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The Big 12 released the preseason All-Big 12 team as voted on by the media and the Jayhawks are no where to be found. That fact isn't actually all that surprising considering the two win total from a year ago but there are a host of other interesting odds and ends from this years group.
To start, the Big 12's newest member boasts the preseason offensive player of the year. West Virginia's Geno Smith takes that honor as well as the first team quarterback distinction heading into the season. Smith is joined by his wide receiver teammate Tavon Austin. Rounding out the offensive side of the ball are two players from Baylor, three from Oklahoma, two from Oklahoma State and one each from Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas State.
On defense the Iowa State Cyclones bring back the linebacker duo of AJ Klein and Jake Knott. Both were first team selections a year ago and both return for their senior seasons. Honestly it's hard to believe these guys are still around as it seems that they've been in Ames for a decade.
Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have two players per program on the first team defense while TCU and West Virginia each boast one. The defensive player of the year is Texas defensive end Alex Okafor. The Longhorn defense is expected to be formidable this year and that should set up a pretty interesting matchup with West Virginia who could have the most explosive offense in the league.
2012 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
| Offensive Player of the Year: | Geno Smith, West Virginia (QB, 6-3, 214, Sr/3L, Miami, Fla.) |
| Defensive Player of the Year: | Alex Okafor, Texas (DE, 6-4, 260, Sr/3L, Pflugerville, Texas) |
| Newcomer of the Year: | Trey Metoyer, Oklahoma (WR, 6-1, 190, Fr/HS, Whitehouse, Texas) |
| OFFENSE | ||||||
| Pos | Name | School | Ht | Wt | Cl/Exp | Hometown |
| WR | Kenny Stills # | Oklahoma | 6-1 | 189 | Jr/2L | Encinitas, Calif. |
| TE | Jordan Najvar | Baylor | 6-6 | 260 | Jr/1L | Spring, Texas |
| OL | Gabe Ikard * | Oklahoma | 6-4 | 295 | Jr/2L | Oklahoma City, Okla. |
| OL | Cyril Richardson | Baylor | 6-5 | 335 | Jr/2L | Fort Worth, Texas |
| C | Ben Habern^ | Oklahoma | 6-4 | 292 | Sr/3L | Argyle, Texas |
| OL | LaAdrian Waddle # |
|
6-6 | 318 | Sr/3L | Columbus, Texas |
| OL | Lane Taylor | Oklahoma State | 6-3 | 328 | Sr/3L | Arlington, Texas |
| WR | Tavon Austin | West Virginia | 5-9 | 174 | Sr/3L | Baltimore, Md. |
| QB | Geno Smith | West Virginia | 6-3 | 214 | Sr/3L | Miami, Fla. |
| RB | Joseph Randle # | Oklahoma State | 6-1 | 200 | Jr/2L | Wichita, Kan. |
| RB | Malcolm Brown | Texas | 6-0 | 213 | So/1L | Cibolo, Texas |
| PK | Quinn Sharp * | Oklahoma State | 6-1 | 205 | Sr/3L | Mansfield, Texas |
| KR | Tyler Lockett # | Kansas State | 5-11 | 175 | So/1L | Tulsa, Okla. |
| DEFENSE | ||||||
| Pos | Name | School | Ht | Wt | Cl/Exp | Hometown |
| DL | Jackson Jeffcoat # | Texas | 6-5 | 250 | Jr/2L | Plano, Texas |
| DL | Stansly Maponga | TCU | 6-2 | 265 | Jr/2L | Carrollton, Texas |
| DL | Alex Okafor * | Texas | 6-4 | 260 | Sr/3L | Pflugerville, Texas |
| DL | Jamarkus McFarland | Oklahoma | 6-2 | 296 | Sr/3L | Lufkin, Texas |
| LB | Arthur Brown * | Kansas State | 6-1 | 228 | Sr/3L | Wichita, Kan. |
| LB | A.J. Klein * | Iowa State | 6-2 | 244 | Sr/3L | Kimberly, Wis. |
| LB | Jake Knott ^# | Iowa State | 6-3 | 239 | Sr/3L | Waukee, Iowa |
| DB | Brodrick Brown * | Oklahoma State | 5-8 | 185 | Sr/3L | Houston, Texas |
| DB | Kenny Vaccaro * | Texas | 6-1 | 215 | Sr/3L | Brownwood, Texas |
| DB | Tony Jefferson | Oklahoma | 5-10 | 199 | Jr/2L | Chula Vista, Calif. |
| DB | Nigel Malone * | Kansas State | 5-10 | 185 | Sr/3L | Manteca, Calif. |
| P | Quinn Sharp ^* | Oklahoma State | 6-1 | 205 | Sr/3L | Mansfield, Texas |
| PR | Tavon Austin | West Virginia | 5-9 | 174 | Sr/3L | Baltimore, Md. |
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