ESPN’s post-spring Big 12 power rankings have Tech at No. 9

Now that the spring games are behind us, ESPN Big 12 beat reporter Jake Trotter put together a fresh set of conference power rankings. Unfortunately, Trotter’s diagnosis of the Red Raiders was less than ideal.

Trotter has Tech ranked above FCS-caliber Kansas, and just behind Iowa State and Baylor. He’s correct about the difficulty of replacing Patrick Mahomes, but Tech is loaded with playmakers to help smooth the transition to the Nic Shimonek era. The Giles departure hurts, but it’s not a critical wound. The success of this team doesn’t hinge on a wide receiver. It’s all about the quarterback. To this point, Shimonek hasn’t blown anyone away with his abilities, and that’s more sound reasoning to put Tech in the bottom of the power rankings than the transferring of a receiver.

To view the full rankings, click here.