Two TCU football players ranked among nation’s top 100 players

TCU landed two players on the NFL.com list of the nation’s top 100 college football players for the 2017 season, joining Texas for the most of any school from the Lone Star State.

The Horned Frogs’ representatives on the list are running back Kyle Hicks, a senior from Arlington Martin who topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark last season, and receiver/kick returner KaVontae Turpin, a junior who averaged a team-high 123.2 all-purpose yards despite missing five games because of a knee ailment.

Hicks was ranked No. 80 nationally by NFL.com. Turpin checked in at No. 99. A total of eight players from Texas-based colleges made the top 100, with TCU and Texas the only teams with multiple selections.

Texas had two players ranked among the nation’s top 13: offensive tackle Connor Williams (No. 6) and linebacker Malik Jefferson (No. 13). Other players from colleges in the Lone Star State to crack the list included Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver (No. 1), Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk (No. 42), Baylor running back Terence Williams (No. 52) and SMU receiver Courtland Sutton (No. 76).

By comparison, Alabama placed nine players among the nation’s top 100, one more than the entire state of Texas. The Crimson Tide’s representatives included: running back Bo Scarborough (No. 11), cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick (No. 20), safety Ronnie Harrison (No. 25), wide receiver Calvin Ridley (No. 34), quarterback Jalen Hurts (No. 37), defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne (No. 42), cornerback Anthony Averett (No. 48), defensive end Da’Shawn Hand (No. 58) and offensive tackle Jonah Williams (No. 81).

Players from other Big 12 schools to make the list included Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 4), Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph (No. 22), Oklahoma tight end Mark Andrews (No. 24), Oklahoma offensive tackle Orlando Brown (No. 33), Oklahoma State receiver James Washington (No. 45) and Oklahoma linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (No. 91).

The 2017 season begins the weekend of Sept. 1-4. TCU opens its season Sept. 2 against Jackson State in Amon G. Carter Stadium (7 p.m., FSSW).

This story was originally published June 5, 2017 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Two TCU football players ranked among nation’s top 100 players."