Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Cowboys Recognized on Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
July 13, 2016 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – The Big 12 Conference announced its 2016 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team Wednesday morning and three Cowboys were named on the squad, including wide receiver James Washington, defensive tackle Vincent Taylor and safety Jordan Sterns.
The team was chosen by media representatives who cover the league. Sterns and Washington were both All-Big 12 Second Team selections last season, while this marks the first recognition for Taylor on an all-conference team.
A strong case can be made for Washington as the Big 12's top receiver heading into 2016. As a second-team All-Big 12 selection by both the coaches and the media last year, he is the conference's only returning 1,000-yard receiver and led all returning Big 12 wideouts in yards per game and touchdowns last season. He was a midseason addition to the watch list for the 2015 Biletnikoff Award, and he led the nation with four 70-plus yard receptions. With 1,087 receiving yards, he became one of only four underclassmen ever at OSU to post a 1,000-yard receiving season, joining Rashaun Woods (2001), Dez Bryant (2008) and Justin Blackmon (2010)
Sterns has long been the leader of the Cowboy defense. With 103 tackles in 2014 and 108 in 2015, he is the first Cowboy since Keith Burns in 1992 and 1993 to post consecutive seasons with 100 tackles or more. He has started every game at safety each of the past two years and led the team in tackles both seasons. He has also been an important special teams player and is one of the vocal leaders on the squad. Sterns was directly responsible for four turnovers last year, including a game-clinching interception on Iowa State's last drive of the game to preserve a four-point win for the Cowboys in Ames.
Taylor has become one of the strongest players on the OSU roster. The junior became a key performer on the defense last season, as his 48 tackles and 5.0 sacks were the highest totals for any interior defensive lineman during the Mike Gundy era. He started all 13 games at defensive tackle and tallied 8.5 tackles for loss. Some highlights from last season included a late fumble recovery at Texas Tech to help seal the Cowboys' win, a career-high nine tackles in OSU's overtime win at West Virginia, a PAT block in OSU's 49-29 win over No. 5 TCU and a sack of Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly in the Sugar Bowl, played in his original hometown of New Orleans.
The 2016 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team includes nine seniors, 11 juniors and 11 sophomores. Five players on the team were chosen to the 2015 All-Big 12 First Team while 10 were on the second team.
2016 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
Offense
QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma, 6-1, 212, Jr./1L, Austin, Texas
RB Mike Warren, Iowa State, 6-0, 205, So./1L, Lawton, Okla.
RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma, 5-11, 237, Jr./2L, Pflugerville, Texas
FB Winston Dimel, Kansas State, 6-1, 235, So./1L, Manhattan, Kan.
WR KD Cannon, Baylor, 6-0, 180, Jr./2L, Mount Pleasant, Texas
WR Allen Lazard, Iowa State, 6-5, 223, Jr./2L, Urbandale, Iowa
WR James Washington, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 205, Jr./2L, Stamford, Texas
TE Mark Andrews, Oklahoma, 6-5, 244, So./1L, Scottsdale, Ariz.
OL Kyle Fuller, Baylor, 6-5, 310, Sr./3L, Wylie, Texas
OL Orlando Brown, Oklahoma, 6-8, 357, So./1L, Duluth, Ga.
OL Patrick Vahe, Texas, 6-3, 326, So./1L, Nyack, N.Y.
OL Connor Williams, Texas, 6-6, 288, So./1L, Coppell, Texas
OL Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia, 6-4, 295, Sr./3L, Cleveland, Ohio
PK Clayton Hatfield, Texas Tech, 5-10, 170, So./1L, Boerne, Texas
KR/PR KaVontae Turpin, TCU, 5-9, 153, So./1L, Monroe, La.
Defense
DL Will Geary, Kansas State, 6-0, 297, Jr./2L, Topeka, Kan.
DL Jordan Willis, Kansas State, 6-5, 250, Sr./3L, Kansas City, Mo.
DL Charles Walker, Oklahoma, 6-2, 299, Jr./2L, Garland, Texas
DL Vincent Taylor, Oklahoma State, 6-3, 310, Jr./2L San Antonio, Texas
DL Josh Carraway, TCU, 6-4, 250, Sr./3L, Flower Mound, Texas
DL James McFarland, TCU, 6-3, 250, Sr./3L, West Monroe, La.
DL Noble Nwachukwu, West Virginia, 6-2, 275, Sr./3L, Wylie, Texas
LB Elijah Lee, Kansas State, 6-3, 218, Jr./2L, Blue Springs, Mo.
LB Jordan Evans, Oklahoma, 6-2, 233, Sr./3L, Norman, Okla.
LB Malik Jefferson, Texas, 6-3, 238, So./1L, Mesquite, Texas
DB Dante Barnett, Kansas State, 6-1, 193, Sr./3L, Tulsa, Okla.
DB Steven Parker, Oklahoma, 6-1, 208, Jr./2L, Tulsa, Okla.
DB Jordan Thomas, Oklahoma, 6-0, 187, Jr./2L, Klein, Texas
DB Jordan Sterns, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 200, Sr./3L, Cibolo, Texas
DB Davante Davis, Texas, 6-2, 199, So./1L, Miami, Fla.
P Austin Seibert, Oklahoma, 5-10, 214, So./1L, Belleville, Ill.
