Now that last year’s best Big 12 kickers have graduated, which returners are most prepared to rise up and fill the opening in 2017?

Based on the shallow pool of returning talent, the Big 12 is unlikely to produce an All-American kicker or Lou Groza Award winner in 2017. The conference lost last season’s top two performers, Iowa State’s Cole Netten and Oklahoma State’s Ben Grogan, to graduation, and there are no sure things waiting in the wings. While Texas Tech’s Clayton Hatfield is most likely to carry the torch for now, he plays on a squad that despises lining up for field goals. Oklahoma’s Austin Seibert is a wild card in the discussion. If he regains his confidence, he ought to be fine.

Top Returning Big 12 Kickers

3. Brandon Hatfield, TCU

Or Ryan Graf. Or Jonathan Song. Or Michigan transfer Andrew David. The point is that the Frog kicking game has to be better this season, and it should be better based purely on the increased options. TCU struggled in the kicking game in its first year without Jaden Oberkrom. But it wasn’t entirely bad, with Hatfield and Graf combining to hit 18-of-25 field goals. And there’s a good likelihood that whoever survives this pileup will benefit from having gone through such a heated competition.

2. Austin Seibert, Oklahoma

Last year was a rocky one for Seibert, who also handles the Sooners’ punting and kickoff chores. No one around Norman, especially head coach Bob Stoops, doubts that the junior harbors the requisite talent to be successful. In Year 1, he earned postseason honors at both of his position. But Seibert regressed in 2016, hitting only 11-of-16 field goal tries and not one longer than 39 yards. With some offseason tinkering, there’s cautious optimism he’ll rebound in 2017.

1. Clayton Hatfield, Texas Tech

A Hatfield miss is about as uncommon as a low-scoring Red Raider game. Through two seasons, the junior has been virtually automatic on three-pointers, making 27-of-30 attempts. Now, Texas Tech typically doesn’t line up for making field goals, but there’s a high degree of confidence around Lubbock when it does. While Hatfield boasts a career-long connection of 51 yards, he’s not the kind of kicker who’ll knock the air out of the ball.

MORE: Top Returning Kickers In College Football