A look at five recruiting storylines from the Big 12 worth watching following spring football.
Texas looking to hook some more
Texas fans are pretty excited about their 2013 recruiting class, as the Longhorns have landed 14 commitments thus far. Of the 14, 12 are four-star players or better, and eight are ESPN 150 players. Wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones (Sealy, Texas/Sealy), ranked No. 7 in the ESPN 150, is the team's lone five-star player.
The Longhorns have the top-ranked receiver, quarterback and center in the country in Seals-Jones, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (Whitewright, Texas/Whitewright) and center Darius James (Killeen, Texas/Harker Heights). However, the team still has aspirations of picking up a few key players, including athlete Dontre Wilson (DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto), cornerback Maurice Smith (Sugar Land, Texas/Dulles), and safeties Vonn Bell (Rossville, Ga./Ridgeland) and Marcell Harris (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips).
Quality over quantity for OU
Oklahoma fans are becoming less and less panicky in regards to the Sooners' 2013 recruiting class. After a slow start, the Sooners are now up to six commitments, the latest coming this weekend from four-star athlete Stanvon Taylor (Tulsa, Okla./East Central) and offensive tackle Dalton Rodriguez (Tulsa, Okla./Union).
The Sooners have practiced a quality-over-quantity recruiting philosophy thus far, and of their six commitments, five are four-star athletes. The sixth -- Rodriguez -- has yet to be graded but has the talent and the size (6-foot-6, 255 pounds) to be a special player.
The big question now is, "Who's next?" Oklahoma is looking to sign a quarterback, and Cody Thomas (Colleyville, Texas/Heritage), Brayden Scott (Tahlequah, Okla./Sequoyah) and Kelly Hilinski (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame) are high on its list.
Iowa State still looking for first commit
While the majority of schools are focusing on keeping their commits happy, Iowa State is still looking to land its first commit.
However, several players have expressed interest in the program. Two athletes Iowa State is focused on are in-state recruits Jon Wisnieski (West Des Moines, Iowa/Dowling), a four-star tight end, and Jake Campos (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), a three-star offensive tackle.
Iowa State was able to sign six players from Florida in the 2012 class, and pulling another big Florida class is possible. Four-star quarterback Cord Sandberg (Bradenton, Fla./Manatee) and four-star offensive tackle Richy Klepal (Tampa, Fla./Plant) are two targets from the Sunshine State whom Paul Rhoads and his staff feel they can eventually sign.
Slow start for Kansas
So far, the idea of playing for former NFL head coaches in Charlie Weis and Dave Campo has not been an instant seller for recruits considering Kansas. The Jayhawks, however, do have three commits and are hoping to parlay this summer into a huge recruiting class.
Three-star tight end Ben Johnson (Basehor, Kan./Basehor-Linwood) is the highest-ranked recruit for the Jayhawks thus far, while quarterback Montell Cozart (Shawnee Mission, Kan./Bishop Miege) and outside linebacker Kellen Ash (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) are expected to be major contributors for the team as well.
Kansas is hoping to score a couple of four-star commits before January's signing period. Among the players considering Kansas are ESPN 150 defensive end Jamone Boyd (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit West) and four-star defensive tackle Ben Hughes (Waco, Texas).
K-State in the market for marquee name
Entering the month, Kansas State had four commitments, including two three-star players -- inside linebacker Tanner Wood (Conway Springs, Kan.) and defensive end Jordan Willis (Kansas City, Mo./Rockhurst). The Wildcats also have a reliable offensive lineman in guard Chance Allen (Spring, Texas/Klein Collins) and a speedy receiver in LeAndrew Gordon (Arlington, Texas/Pantego Christian).
However, they are still eyeing a couple of marquee names who have yet to commit.
On Monday, Kansas State offered quarterback Jordan Darling (Shawnee Mission, Kan./Shawnee Mission East), a 6-foot-5, 227-pound sleeper who reminds some physically of Collin Klein. Plus, four-star athlete Darius Mosley (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) and three-star quarterback and Elite 11 national qualifier DeVante Kincade (Dallas/Skyline) are still available and wide open in their recruiting processes. Another player to keep an eye on is three-star athlete Austin Bennett (Manvel, Texas/Manvel), who was once committed to Arkansas but decommitted when Bobby Petrino was fired last month.