Six Big 12 Conference football players made ESPN’s preseason All-America team, with all six of them either offensive players or all-purpose players.
Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter made the first team. Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks, Utah tight end Brant Kuithe and Cincinnati guard Luke Kandra made the second team.
ESPN wrote that Gordon was one of four players that were first-team selections on its 2023 postseason team that returned to college football this season, joining Georgia safety Malaki Starks, Alabama place-kicker Graham Nicholson and USC return specialist Zachariah Branch.
Gordon won the Doak Walker Award last season, given to college football’s best running back after he led FBS with 1,732 yards rushing along with 22 touchdowns. He gained 1,056 of those yards after contact, which was tied for second in the country in the category.
He was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year a season ago and should be a prime candidate to do so again as the Cowboys seek to win the Big 12 title after reaching the championship game last December.
McMillan is back for the Wildcats after an incredible season in 2023 in which he had 90 receptions for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns. With Arizona moving into the Big 12 this season, he immediately becomes of the best wide receivers in the conference.
Because Hunter excels on both sides of the ball, ESPN selected him as their all-purpose player. He played nearly 1,000 snaps last season and won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in college football.
On offense he caught 57 passes with five touchdowns and on defense he intercepted three passes, even as he missed multiple games due to an injury.
Brooks is a worthy second-team selection to Gordon. He opted to not go to the NFL and return to Lubbock after gaining more than 1,500 yards in 2023.
Kuithe was second team to Michigan’s Colston Loveland. Kuithe did not play last season due to injury but was named All-Pac-12 Second Team three times as he caught 148 passes for his career.
Kandra was behind Alabama guard Tyler Booker. He transferred from Louisville to Cincinnati last season and earned All-Big 12 First Team honors and was also named second-team All-America by Walter Camp.
