7) Kheeston Randall, DT, Texas
Just a few years ago, the Big 12 was packed full of defensive tackles. But graduation (and Nebraska taking itself, and Jared Crick to the Big 10) leaves the position without a dominating presence in the middle. Other than Randall, that is.
Blessed with outstanding size, quickness and an ability to make plays in the backfield, Randall made 13 tackles for loss a year ago, the second-best mark on the Longhorn team. Still, his accomplishments were overshadowed by the Longhorns' shocking collapse to a 5-7 record.
Randall has the potential to get even better. He added about 10 pounds of muscle from last season, and plans to get to the quarterback more often than his one sack last year. The fact that he had eight hurries last year suggests that a five- or six-sack season wouldn't be out of the question.
But the Longhorns would be better served by Randall holding up his ground against the run. Texas was gashed for big plays in its run defense a year ago, and though most of it didn't have to do with Randall, he could help the situation by becoming a dominant player against the run.
If the spring was any indication, Randall is ready to make that leap. Professional scouts seem to think that he'll be able to do it as well, projecting him as a first-round draft pick.
2010 Stats: 39 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, one sack, two blocked kicks
No. 8: Iowa State OL Kelechi Osemele
No. 9: Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray
No. 10: Oklahoma State OL Levy Adcock
No. 11: Texas A&M WR Jeff Fuller
No. 12: Texas LB Keenan Robinson
No. 13: Oklahoma DE Frank Alexander
No. 14: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill
No. 15: Oklahoma DB Tony Jefferson
No. 16: Texas LB Emmanuel Acho
No. 17: Oklahoma DB Demontre Hurst
No. 18: Baylor WR Kendall Wright
No. 19: Oklahoma OL Ben Habern
No. 20: Oklahoma State OL Lane Taylor
No. 21: Iowa State LB Jake Knott
No.22: Oklahoma State S Markelle Martin
No.23: Missouri DL Brad Madison
No. 24: Missouri WR T.J. Moe
No. 25: Texas Tech OL Mickey Okafor
No. 26: Missouri TE Michael Egnew
No. 27: Texas A&M CB Coryell Judie
No. 28: Texas DB Kenny Vaccaro
No. 29: Oklahoma DE/LB Ronnell Lewis
No. 30: Texas A&M RB Christine Michael
No. 31: Kansas OL Jeremiah Hatch
No. 32: Texas Tech OL Lonnie Edwards
No. 33: Missouri DE Jacquies Smith
No. 34: Oklahoma WR Kenny Stills
No. 35: Texas WR Mike Davis
No. 36: Texas DE Jackson Jeffcoat
No. 37: Kansas State DB David Garrett
No. 38: Oklahoma OL Gabe Ikard
No. 39: Texas Tech RB Eric Stephens
No. 40: Baylor OL Philip Blake
No. 41: Missouri LB Zaviar Gooden
No. 42: Texas DL Alex Okafor
No. 43: Texas A&M DL Tony Jerod-Eddie
No. 44: Kansas RB James Sims
No. 45: Texas Tech S Cody Davis
No. 46: Iowa State CB Leonard Johnson
No. 47: Kansas State S Ty Zimmerman
No. 48: Baylor DE/LB Tevin Elliot
No. 49: Kansas State DE Brandon Harold
No. 50: Kansas DE Toben Opurum