Oklahoma football: Ten Sooners on Preseason All-Big 12 Team
By Chip Rouse
The Big 12 Conference has released its 2021 Preseason All-Big 12 Team, and 10 Oklahoma football players are on the team.
Two Sooners received individual honors. Sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Tennessee transfer running back Eric Gray was the preseason Newcomer of the Year.
Iowa State linebacker Mike Rose was the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year selection.
Oklahoma and Iowa State dominated the Preseason All-Big 12 Team with the two schools combining for 17 of the 29 positions. Oklahoma’s nine players (10 if you include Newcomer of the Year Gray) was the most of any Big 12 school. Iowa State was next with eight players.
The preseason team was selected by a vote of media representatives who cover the Big 12 and its teams.
The Sooners placed six players on offense and three on defense. Sooners on the All-Big 12 offensive unit are Rattler, senior fullback Jeremiah Hall, wide receiver Marvin Mims, senior offensive linemen Marquis Hayes and junior Tennessee transfer Wanya Morris and junior kicker Gabe Brkic.
The Oklahoma players named to the defensive team are senior defensive linemen Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas and junior linebacker Nik Bonitto.
OU’s Hall and Brkic were both 2020 All-Big 12 First-Team selections.
Two of the three transfers that Oklahoma picked up in the offseason from Tennessee (Eric Gray and Wanya Morris; the third former Volunteer to transfer to OU is defensive back Key Lawrence) were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
The Big 12 announcement came one week before 2021 Big 12 Media Days in Dallas. The Big 12 Preseason Media Poll will be announced on Thursday.