Eleven Oklahoma Players Scattered Across Athlon Preseason All-Conference Teams

Many Sooners on both sides of the ball landed on Athlon's 2023 Big 12 All-Conference Teams.

Brent Venables' reclamation project could be gaining momentum.

On Monday afternoon, Athlon Sports published its 2023 Big 12 All-Conference Teams, with 11 total Sooners listed throughout the four All-Big 12 teams.

The only two Oklahoma members of the first team were on the defensive side of the ball, as linebacker Danny Stutsman and defensive end Ethan Downs both got the nod after productive a season last year. Stutsman led the conference in tackles with 125 total takedowns, while Downs netted 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks.

Those two players will be critical in producing the defense Venables wants in his second season as head coach.

The Sooners didn't record a single offensive player on the first team.

First-Team Offense

QB Jalon Daniels, Kansas
RB Devin Neal, Kansas
RB Richard Reese, Baylor
All-Purpose CJ Donaldson Jr., West Virginia
WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
WR Matthew Golden, Houston
WR Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
OL Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
OL Mike Novitsky, Kansas
OL Andrew Coker, TCU

First-Team Defense

DL Ethan Downs, Oklahoma
DL Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
DL Byron Murphy II, Texas
DL Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech
LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
LB Johnny Hodges, TCU
LB Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
CB Josh Newton, TCU
S Jalen Catalon, Texas
S Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma's offense was well represented across the site's second team offense, which featured quarterback Dillon Gabriel, running back Jovantae Barnes, wide receiver Jalil Farooq and center Andrew Raym.

Gabriel had his struggles throughout the season, but the full body of work was impressive. Despite Oklahoma's down year, he totaled 3,168 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. 

Farooq was Gabriel's second-favorite target behind new Denver Broncos receiver Marvin Mims, registering 37 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns.

With Eric Gray departing for the NFL, Barnes is expected to take over a good chunk of carries in the backfield. He had an impressive freshman season, recording 519 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

On the defensive side of the ball, Wake Forest transfer Rondell Bothroyd picked up instant recognition on the second team after a spring season in Norman.

Raym is a three-year starter who's emerged as the Sooners' leader on the offensive line and is looking to stay healthy for a full season in 2023. According to Pro Football Focus, he graded out at 69.2 last year, which ranked 63rd in the nation.

Second-Team Offense

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
RB Jovantae Barnes, Oklahoma
RB Aidan Robbins, BYU
AP Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
WR Jerand Bradley, Texas Tech
WR Jordan Whittington, Texas
WR Jalil Farooq, Oklahoma
TE Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
C Andrew Raym, Oklahoma
OL Christian Jones, Texas
OL Brandon Coleman, TCU
OL Patrick Paul, Houston
OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

Second-Team Defense

DL Damonic Williams, TCU
DL Rondell Bothroyd, Oklahoma
DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
DL Barryn Sorrell, Texas
LB Matt Jones, Baylor
LB Daniel Green, Kansas State
LB Jamoi Hodge, TCU
LB Austin Moore, Kansas State
CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
CB Malik Dunlap, Texas Tech
S Kobe Savage, Kansas State
S Aubrey Burks, West Virginia

Barnes' backfield mate, Gavin Sawchuk, led Oklahoma's representatives on the third-team offense. He was followed by one of his blockers in McKade Mettauer, a former California transfer back to help the offensive line for a second year.

Sawchuk wasn't able to find the field much during the regular season, but burst onto the scene in the Cheez-It Bowl. He ran all over Florida State for 15 carries, 100 yards and a score.

On the third-team defense, Billy Bowman was the lone Sooner listed. Bowman is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players on the team and is expected to make a big jump this season. He missed multiple games with an injury, but still managed 60 total tackles and three interceptions.

Third-Team Offense

QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
RB Gavin Sawchuk, Oklahoma
RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas
RB Treshaun Ward, Kansas State
All-Purpose DJ Giddens, Kansas State
WR Kody Epps, BYU
WR Phillip Brooks, Kansas State
WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
TE Mason Fairchild, Kansas
C Jake Majors, Texas
OL McKade Mettauer, Oklahoma
OL Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
OL Doug Nester, West Virginia
OL Christian Duffie, Kansas State
OL Clark Barrington, Baylor
OL Dominick Puni, Kansas

Third-Team Defense

DL Gabe Hall, Baylor
DL Tony Bradford, Texas Tech
DL Ricky Barber, UCF
DL Jowon Briggs, Cincinnati
DL Tre'Mon Morris-Brash, UCF
DL Nelson Ceasar, Houston
LB Rich Miller, Kansas
LB Jason Johnson, UCF
LB Lee Kpogba, West Virginia
LB Gerry Vaughn, Iowa State
DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
DB Kenny Logan Jr., Kansas
DB Billy Bowman, Oklahoma
DB Adari Haulcy, Houston
DB Bud Clark, TCU

Athlon's list ended with the fourth team, where Dasan McCullough was the only member on either side of the ball. McCullough, a transfer from Indiana, is expected to have an instant impact on the Sooners' defense. He's set to slot into Venables' signature cheetah position and has generated positive returns this spring.

Fourth-Team Offense

QB Will Howard, Kansas State
RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
RB Emani Bailey, TCU
RB Jihrel Brock, Iowa State
RB RJ Harvey, UCF
WR Savion Williams, TCU
WR Javon Baker, UCF
WR Lawrence Arnold, Kansas
WR Monaray Baldwin, Baylor
TE Jared Wiley, TCU
C Jack Freeman, Houston
OL Jake Springfield, Oklahoma State
OL Connor Pay, BYU
OL Jarrod Hufford, Iowa State
OL KT Leveston, Kansas State
OL Lokahi Pauole, UCF

Fourth-Team Defense

DL Tyler Batty, BYU
DL Isaiah Lee, Iowa State
DL Sean Martin, West Virginia
DL T.J. Franklin, Baylor
DL Khalid Duke, Kansas State
LB Ben Bywater, BYU
LB Dasan McCullough, Oklahoma
LB Daniel Grzesiak, Cincinnati
LB Craig Young, Kansas
LB Garmon Randolph, Baylor
CB Micah Harper, BYU
CB Ryan Watts, Texas
DB Deshawn Pace, Cincinnati
S Mark Perry, TCU
S Beau Freyler, Iowa State
S Devin Lemear, Baylor
DB Jerrin Thompson, Texas

Farooq was the only member of the team to get a Special Teams nod, taking over the Fourth-Team kick-returner slot.