Amid conference realignment that is changing college football, we decided to rank the top 10 recruiting classes over the past decade for each Power 5 conference.
We recently evaluated our recruiting class rankings, considering how player rankings translated into actual production and how well each class did in the win column over the course of four years.
In the Big 12, it quickly became apparent Oklahoma has taken advantage of its opportunity to attract and sign highly ranked prospects with consistent finishes at the top of both the recruiting and football standings.
Meanwhile, rival Oklahoma State proved that identifying and developing three-star prospects can still lead to success on Saturdays.
Oklahoma placing several classes on this list was not a surprise, but how few Texas did was a bit shocking. Despite being a high-profile program with a rich history of success, the Longhorns did not win a single conference title over this span and their recruiting classes underwhelmed when you look at overall production.
Here are the top 10 recruiting classes in the Big 12 over the past decade.
1. Oklahoma, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 13
Top offensive prospect: RB Joe Mixon (No. 53)
Top defensive prospect: S Steven Parker (No. 139)
This recruiting class finished No. 13 in our final rankings but outperformed the mark. The milestones on the field are among the best in Sooner history: three conference championships over a four-year span, as well as three top-five national finishes and a pair of College Football Playoff appearances. This talented class boasted a few impact running backs in Mixon and Samaje Perine, the school's all-time leading rusher. The massive Orlando Brown Jr. developed from a three-star recruit into a multiyear starter at left tackle and a unanimous first-team All-American selection. On defense, safety Parker was a four-year starter in a class that really hit on its back seven. This class also gets bonus points, as this was the year Heisman Trophy winner QB Baker Mayfield arrived on campus via transfer from Texas Tech.
2. Oklahoma, 2017
Class of 2017 ranking: 8
Top offensive prospect: RB Trey Sermon (No. 82)
Top defensive prospect: CB Justin Broiles (No. 46)
Oklahoma had a top-10 class that certainly produced with four conference championships and three CFP appearances. Eight members of this class are already in the NFL, led by ESPN 300 prospects CeeDee Lamb and Tre Brown, as well as three-star linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. This class is still providing contributors to the Sooners' national title hopes in senior redshirts DB Broiles and RB Kennedy Brooks, who leads the 2021 squad in rushing yards and touchdowns. A top-five center from in-state, Creed Humphrey initially redshirted but anchored the Sooners' O-line for several seasons and earned conference Offensive Lineman of the Year honors in 2020.
3. Oklahoma, 2015
Class of 2015 ranking: 17
Top offensive prospect: OT Bobby Evans (No. 188)
Top defensive prospect: CB P.J. Mbanasor (No. 74)
This class ranked No. 17 nationally and had similar success on the field with four Big-12 championships, and making it into the playoff three times. Despite some of the headline names underachieving, ESPN 300 OT Bobby Evans and ESPN JC50 receiver Dede Westbrook were impact performers who lived up to their high rankings. Top-25 RB Rodney Anderson was hampered by injuries, but when healthy, led team in rushing in 2017. This class brought in No. 1-ranked kicker Austin Seibert, and he left as the leading scorer in program and conference history. There proved to be some strong additions in the bottom half of this class, especially in the offensive trenches with three-star OLs Dru Samia, a four-year starter, and Cody Ford, who developed into the 38th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
4. Oklahoma, 2016
Class of 2016 ranking: 21
Top offensive prospect: QB Austin Kendall (No. 162)
Top defensive prospect: LB Caleb Kelly (No. 69)
This class was a part of a conference championship every year it was on campus and helped lead the Sooners to three straight CFP semifinal appearances. The key addition to this class came via transfer with Kyler Murray arriving in Norman, eventually leading one of college football's most high-powered offensive attacks in 2018 en route to the program's seventh Heisman Trophy. The offensive line benefitted from this class with additions of starters Erik Swenson, a four-star recruit, and Ben Powers, a JC50 prospect. Top commit Kelly got off to a strong start, contributing in his first three seasons, though injuries have slowed him in recent years.
5. Baylor, 2012
Class of 2012 ranking: unranked
Top offensive prospect: ATH Corey Coleman (four stars)
Top defensive prospect: DT Javonte Magee (four stars)
This class had no ESPN 300 prospects but still made an impact, helping Baylor win back-to-back Big 12 championships and finishing in the top 10 nationally in 2014. Coleman was a significant in-state signee who won the Biletnikoff Award and went on to be a first-round NFL draft pick. RB Shock Linwood, a two-star with only two FBS offers, turned out to be a sleeper pickup, as he broke the school record in career rushing yards (4,213) and TDs (36). Another diamond in the rough who developed into a star was linebacker Eddie Lackey. A junior college prospect, Lackey was a two-time All-Big 12 defender in his two seasons on Waco.
