Texas Football: 3 reasons Sam Ehlinger will be Big 12’s best player in 2020
1. Already the best quarterback in the Big 12
Not only do they feel like he is the best returning quarterback in the Big 12, Pro Football Focus mentioned in their top list of returning players in the conference for the upcoming season that Ehlinger was the very best. Here’s what PFF had to say back from Anthony Treash back on Feb. 20.
"In each of the past two seasons, Texas’ Sam Ehlinger has finished as the sixth most valuable player in college football. Among quarterbacks to play the past two seasons, Ehlinger’s two-year overall grade ranks behind only Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa and Nathan Rourke. Ehlinger is known for being used in Texas’ designed rushing attack and for bailing on the pocket and scrambling when need be. His arm, though, is the reason why he lands at number one on this list. Ehlinger was forced to throw into a tight window at one of the 25 highest rates last season, and he didn’t let that hinder himself or the team. His tight-window passing grade was third in the country and his rate of accurate passes thrown was the eighth best. If Ehlinger can just cut back on his tendency to bail on clean pockets, improve his overall pocket presence and trust his arm, good things can happen for him and Texas."
He fell in line just above Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Brock Purdy and TCU Horned Frogs safety Trevon Moehrig. Although, Ehlinger was the only Longhorn on this list of the top 10 returning players in the Big 12 for the coming season. TCU and the Oklahoma State Cowboys were the two Big 12 teams that mostly ran the list.
However, Ehlinger does hold a significant edge over the next best returning quarterbacks in the Big 12 for the 2020 season. Purdy had a very successful first two seasons in the Big 12 under Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. Baylor Bears rising senior Charlie Brewer and potentially Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler.
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Since Ehlinger is the best player at the most important position in the Big 12, he holds a great argument to top the list of the best overall at any position in this conference. He’s had two solid years of starting experience, and even had a decent freshman season back in 2017.