Our official list of the Big 12's top 25 players entering the 2012 season marches on. Here's more on my criteria for who makes it, who doesn't and who lands where.
The official list is locked away in a vault in an undisclosed location, but we'll be revealing one player a day leading up to the season.
Next up on the list:
No. 11: Carrington Byndom, CB, Texas
2011 numbers: Made 58 tackles, eight tackles for loss. Broke up 15 passes, intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
Most recent ranking: Byndom was unranked in our postseason list of the Big 12's top 25 players.
Making the case for Byndom: Byndom's the Big 12's best corner and grabs the No. 11 spot on our list for his big 2011 season. Texas started 2011 with a big question mark at cornerback after the losses of Chykie Brown, Curtis Brown and Aaron Williams, but by the end of the season, it became a strength.
Never doubt Texas' status as the nation's resident DB U. Byndom and teammate Quandre Diggs, along with hard-hitting, versatile Kenny Vaccaro are carrying on that tradition. Byndom will absolutely erase receivers, and did so against Oklahoma State when he held the Pokes' Justin Blackmon, a two-time Biletnikoff winner, to just 48 yards on four catches. He won the team's Defensive Player of the Week award four times last year, and made one of the biggest plays of Texas' season when he intercepted Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill early in the second half, returning the pick 58 yards for a touchdown to swing the momentum of the eventual comeback win.
He broke up three passes that game, had seven tackles and added a tackle for loss. Expect more games like that in Byndom's future, and a possible spot in the top 10 of our postseason list. His upside is enormous after just one year of being a permanent starter.
The rest of the list:
No. 24: Ben Habern, C, Oklahoma
No. 23: Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
No. 22: Josh Boyce, WR, TCU
No. 21: Cyril Richardson, OL, Baylor
No. 20: Trey Millard, FB/TE, Oklahoma
No. 19: Quandre Diggs, CB/KR, Texas
No. 18: Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma
No. 16: Stansly Maponga, DE, TCU
No. 15: Gabe Ikard, OL, Oklahoma
No. 14: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
No. 13: Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma
