After losing the conference’s two biggest brands and helping to cannibalize the remains of the Pac-12, the Big 12 lands 10 Pre-Season All-Americans in Athlon Sports’ annual preview.
The Big 12 has been in the news recently as it is attempting to keep up in the nuclear arms race, financially. Maybe caving to private equity will benefit the Big 12 despite it being the cause of the death of so many retail and restaurants in the country. Only time will tell.
As for 2024, it’s still the Big 12 and Oklahoma State leads the way with three honorees.
Athlon Sports Names 9 Big 12 Players as Pre-Season All-Americans
Travis Hunter, All-Purpose, Colorado (1st Team)
Travis Hunter, Cornerback, Colorado (2nd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 1 big 12 travis hunter colorado](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_21763087_168400545_lowres-1024x683.jpg)
The only player in the nation to have his name on Athlon‘s Pre-Season All-American list in two different spots, Colorado stud Travis Hunter is worth the hype. He was the highest-rated recruit to attend not only an FCS school but an HBCU. He followed Deion Sanders to Colorado and kept up his elite play.
He was a consensus All-American last year and even took home the Paul Hornung Award. Last year, on offense, he amassed 721 yards and five touchdowns off 57 receptions. On defense, he notched 30 tackles, two TFLs, five pass breakups, and three interceptions.
Ollie Gordon III, Running Back, Oklahoma State (1st Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 2 big 12 ollie gordon iii oklahoma state](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_22173540_168400545_lowres-1024x683.jpg)
The 2025 NFL Draft is going to have quite the haul at running back. There are half of a dozen running backs with a legitimate case to be RB1 in the class and Ollie Gordon III is in the thick of the discussion.
The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Doak Walker Award winner, and consensus All-American is coming off an elite season. Gordon led all of college football with 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns (second-most nationally). If the Cowboys can get more of his 282-yard, four-touchdown performances as he did against West Virginia, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
Tetairoa McMillan, Wide Receiver, Arizona (1st Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 3 big 12 tetairoa mcmillan arizona](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_21875459_168400545_lowres-703x1024.jpg)
The WR1 spot in next year’s draft is up for grabs and Tetairoa McMillan has a compelling argument. As a freshman, McMillan made an immediate impact to the tune of 702 yards and eight touchdowns off 39 receptions.
Last year, he took a massive step forward. In 13 games, McMillan amassed 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns off 90 receptions. He was named to a smattering of All-American lists last year and will likely do the same this year.
When Jedd Fisch took off for Washington, neither McMillan nor star quarterback Noah Fitita followed. This duo is going to have a fun time in the new-look Big 12.
Nickolas Martin, Linebacker, Oklahoma State (2nd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 4 big 12 nickolas martin okahoma state](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_21576068_168400545_lowres-1024x693.webp)
One of the top returning tacklers in all of college football is Nickolas Martin. In terms of returning production, his 140 tackles a year ago land him squarely fourth in FBS for this year.
He took a few seasons to get going, only managing 16 tackles in 16 games. Then, he blew up in 2023. 140 tackles, 16 TFLs, six sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and two interceptions. Who said the Big 12 doesn’t play defense? It sure looks like a number of the nation’s top linebackers reside in the conference.
Luke Kandra, Offensive Line, Cincinnati (2nd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 5 big 12 luke kandra cincinnati](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_21332849_168400545_lowres-749x1024.jpg)
Cincinnati is home to so much high school talent between all of its elite programs. Often, larger programs come in and poach and Elder’s Luke Kandra was no different. He spent his first three seasons with Louisville and played in 21 games after not taking a snap in 2020. He only logged a pair of starts before transferring home.
With the Bearcats, Kandra developed into one of the top guards in all of college football. He appeared on a couple All-American lists after his 2023 season concluded. If you take stock in PFF grading, he ended up as the third-best Power 5 guard. He started every game at right guard and will likely look to improve his NFL Draft stock in 2024.
Wyatt Milum, Offensive Line, West Virginia (2nd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 6 big 12 wyatt milum west virginia](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_19467766_168400545_lowres-1024x698.jpg)
West Virginia hasn’t had too much to write home about over the last few seasons but Wyatt Milum has been a bright spot on the offensive line. Milum is heading into his fourth season as a starter in the trenches, starting off as a right tackle and then eventually flipping to the left side.
In those three years, he has logged 33 starts. Last year, Milum, in 305 pass-blocking snaps, did not allow a single sack or pressure. Over his last 25 games played, he kept a clean sheet in 23. He helped the Mountaineers lead the Power 5 in rushing and allowed the third-fewest sacks nationally.
Brant Kuithe, Tight End, Utah (2nd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 7 big 12 brant kuithe utah](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_18984096_168400545_lowres-1024x729.jpg)
A rarity in college football: a seventh-year player. After missing all of 2023, Brant Kuithe announced that he’s returning for 2024. Eligibility rules are confusing, but let’s try: 2020 free year, 2022 redshirt (injury in fourth game), 2023 medical redshirt/grayshirt? Either way, the elder statesman is one of the top returning tight ends in not only the Big 12 but all of college football.
In his five years of action, Kuithe has amassed 1,882 yards and 16 touchdowns off 148 receptions. He has a pair of 600+ yard seasons in 2019 and 2021 where he scored six times each. He will be a favorite target of another older player, Cam Rising.
Tahj Brooks, Running Back, Texas Tech (3rd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 8 big 12 tahj brooks texas tech](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_22124921_168400545_lowres.jpg)
Fresh off his incredible 2023 season, Tahj Brooks has been a regular for the Red Raiders’ running back rotation. While he wasn’t the go-to back for his first three seasons, he did surpass 500 yards twice. As a freshman, he amassed 255 yards and four touchdowns. Next year, it was 568 yards and seven. Then, 691 yards and seven touchdowns.
Last year, he broke out and gained national notoriety. He accounted for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns. As is the case with Gordon, Brooks is going to battle to be one of the top running backs in the country.
Collin Oliver, Linebacker, Oklahoma State (3rd Team)
![Major College Football Publication Names 9 Big 12 Pre-Season All-Americans 9 big 12 collin oliver oklahoma state](https://gridironheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/USATSI_21800474_168400545_lowres-1024x754.jpg)
Finally, the third Cowboy and second OSU linebacker, Collin Oliver. For the last three years, Oliver has been an uber-productive member of the Oklahoma State defense. He started out his career as a defensive end in 2021 and made an immediate impact. He accounted for just 29 tackles, but of that, he had 15.5 TFLs sacks. He took a step back in 2022, “only” managing 28 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, and five sacks. That stat line would be a career year for some players out there.
Last year, he made the transition to linebacker and got back to his old ways. He ended the season with 73 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, six sacks, five pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and a ridiculous four forced fumbles.