*A tie in voting at DL created two additional spots.
The team was chosen by media representatives who cover the league. Sterns and Washington were both All-Big 12 Second Team selections last season, while this marks the first recognition for Taylor on an all-conference team.
A strong case can be made for Washington as the Big 12's top receiver heading into 2016. As a second-team All-Big 12 selection by both the coaches and the media last year, he is the conference's only returning 1,000-yard receiver and led all returning Big 12 wideouts in yards per game and touchdowns last season. He was a midseason addition to the watch list for the 2015 Biletnikoff Award, and he led the nation with four 70-plus yard receptions. With 1,087 receiving yards, he became one of only four underclassmen ever at OSU to post a 1,000-yard receiving season, joining Rashaun Woods (2001), Dez Bryant (2008) and Justin Blackmon (2010)
Sterns has long been the leader of the Cowboy defense. With 103 tackles in 2014 and 108 in 2015, he is the first Cowboy since Keith Burns in 1992 and 1993 to post consecutive seasons with 100 tackles or more. He has started every game at safety each of the past two years and led the team in tackles both seasons. He has also been an important special teams player and is one of the vocal leaders on the squad. Sterns was directly responsible for four turnovers last year, including a game-clinching interception on Iowa State's last drive of the game to preserve a four-point win for the Cowboys in Ames.
Taylor has become one of the strongest players on the OSU roster. The junior became a key performer on the defense last season, as his 48 tackles and 5.0 sacks were the highest totals for any interior defensive lineman during the Mike Gundy era. He started all 13 games at defensive tackle and tallied 8.5 tackles for loss. Some highlights from last season included a late fumble recovery at Texas Tech to help seal the Cowboys' win, a career-high nine tackles in OSU's overtime win at West Virginia, a PAT block in OSU's 49-29 win over No. 5 TCU and a sack of Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly in the Sugar Bowl, played in his original hometown of New Orleans.
The 2016 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team includes nine seniors, 11 juniors and 11 sophomores. Five players on the team were chosen to the 2015 All-Big 12 First Team while 10 were on the second team.
2016 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
Offense
QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma, 6-1, 212, Jr./1L, Austin, Texas
RB Mike Warren, Iowa State, 6-0, 205, So./1L, Lawton, Okla.
RB Samaje Perine, Oklahoma, 5-11, 237, Jr./2L, Pflugerville, Texas
FB Winston Dimel, Kansas State, 6-1, 235, So./1L, Manhattan, Kan.
WR KD Cannon, Baylor, 6-0, 180, Jr./2L, Mount Pleasant, Texas
WR Allen Lazard, Iowa State, 6-5, 223, Jr./2L, Urbandale, Iowa
WR James Washington, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 205, Jr./2L, Stamford, Texas
TE Mark Andrews, Oklahoma, 6-5, 244, So./1L, Scottsdale, Ariz.
OL Kyle Fuller, Baylor, 6-5, 310, Sr./3L, Wylie, Texas
OL Orlando Brown, Oklahoma, 6-8, 357, So./1L, Duluth, Ga.
OL Patrick Vahe, Texas, 6-3, 326, So./1L, Nyack, N.Y.
OL Connor Williams, Texas, 6-6, 288, So./1L, Coppell, Texas
OL Tyler Orlosky, West Virginia, 6-4, 295, Sr./3L, Cleveland, Ohio
PK Clayton Hatfield, Texas Tech, 5-10, 170, So./1L, Boerne, Texas
KR/PR KaVontae Turpin, TCU, 5-9, 153, So./1L, Monroe, La.
Defense
DL Will Geary, Kansas State, 6-0, 297, Jr./2L, Topeka, Kan.
DL Jordan Willis, Kansas State, 6-5, 250, Sr./3L, Kansas City, Mo.
DL Charles Walker, Oklahoma, 6-2, 299, Jr./2L, Garland, Texas
DL Vincent Taylor, Oklahoma State, 6-3, 310, Jr./2L San Antonio, Texas
DL Josh Carraway, TCU, 6-4, 250, Sr./3L, Flower Mound, Texas
DL James McFarland, TCU, 6-3, 250, Sr./3L, West Monroe, La.
DL Noble Nwachukwu, West Virginia, 6-2, 275, Sr./3L, Wylie, Texas
LB Elijah Lee, Kansas State, 6-3, 218, Jr./2L, Blue Springs, Mo.
LB Jordan Evans, Oklahoma, 6-2, 233, Sr./3L, Norman, Okla.
LB Malik Jefferson, Texas, 6-3, 238, So./1L, Mesquite, Texas
DB Dante Barnett, Kansas State, 6-1, 193, Sr./3L, Tulsa, Okla.
DB Steven Parker, Oklahoma, 6-1, 208, Jr./2L, Tulsa, Okla.
DB Jordan Thomas, Oklahoma, 6-0, 187, Jr./2L, Klein, Texas
DB Jordan Sterns, Oklahoma State, 6-0, 200, Sr./3L, Cibolo, Texas
DB Davante Davis, Texas, 6-2, 199, So./1L, Miami, Fla.
P Austin Seibert, Oklahoma, 5-10, 214, So./1L, Belleville, Ill.
*A tie in voting at DL created two additional spots.
Players Mentioned
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
