Announcing the 2023 All-Big 12 College Football Teams
The Texas Longhorns lead the way with more than a dozen selections across the three teams
The Big 12 Conference expanded in 2023, adding BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. None of the newly added programs performed better than 3-6 in the conference, and that’s reflected on the All-Big 12 Teams, which were dominated by the Texas Longhorns and other traditional powerhouses. See the full breakdown of the three teams below.
Before getting into the All-Big 12 Teams, here are my picks for the conference’s two greatest individual honors.
Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year: Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year: T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
First Team Offense
Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
Running Back: Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
Running Back: Jonathon Brooks, Texas
Tight End: Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas
Wide Receiver: Xavier Worthy, Texas
Wide Receiver: Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Wide Receiver: Drake Stoops, Oklahoma
All-Purpose: Devin Neal, Kansas (RB)
Left Tackle: Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
Right Tackle: Christian Jones, Texas
Left Guard: Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
Right Guard: Luke Kandra, Cincinnati
Center: Zach Frazier, West Virginia
First Team Defense
Edge Rusher: Austin Booker, Kansas
Edge Rusher: Tre'Mon Morris-Brash, UCF
Interior Lineman: T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
Interior Lineman: Byron Murphy II, Texas
Linebacker: Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
Linebacker: Nickolas Martin, Oklahoma State
Linebacker: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
Cornerback: T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
Cornerback: Josh Newton, TCU
Safety: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech
Safety: Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State
Texas dominated the First Team with eight total selections, more than doubling Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, who tied for second place with three selections. Iowa State and Kansas were the only other Big 12 programs with multiple players on the First Team. Cincinnati, Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, and West Virginia were also represented, while Baylor, BYU, and Houston came up short.
Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel beat out Quinn Ewers, who missed part of the season with an injury, for the lead quarterback spot. However, it was Ollie Gordon II, with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, who won my vote for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Meanwhile, Texas teammates Byron Murphy II and T'Vondre Sweat were the top contenders for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
Kelvin Banks Jr., Jeremiah Cooper, and Ollie Gordon II were the only members of the First Team who weren’t eligible to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.
Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Quinn Ewers, Texas
Running Back: Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
Running Back: Devin Neal, Kansas
Tight End: Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
Wide Receiver: Javon Baker, UCF
Wide Receiver: Kobe Hudson, UCF
Wide Receiver: Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State
All-Purpose: DJ Giddens, Kansas State (RB)
Left Tackle: Patrick Paul, Houston
Right Tackle: Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Left Guard: Brandon Coleman, TCU
Right Guard: Willis Patrick, TCU
Center: Andrew Raym, Oklahoma
Second Team Defense
Edge Rusher: Nelson Ceaser, Houston
Edge Rusher: Tyler Batty, BYU
Interior Lineman: Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
Interior Lineman: Lee Hunter, UCF
Linebacker: Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
Linebacker: Jaylan Ford, Texas
Linebacker: Jason Johnson, UCF
Cornerback: Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia
Cornerback: Cobee Bryant, Kansas
Safety: Jahdae Barron, Texas
Safety: Kenny Logan Jr., Kansas
Texas and UCF tied for the most players on the All-Big 12 Second Team with four apiece. Kansas (three) was only one player behind, followed by Houston, Kansas State, Oklahoma, and TCU, who all had two. BYU, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and West Virginia got on the board, but Baylor and Iowa State were blanked.
The Big 12 was loaded at running back and along the offensive line in 2023. The conference was surprisingly thin at wide receiver, but multiple First Team-worthy running backs and linemen fell to the Second or Third Team because of the conference’s unique composition. For instance, Tahj Brooks amassed more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage, and Devin Neal scored 17 touchdowns.
The pure talent along the offensive line was also incredible. Tyler Guyton is essentially a lock to be a first round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, while Patrick Paul is a projected top 60 selection. Brandon Coleman is also a potential second rounder.
Anthony Hill Jr. was the only Second Team player not eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Third Team Offense
Quarterback: Will Howard, Kansas State
Running Back: RJ Harvey, UCF
Running Back: Emani Bailey, TCU
Tight End: Jared Wiley, TCU
Wide Receiver: Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Wide Receiver: Lawrence Arnold, Kansas
Wide Receiver: Samuel Brown, Houston
All-Purpose: Treshaun Ward, Kansas State (RB)
Left Tackle: Dominick Puni, Kansas
Right Tackle: Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
Left Guard: Dartanyan Tinsley, Cincinnati
Right Guard: Preston Wilson, Oklahoma State
Center: Jake Majors, Texas
Third Team Defense
Edge Rusher: Ethan Downs, Oklahoma
Edge Rusher: Khalid Duke, Kansas State
Interior Lineman: Jamaree Caldwell, Houston
Interior Lineman: Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech
Linebacker: Deshawn Pace, Cincinnati
Linebacker: Caleb Bacon, Iowa State
Linebacker: Ben Roberts, Texas Tech
Cornerback: Mello Dotson, Kansas
Cornerback: Corey Thornton, UCF
Safety: Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma
Safety: Kobe Savage, Kansas State
The Longhorns didn’t lead the Third Team in selections. Texas actually only had one player appear. Kansas State (four) led the way, followed by Kansas (three) and Texas Tech (three). Six programs had two players earn spots on the Third Team, including Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Oklahoma, TCU, and UCF.
