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          Big 12 Blog

          Big 12 mailbag: Underrated recruiting classes, Super Bowl appetizers

          • Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff WriterFeb 3, 2017, 09:25 PM
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              Jake Trotter covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2011 covering college football. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him on Twitter @Jake_Trotter.
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          In this week's Big 12 Twitter mailbag, we discuss several among Wednesday's signing day class, which appetizer goes best with the Super Bowl, and Dan Marino.

          On to the 'bag:

          Trotter: You almost have to assess Kansas State's classes through a different prism, because the coaches there recruit so differently. That said, this class is underrated. Getting ESPN JC50 safety Elijah Walker back was a huge win for the Wildcats, because he has a good chance to plug the one hole in what should be a very good secondary. There's juco help on the way in the front seven, too, where the Wildcats needed to bolster the depth. And landing three-star inside linebacker Daniel Green was a nice signing day coup. K-State closed extremely well, which was critical to filling out this class.

          Trotter: Very solid. Iowa State finished with the nation's No. 53 class, which was good enough for seventh in the Big 12, ahead of West Virginia, K-State and Kansas. There's instant impact at wide receiver with Matthew Easton and Joshua Johnson, which should help Allen Lazard, as well as some immediate help in the trenches. I like what I've been hearing about outside linebacker O'Rien Vance. And the Cyclones did a terrific job holding onto three-star tight end Charles Kolar, who got a late in-state offer from Oklahoma State. Iowa State fans should be excited about this bunch.

          Trotter: There are actually several guys that fit this bill. Oklahoma State's Marcell Ateman could be a 1,000-yard receiver. Texas' Chris Warren III could be an All-Big 12 back. West Virginia's Dravon Askew-Henry would've been among the top safeties last season. And TCU's Shaun Nixon was a pretty big part of its 2015 offense. All four of these guys figure to be impact players in 2017.

          Trotter: Ha, not really. Guacamole is my go-to Super Bowl app. As a matter of fact, I actually make a pretty mean guac and am planning to unleash it again this weekend. Honorable mention honors to smokies and meatballs, which seem to be staples of the Super Bowl parties I've been to.

          Trotter: Yeah, I'm with you. Trey Sermon has a chance to develop into a big-time back for Oklahoma, and I think he's got a chance to win the starting job as a true freshman. The key will be showing he can do the other stuff, like picking up protection and catching the ball out of the backfield.

          Trotter: I was a big Dan Marino fan growing up. So I'd probably go with this for my favorite game as a kid, and this as my favorite moment. By the way, I was such a big Marino fan that after the 62-7 loss to Jacksonville in the 1999 playoffs -- which sadly ended his career without that elusive Super Bowl -- I gave up watching the NFL for like three years.

          Trotter: If Grier plays the way he did those first few games at Florida, West Virginia will be in business. But it's probably going to take a couple games in September to get a true sense of where he is. I am optimistic, though. The talent clearly is there. By the way, this has now surpassed Big 12 expansion as the most asked weekly question for the mailbag.

          Trotter: Well, let me recall that previous statement. Apologies.