We’re continuing our countdown of the Big 12's top 25 players from the 2012 season. Here's more on my criteria for the list. You can take a peek at how the preseason list looked here.
The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing one player a day moving forward.
On with the show ...
No. 11: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
2012 numbers: Made 61 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss. Had 12.5 sacks and forced four fumbles. Blocked a kick and broke up a pass.
Most recent ranking: Okafor was No. 14 in our preseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.
Making the case for Okafor: If you asked Mike Riley or anyone associated with Oregon State, they might make an impassioned plea for Okafor to be No. 1 on this list. He finished the season in a flurry, making 4.5 sacks in a big Alamo Bowl win over the Beavers, but his big finish pushed him to second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss and gave him the Big 12 title in sacks, two more than any other player in the league. He established himself as one of the Big 12, and perhaps the nation's best, pass rushers. His career was filled with a lot of transition among positions, but he found a home at defensive end, and capped his career with a bang on the way to what could be very promising NFL career.
The rest of the list:
No. 12: Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
No. 13: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
No. 14: Trey Millard, FB/RB/TE, Oklahoma
No. 15: Cyril Richardson, OL, Baylor
No. 17: Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma
No. 18: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
No. 19: Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
No. 20: Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State
No. 21: James Sims, RB, Kansas
No. 22: Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma
No. 23: Josh Stewart, WR, Oklahoma State
No. 24: Nick Florence, QB, Baylor