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    Cheez MD-Ethan Downs

    One Oklahoma Player Recognized in Preseason All-Big 12 Poll

    The Big 12 Conference released its 2023 Media Preseason All-Conference team on Wednesday afternoon with one Sooner making the list.

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    Oklahoma Sooners
    Oklahoma Sooners

    After getting married on July 1, Ethan Downs received more good news on Wednesday afternoon.

    The Weatherford, OK, native was the lone OU representative on the 2023 Media Preseason All-Big 12 team when the conference sent out the results of the poll.

    Down's recognition comes after a 2022-23 season that saw the then-sophomore record 38 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three pass deflections and one fumble recovery. The stellar defensive lineman's impressive season earned him Second Team All-Big 12 honors last year.

    Now a junior, Downs is 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds according to the school's website, ready to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lineman for the third year in a row. As a true freshman at OU, the in-state product saw action in eight games after graduating from high school early to get a jumpstart on college football. 

    Coming out of Weatherford High School, Downs was a 4-star recruit, rated one of the top 10 edge rushers in the country according to 247Sports. 

    After a year in which the Sooners went 6-7, it is no surprise that only one Oklahoma player was selected to make the All-Conference team. With Downs being one of the most proven players on both sides of the ball for OU, it makes sense to see him on the list.

    One player who also had an argument to appear on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team is junior linebacker Danny Stutsman. Stutsman was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention last season after notching 125 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and five pass breakups. 

    Aside from OU, new Big 12 member BYU also had one player make the cut while fellow newcomer to the conference Cincinnati had two representatives. Houston and Central Florida were the only schools without a player named to the Preseason All-Conference team. 

    Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels was named the Big 12's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year with Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford earning Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors. Kansas State running back Treshaun Ward was voted the conference's Preseason Newcomer of the Year.

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