He may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound or stop a speeding locomotive, but Dezmon Briscoe may be the Jayhawks’ Superman next season.

Briscoe will be the best wide receiver in the Big 12 next season. Yes, the season ended not quite a month ago, but it’s never too early to get excited for next season, and Briscoe is one big reason for that.

Briscoe is rewriting all the receiving records in the KU record book. He shattered the KU record for receiving yards in a season this year with 1,402 yards and he is within 500 yards of breaking the KU record for career receiving yards. He set the record for touchdown receptions by a freshman with seven. Briscoe is also only 40 receptions away from the KU career receptions record.

With Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree and Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin entering the NFL draft, Briscoe faces little competition in the Big 12. Maclin and Crabtree were hardly competition themselves. Briscoe had more receiving yards and averaged more yards per catch than both. He also had more touchdown receptions than Maclin. That speaks volumes about Briscoe, considering that in ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft on ESPN.com, Crabtree is the fourth overall pick and Maclin is the seventh pick.

The Big 12 first-team receiving corps consisted of Crabtree, Maclin and Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant. Briscoe easily could have been there, but he ended up on the second string. Next year Briscoe will be a definite first string Big 12 player. Bryant is the only competition Briscoe has left in the Big 12. Bryant bested Briscoe this season in every statistical category except receptions, and he’s a threat in the return game.

Briscoe has the size to dominate any defensive back, and with most of the offense returning for the Jayhawks next season, Briscoe could be the most powerful weapon in coach Mark Mangino’s arsenal. The Big 12 can’t ignore his talent next season and he may even turn some heads on a national level.

Yes, the quarterback is the most glorified position on a football team and Todd Reesing will get his due, but Briscoe could be the biggest impact player on the roster next season and help the Jayhawks make a third consecutive bowl.

— —Edited by Chris Hickerson