6. Oklahoma, 2018
Class of 2018 ranking: 10
Top offensive prospect: OT Brey Walker (No. 91)
Top defensive prospect: DE Ron Ratum III (No. 48)
Early contributors from this group helped get the Sooners to the playoff in their first two seasons, and those who stayed on campus have won a conference title every year. A quick contributor was top-10 DE Ronnie Perkins, who led the team in sacks (five) as a freshman. They pulled Nik Bonitto out of Florida, and he developed into a multiyear starter and one of the country's elite pass rushers with over 16 sacks since 2019. While there were some misses and several ESPN 300 signees like QB Tanner Mordecai, who ended up elsewhere in college football, the defense benefited most from this class. Four-star LB DaShaun White, three-star LB Brian Asamoah and three-star S Delarrin Turner-Yell all developed into starters for the Sooners.
7. Oklahoma State, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 28
Top offensive prospect: QB Mason Rudolph (No. 161)
Top defensive prospect: LB Gyasi Akem (No. 217)
This class helped fuel the Cowboys' offensive attack, as it brought in several big-play weapons. Tyreek Hill's stay was brief, as he was dismissed after a domestic violence arrest, but he amassed nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards in 2014. They went into South Carolina to land QB Rudolph, and he proved to be an impact pickup, as he left as the winningest QB in Cowboys history. Breaking out from among the middle of this class was three-star James Washington, an underrated gem and immediate contributor who would win the Biletnikoff Award. The defense benefitted as well, as this was the class that brought in ESPN 300 DE Jordan Brailford, who was a disruptive player for the Cowboys.
8. TCU, 2012
Class of 2012 ranking: unranked
Top offensive prospect: TE Griffin Gilbert (four stars)
Top defensive prospect: DE Devonte Fields (No. 73)
This class was a part of TCU's only conference championship team in 2014, the year it also finished third in the AP rankings. High three-stars Deante Gray and Kolby Listenbee contributed to the Horned Frogs' success that championship season as key targets in their passing attack. Versatile B.J. Catalon contributed to their offense and special teams. In the trenches, Halapoulivaati Vaitai was a starter at RT for that 2014 squad, and four-star Joey Hunt became a productive player for them as a multiyear starter at center, earning first-team all-conference honors in 2015. Defensively, James McFarland proved to be a great pickup out of Louisiana, as the Peach Bowl defensive MVP recorded a team-high seven sacks in 2014. He did not finish his career with the Horned Frogs, but the explosive Fields made an impact, winning AP Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and notching 10 sacks as a freshman.
9. Texas, 2018
Class of 2018 ranking: 3
Top offensive prospect: ATH Joshua Moore (No. 45)
Top defensive prospect: S B.J. Foster (No. 12)
This class would finish among the top 25 teams nationally over a three-year span, but overall, Texas underachieved during this time. Even with this No. 3-ranked class, the whole was not as good as the parts. On signing day, the Longhorns appeared to score big in the secondary, landing the nation's top three safeties, and all have contributed. Of that group, Caden Sterns was the most impactful and consistent. The 2018 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year was a three-year starter who is now in the NFL. DB Foster and LB DeMarvion Overshown have not meet high expectations, but have contributed as starters. Joseph Ossai was an impact player from this group, contributing as a freshman and earning All-America honors in 2020.
10. Texas, 2016
Class of 2019 ranking: 10
Top offensive prospect: WR Devin Duvernay (No. 42)
Top defensive prospect: LB Jeffrey McCulloch (No. 26)
Much the same can be said for this group. This class had talent, but collectively was not as impactful as predicted on signing day. Duvernay was productive, playing all four years and earning first-team all-conference honors in 2019, as was Collin Johnson, who hauled in over 50 passes in his sophomore and junior seasons. Lil'Jordan Humphrey was a three-star who outperformed many of the more highly touted players in the class. He led the Longhorns in receptions (86) in 2018 and had over 1,000 yards receiving. No. 2 safety Brandon Jones was a three-year starter in the backend. QB Shane Buechele had an inconsistent career before departing for SMU, but he threw for over 4,000 yards and 30 TDs with the Longhorns.
Best of the rest
Iowa State, 2019
Class of 2019 ranking: 47
Notable recruit: RB Breece Hall (three stars)
Kansas, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 47
Notable recruit: DT Daniel Wise (three stars)
Kansas State, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 57
Notable recruit: OL Dalton Risner (three stars)
Texas Tech, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 35
Notable recruit: QB Patrick Mahomes (three stars)
West Virginia, 2018
Class of 2018 ranking: 35
Notable recruit: DL Dante Stills (No. 187)