.

What could be the next step for Weigman is his passing percentages, with many of his percentages falling into the mid-60s. With a boost in his accuracy, Weigman could propel himself into being one of the best quarterbacks in the conference and could secure his spot as the offensive player of the year.

2. Amare Thomas

Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars wide receiver Amare Thomas (0) runs the ball during the first half against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Amare Thomas is another player who could go for the offensive player of the year award, as his past production in Houston landed him a spot on the Big 12 first team. With Weigman leading the Cougars for another year, we could see Thomas as one of the biggest WR's in the conference.

With Houston last year, Thomas amassed 966 yards total as one of the Cougars' best receivers. This year, Thomas could break 1,000 yards easily, but the question is whether he can remain healthy throughout the year.

If Thomas can stay healthy throughout the season, he could easily be one of the biggest names to look out for in the conference. There have been consistency issues midway through the season where that progress has slowed, but Houston's new receiver room will definitely give Thomas room to thrive on the turf.

1. Latreveon McCutchin

Oct 25, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Houston Cougars linebacker Latreveon McCutchin (10) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

McCutchin is a player to look out for on Houston's defense, and it's no surprise why he might be the next defensive player of the year in the Big 12. He has been one of the biggest names in Houston's secondary, and his senior year at Houston only seems to be one of his biggest yet.

Last year, he was one of the biggest interception leaders with two to his name.

This year, he may need to focus on his coverage against big teams in the conference, like Texas Tech. He had done this before against Oklahoma State with a 94.7 percent coverage rating, but he will need to replicate this success more often if he plans to make it as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.