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. 27: Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman

The history: When Weigman has played, the five-star from Cypress Bridgeland is excellent. He threw for eight touchdowns and zero interceptions as a true freshman in 2022, earning ESPN Freshman All-American honors, then got off to a hot start in 2023. He drew high praise from ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers on the throws he made under heavy duress in Week Two against Miami. The issue is Weigman's only played nine games in two seasons. A broken bone in his foot sidelined him for the entire season after Week Four. 

Despite limited reps in spring football, Weigman earned the starting nod for new head coach Mike Elko and graced the Dave Campbell's Texas Football summer magazine cover. 

The skillset: Weigman, a former baseball star, can throw from every arm angle and displays excellent improvisational skills when under duress. While he didn't display much dual-threat ability in Jimbo Fisher's pro style offense, Weigman's 2,064 career rushing yards in high school convey he's athletic enough to operate new offensive coordinator Collin Klein's offense, which utilized rushing quarterbacks at Kansas State. 

The impact: Weigman has the arm talent and offensive weapons to develop into a top-tier SEC quarterback if he can stay healthy. He could be the fastest rising NFL prospect by season's end. Texas A&M hasn't had a starting quarterback complete a full season since Kellen Mond in 2020. With Utah transfer Koli Faaiu inserted at center, Chase Bisontis sliding from tackle to guard and the ever dependable Trey Zuhn at left tackle, the Aggies are confident this is the group to keep the signal caller upright.