While the offensive side of the ball may grab most of the headlines in college football, don't overlook the defensive talent set to shine in the Big 12 this season. As the fall approaches, the conference brings back a loaded group of defensive playmakers ready to disrupt and dominate games. Although offseason buzz often centers around potential, this list leans heavily on on-field production from last season—focusing on players who consistently filled the stat sheet and made game-changing plays in key moments.
Ranking the Top 5 returning defensive players in the Big 12
Here are the top five returning defensive playmakers in the Big 12, based on what they’ve already proven and what they’re expected to bring in 2025.
5. Jeremiah Cooper (DB, Iowa St)
While he may not stuff the stat sheet with tackles, Jeremiah Cooper has proven to be one of the Big 12’s most disruptive defensive backs in the passing game. In 2024, Cooper recorded 48 total tackles, eight pass deflections and two interceptions, building on a standout 2023 campaign where he notched 10 pass breakups, five picks and a pick-six. The rising senior will look to add to his consistency and reassert himself as one of the Big 12’s premier playmakers in the secondary.
4. Myles Rowser (DB, Arizona St)
A two-time transfer, first from Campbell, then New Mexico State—Myles Rowser wasted no time establishing himself in his debut season at Arizona State. The defensive back finished just shy of the century mark with 98 total tackles, but recorded 10+ tackles in three games, including two outings with 13 total stops. Three of his four pass breakups on the year came in the Sun Devils’ conference-opening matchup against Texas Tech. Now entering his senior year, Rowser will team up with Xavion Alford to form one of the most productive defensive back duos in the Big 12.
3. Austin Romaine (LB, Kansas St)
After a breakout sophomore season, Austin Romaine returns to Manhattan as the defensive tone-setter for the Wildcats. The linebacker posted 96 total tackles, two sacks and three forced fumbles in 2024, logging two games with 12 tackles. Romaine displayed growth in coverage as well, adding pass breakups in two of his final three regular season contests. According to PFF College Football, the rising junior was the highest-graded linebacker in the entire Power Four last season, earning an impressive 91.0 grade. Romaine enters 2025 as Kansas State’s top run-stopping presence and an ascending name on the national radar.
2. Keaton Thomas (LB, Baylor)
After bouncing from West Virginia to junior college, Keaton Thomas made an immediate impact in his first year at Baylor. The former defensive back turned linebacker racked up 106 total tackles and 2.5 sacks, making him one of just two returning players in the conference to eclipse the 100-tackle mark (we’ll get to the other individual in a minute). The redshirt junior logged five or more solo tackles in seven games and also snatched a pick-six in the season opener against Tarleton State. With a full year in the system under Thomas’s belt, the league’s leading tackler in 2025 could reign in Waco.
1. Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)
The Big 12’s leading tackler from 2024 is back for his senior stint. A former offensive player at Virginia, Jacob Rodriguez has transformed himself into a tackle machine on the defensive side of the ball. After two quiet years with the Red Raiders, he exploded last season with 127 total tackles, five sacks and four pass deflections, while delivering in key moments too. The linebacker had two sacks and a forced fumble in Texas Tech’s road upset of #11 Iowa State and sealed a wild 56–48 shootout victory over Oklahoma State with a fumble return touchdown and an interception. Rodriguez will be a key leader for a Red Raiders defense looking to take a leap in 2025 and is the top defensive player to watch in the Big 12.