Ranking the Big 12 quarterbacks entering spring practice

Nov 15, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) throws a pass against the Kansas Jayhawks in he first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Power ranking the quarterbacks in the Big 12 as spring practices are underway with Trevone Boykin looking to build off his fourth place finish in the Heisman and Baylor finding a successor to Bryce Petty.

In 2014, the Big 12 Conference featured two of the best signal callers in the nation in TCU’s Trevone Boykin and Baylor’s Bryce Petty. And even though the Big 12 – rightly or wrongly – was snubbed by the Playoff Selection Committee, there is no doubt the conference’s quarterback play was a source of excitement.

While Petty is moving on, Boykin is set to return to TCU for his senior season, arguably making the TCU quarterback situation the most stable in the conference. Barring a catastrophic injury, Boykin’s the man.

The same can’t be said for much of the rest of the conference, where many quarterback situations are in a state of flux heading into the spring. For some teams, questions surrounding the most important position on the field may remain unanswered throughout the summer.

Oklahoma’s situation is a case in point: Trevor Knight’s inconsistency means the OU quarterback derby is as wide open as it’s been in years. Ditto for Texas, where Tyrone Swoopes was unable to capitalize on his time as the Longhorns starter and enters spring practices under a cloud of uncertainty.

So, while ranking the Big 12 quarterbacks near the top of the heap is a pretty straightforward exercise, figuring out the middle to the bottom of the pack is a bit trickier. Depending on how spring position battles shake out, these rankings might improve or worsen for certain teams.

It will be interesting to see who rises and who falls headed into the 2015 campaign. For now, hope springs eternal as fanbases all over the conference hope their favorite teams solve their quarterback conundrums.

Next: Kansas QB