The 2024 college football season presents an entirely new landscape. Texas is in the SEC. SMU is back in a power conference as ACC members. The College Football Playoff now includes 12 teams and an automatic bid for the best G5 team in the land. For most, the start of the season is in Week 1 on August 30, though SMU starts in Week 0 and TCU plays its first game on Aug. 29. 

To celebrate us making it through another off-season, we’re counting down the 50 most important players in Texas as we inch closer to kickoffs. This list isn’t necessarily about which players are the best in terms of NFL draft stock. It ranks players in order of importance to their team's success. 

NO. 30: TCU TE DRAKE DABNEY 

The history: Dabney was a Texas 100 recruit coming out of Cypress Ranch High School on the outskirts of Houston. He caught 32 passes in his first three seasons at Baylor before breaking out in 2023 with 33. His 552 receiving yards last year was a Baylor season record. Dabney’s 101 yards in the season opener against Texas State marked Baylor’s first 100-yard game by a tight end in 59 years. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. 

The skillset: The 6-5, 248-pound Dabney is a true three-down tight end. Blocking was required at Baylor with offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes running a wide zone offensive attack. Tight ends who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, block need not apply. Dabney was a rotational player as he rounded into form behind talented tight ends. He found his footing last year and thrived in a larger role. He’s an able blocker, but his size and athleticism pose a real threat in the pass game, especially on third down and in the red zone. 

The impact: The TCU offense sputtered in the red zone last season and a sure-handed tight end with a large catch radius can help change that trend. The Horned Frogs hope Dabney can replace Jared Wiley’s production while providing a reliable target for quarterback Josh Hoover. Dabney led the Bears with five receiving touchdowns last season. Wiley was the only Frog with more than five receiving touchdowns on last year’s roster.