Dave Campbell’s Texas Football is counting down the 50 most important players in the state of Texas, and we’re now cruising through the top 10.

Most important doesn’t always mean the most talented. Talent is a factor, but we’re weighing it against depth at the position, production and how much losing this player would impact a team’s trajectory.

The No. 6 most important player didn’t even meet Baylor coach Matt Rhule before he committed to play in Waco. Quarterback Charlie Brewer had a standout high school career, but no one expected him to become this good this quickly.

Check back over the next several days as we count down the rest of the top 10.

Previous: Nos. 50-11 | No. 10 SMU WR James Proche | No. 9 Texas OT Calvin Anderson | No. 8 TCU QB Shawn Robinson | No. 7 Sam Houston State WR Nathan Stewart

The History

It takes a special quarterback to handle the pressure of starting for Lake Travis. That lineage includes Baker Mayfield, Garrett Gilbert, Todd Reesing and Michael Brewer. But despite winning a state championship and earning all-state recognition, Charlie Brewer didn’t get a Power 5 offer until Matt Rhule took over in Waco.

It didn’t take Brewer long to prove he deserved a shot.

After Anu Solomon and Zach Smith struggled with injuries, Brewer was inserted for the fourth quarter against West Virginia. He led a 23-0 run against the Mountaineers, and was a two-point conversion away from sending the game to overtime. Brewer earned the starting job a week later.

In five starts, Brewer completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 282.4 yards per game, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He set a program record with 43 completions in a loss to Texas Tech. Not bad for a last-minute addition.

The Skillset

It’s a somewhat lazy comparison, but Brewer showed flashes of a young Baker Mayfield. His accuracy is already among the best in college football. Brewer came dang close to completing 70 percent of his passes last season in games he started. He also shows the ability to make plays with his feet, both in the running game and by keeping his eyes downfield.

That said, Brewer needs to get bigger and stronger. He played at just 190 pounds last season, and his body took a beating as a result. Brewer also turned the ball over in key spots far too many times. Several turnovers were just freshman mistakes, but he has to clean that up. His arm strong is also a work in progress, but that should improve with another year in the strength program.

The Impact

Brewer is ahead of schedule. Baylor’s coaching staff hoped he might be ready to start a few games in 2018, but the bar is now much higher. Dave Campbell’s named Brewer a second-team All-Texas pick, only behind UNT quarterback Mason Fine.

But for Baylor, the margin for error is slim. The Bears were within a score eight times in the fourth quarter last season. They went 0-8 in those games. With an offseason under his belt, Brewer has to be ready to change that.  

More importantly, the depth behind Brewer is almost completely unproven. Freshman Gerry Bohanon will be a big-time player someday, but he’s not ready to contribute yet. Grad transfer Jalen McClendon is an insurance plan, but he’s thrown 47 total passes in his college career. Losing Brewer would be catastrophic.

Luckily, Brewer has some help. Wide receiver Denzel Mims is back to capitalize on a breakout sophomore year. Seniors Chris Platt and Jalen Hurd have high expectations too. The Bears are loaded at wide receiver, once again.

Another one-win season won’t cut it. Baylor’s best chance to take the next step is for Brewer to keep getting better.