Today is Day 12 of our countdown of the Big 12's 25 best players entering the 2010 season. The full results are locked in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing one player per day until we reach the top of the list.
Remember, this isn't a list of the top-25 NFL prospects in the league. It's heavily weighted toward actual accomplishment in players' college careers, as well as the likely impact for their teams in the 2010 season.
No. 14: Alexander Robinson, RB, Iowa State
2009 numbers: Ranked third in the Big 12 in rushing yards (1,193). Had second-highest rushing yards per game total (99.42). Scored five touchdowns. Also caught 18 passes for 263 yards.
Most recent ranking: Robinson was unranked in last offseason's ranking of the conference's top 40 players.
Making the case for Robinson: He spent 2009 as Iowa State's workhorse. If not for an injury that held him out of the win over Nebraska, he might have led the conference in carries, too. His 231 carries were second-most in the league to Kansas State's Daniel Thomas. The only thing keeping Robinson from a league rushing title this season is the Cyclones' difficult schedule. He's by far the best offensive player on his team, and the offense has to operate through him to be successful. Despite quarterback Austen Arnaud's struggles, Robinson had his best season ever by almost 500 yards. Thomas and Robinson will have as many carries as they can take this season, and the rushing title will likely be decided between the two of them.
The rest of the list:
No. 15: Sam Acho, DE, Texas
No. 16: Roy Helu, Jr., RB, Nebraska
No. 17: Curtis Brown, CB, Texas
No. 18: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
No. 19: Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State
No. 20: Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M
No. 21: Tim Barnes, C, Missouri
No. 22: Brian Duncan, LB, Texas Tech
No. 23: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
No. 24: Tanner Hawkinson, OT, Kansas
No. 25: Blake Gideon, S, Texas