Oklahoma State joined Texas with one player on the Third Team. Baylor, BYU, and West Virginia didn’t produce any All-Conference selections for this section.
The Third Team is led by RJ Harvey, who amassed more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage to accompany 17 touchdowns, potential top 100 NFL Draft pick Dominick Puni, sack artist Khalid Duke, and ball hawk Billy Bowman Jr. The Third Team’s secondary produced 16 interceptions this past season.
Ben Roberts is the only member of the Third Team who wasn’t eligible to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
All-Big 12 Team Recap
Texas by far boasted the most high-end talent in the Big 12 this past season. It’s no wonder they made the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns earned 13 All-Big 12 selections. Kansas finished in second place with eight selections, but Devin Neal appeared twice (as an all-purpose player and running back), so the Jayhawks only had seven total players.
Kansas State, Oklahoma, and UCF placed seven players on the All-Conference Teams. Oklahoma State (five), TCU (five), Texas Tech (five), Cincinnati (four), Houston (four), and Iowa State (four) were also well-represented. The Big 12 had fairly good talent distribution among its programs compared to other conferences.
As for West Virginia (two), BYU (one), and Baylor (zero), better luck next year.
Honorable Mentions Offense
Donovan Smith, QB Houston
Rocco Becht, QB Iowa State
Corey Kiner, RB Cincinnati
CJ Donaldson Jr., RB West Virginia
Drake Dabney, TE Baylor
Mason Fairchild, TE Kansas
Isaac Rex, TE BYU
Kobe Taylor, TE West Virginia
Jayden Higgins, WR Iowa State
Xzavier Henderson, WR Cincinnati
Rashod Owens, WR Oklahoma State
Nic Anderson, WR Oklahoma
Jalil Farooq, WR Oklahoma
Phillip Brooks, WR Kansas State
Joseph Manjack IV, WR Houston
Matthew Golden, WR Houston
Savion Williams, WR TCU
Jordan Whittington, WR Texas
Walter Rouse, LT Oklahoma
Kingsley Suamataia, LT BYU
Tyler Grable, LT UCF
Wyatt Milum, LT West Virginia
KT Leveston, LT Kansas State
Andrew Coker, LT TCU
Monroe Mills, LT Texas Tech
Dalton Cooper, LT Oklahoma State
Doug Nester, RT West Virginia
Amari Kight, RT UCF
Jake Springfield, RT Oklahoma State
Hayden Conner, LG Texas
Tyler Johnson, LG Houston
Tomas Rimac, LG West Virginia
Jarrod Hufford, LG Iowa State
Gavin Byers, LG Baylor
Cole Spencer, LG Texas Tech
Michael Ford Jr., RG Kansas
Kaden Sieracki, RG Baylor
Lokahi Pauole, RG UCF
DJ Campbell, RG Texas
Paul Maile, C/LG BYU
Clark Barrington, C/LG Baylor
Honorable Mentions Defense
Barryn Sorrell, Edge Texas
Malachi Lawrence, Edge UCF
Ethan Burke, Edge Texas
Rondell Bothroyd, Edge Oklahoma
Nate Matlack, Edge Kansas State
Nathan Latu, Edge Oklahoma State
Myles Cole, Edge Texas Tech
David Ugwoegbu, Edge Houston
Anthony Goodlow, Edge Oklahoma State
Daniel Grzesiak, Edge Cincinnati
Joey Petersen, Edge Iowa State
Tyler Onyedim, Edge Iowa State
Sean Martin, Edge West Virginia
Jereme Robinson, Edge Kansas
Tony Bradford Jr., IDL Texas Tech
Anthony Holmes Jr., IDL Houston
Isaiah Coe, IDL Oklahoma
Alfred Collins, IDL Texas
Gabe Hall, IDL Baylor
Jowon Briggs, DL Cincinnati
Jamoi Hodge, LB TCU
Namdi Obiazor, LB TCU
Lee Kpogba, LB West Virginia
Austin Moore, LB Kansas State
Matt Jones, LB Baylor
Desmond Purnell, LB Kansas State
Myles Purchase, CB Iowa State
Eddie Heckard, NB BYU
Ryan Watts, CB Texas
Bud Clark, NB TCU
Isaiah Hamilton, CB Houston
Marques Sigle, NB Kansas State
Jakob Robinson, CB BYU
Caden Jenkins, CB Baylor
Gentry Williams, CB Oklahoma
Cameron Epps, NB Oklahoma State
Malik Dunlap, Texas CB Tech
Aubrey Burks, S West Virginia
Jerrin Thompson, S Texas
CJ Baskerville, S Texas Tech
Kendal Daniels, S Oklahoma State
Beau Freyler, S Iowa State
Malik Verdon, S Iowa State
Millard Bradford, S TCU