Super Bowl 50: Best college player from each Power Five conference
By Dustin Hull
Big 12: Aqib Talib, CB—Kansas Jayhawks
Unlike in the case of Vernon Davis and Maryland in the Big Ten, Texas A&M was still in the Big 12 conference when Denver LB Von Miller played for them. But since I’m going with the schools that still remain in their respected conference, the best by far out of these players is Aqib Talib.
The dangerous cornerback was one of the speediest and sizeable prospects at his position coming into the 2008 NFL Draft. He had performed mightily for the Kansas Jayhawks in a time where the college was surprisingly talented.
And Talib led the way, with an unbelievable run to the 2008 Orange Bowl, where the corner returned an interception for a touchdown. He’d then go on to being a first round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in what many considered a risky pick considering Talib’s history with failed drug tests.
And in Tampa, Talib was clearly one of the best corners in the league, but also a player who got into a fight with a teammate, punched a cab driver, and was charged with aggravated assault in another case.
But once Talib left Tampa, he learned the Patriots way and became more disciplined off the field, which has carried over as one of the defensive leaders for the Denver Broncos defense.
Next: Pac-12