Our countdown of the Big 12's top 25 players continues. The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we're revealing a new member of the list every day.
Here's a quick rundown on my criteria for this list.
No. 17: Kelechi Osemele, LT, Iowa State
2011 numbers: Helped Iowa State amass 2,760 passing yards and 2,265 rushing yards and win six games, while allowing just 25 sacks on the season.
Most recent ranking: Osemele was ranked No. 13 in our preseason list of the top 25 players.
Making the case for Osemele: The Cyclones lineman finished one of the best careers in league history this past season. Osemele played all four years, starting three seasons in Ames. In each season, he earned all-conference honors and even garnered a spot on an All-America team this past season.
The 6-foot-6, 347-pounder has great athleticism for his size and his quick feet make him a solid prospect at the next level. With his nod as an All-American, he became the first Cyclone to earn that honor since Ben Bruns in 2000.
He'll leave a giant hole in Iowa State's offensive line next year, but he'll leave an even bigger legacy as one of the best players and students to come through the Cyclone program in a long time.
The rest of the list:
No. 19: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
No. 20: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
No. 21: Grant Garner, C, Oklahoma State
No. 22: Ronnell Lewis, LB, Oklahoma
No. 23: Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M
No. 24: Nigel Malone, CB, Kansas State
No. 25: Damontre Moore, LB, Texas A&M
