We're counting down to the beginning of the season with the top 25 players in the Big 12. The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing players from the bottom of the list all the way to No. 1.
Here's more on my criteria.
Let's move on with the list:
No. 23: Le'Raven Clark, OG, Texas Tech
2012 numbers: Helped Texas Tech rush for 1,674 yards, the most in Red Raiders history since 1998.
Most recent ranking: Clark was unranked in our postseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.
Making the case for Clark: It didn't take long for Clark to make a huge impact. He redshirted in 2011, but established himself as one of the Big 12's best offensive linemen in his first season on the field. The 6-foot-5, 303-pound native of Rockdale, Texas has good size and solid technique.
The Football Writers Association of America recognized that and named him a first-team Freshman All-American a year ago. The redshirt freshman won a starting job quickly and started all 13 games a year ago, filling a big hole for the Red Raiders. Last season was one of the best offensive lines we've seen in awhile in Lubbock, and Clark was a big reason why.
The rest of the list:
No. 24: Shaun Lewis, LB, Oklahoma State
No. 25: Damien Williams, RB, Oklahoma