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Longhorns Well Represented Amongst Top Big 12 Playmakers

On3 ranked the top 20 players in the Big 12 ahead of the 2022 season.

Ahead of the 2022 season, there is little doubt about what the Texas Longhorns possess on the offensive side of the ball, and that is a unit capable of being one of the best offenses in the country. 

Stacked with talent across the board, the Longhorns' offense has the potential to feature numerous All-Americans once the season is over. While transfer quarterback Quinn Ewers, should he earn the starting job, will undoubtedly have a lot of eyes on him, the weapons he has will make his life easier. 

In fact, On3 ranked their top 20 Big 12 players in the Big 12 which featured five Longhorns, all on the offensive side of the ball. 

12. Tight End Jahleel Billingsley

When the Texas Longhorns landed Jahleel Billingsley via the transfer portal from the Alabama Crimson Tide, it was expected he will add another weapon for Steve Sarkisian on offense. 

Over his three seasons at Alabama Billingsley would haul in 37 catches for 559 yards and six touchdowns. While not overly flashy numbers, a tight end with his skillset should thrive in a Sarkisian offense, especially one with the weapons surrounding him.

11. Wide Receiver Isaiah Neyor

The Longhorns were active in the transfer portal this offseason, as receiver Isaiah Neyor finds his way to Texas from the Wyoming Cowboys. Much like Billingsley, Neyor is set to work in an Sarkisian offense filled with weapons that will only make his life easier.

Neyor took the college football world by storm in 2021, racking up 878 receiving yards on and 12 touchdowns on 44 receptions, averaging a staggering 20 yards per catch. He enters a Texas offense that needed a consistent second option at receiver behind Xavier Worthy, and an offense that he should thrive in going forward. 

7. Wide Receiver Xavier Worthy 

Speaking of Xavier Worthy, he is the first of three Longhorns to make the top 10 of this list, and for good reason. Not only was Worthy one of the best receivers in the big 12 as a freshman, he was one of the best receivers in all of college football, earning a plethora of honors including being named a Freshman All-American

One look at Worthy's numbers and it is immediately clear how dominant his 2021 season truly was. Worthy would catch 62 passes for 981 yards and 12 touchdowns, looking unguardable throughout most of the season. Now, with the addition of Neyor and Billingsley, Worthy should take that next step and show that he is one of the best receivers in the country. 

6. Quarterback Quinn Ewers

There might not be a more polarizing player for the Longhorns than quarterback Quinn Ewers. While Ewers has yet to be named the starting quarterback, or take any meaningful snaps at the college level for that matter, he has been labeled by some as the savior of Texas football. 

However, the talent is there for Ewers to prove why he was such a coveted recruit in his initial cycle as well as once he announced his transfer. If he can excel in Sarkisian's offense, the sky's the limit for this Longhorn offense as they may very well be one of the best in the country. 

1. Running Back Bijan Robinson

Was there really any doubt about who the best player in the Big 12 is? Robinson appeared at times to be the best running back in the country in 2021, putting together a Heisman worthy season prior to an injury towards the end of his season. 

In just 10 games Robinson would rush for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns, while hauling in 295 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. Simply put, Robinson is one of the best running backs in college football and can go for 100 yards on any given Saturday. A running back of his caliber will help ease the load on Ewers while also opening up the offense for his other weapons. 


You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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