Big 12 Preseason Honors Revealed
BYU Leads Six Selections on 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 Team; Martin Named OPOY
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Key Points
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Kansas State defensive end Wendell Gregory, who transferred from Oklahoma State in January after redshirting 2025 there, was the program’s standout freshman presence with 27 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks across 12 games (four starts). His 12.0 TFLs ranked second nationally among freshmen, and he led all Big 12 freshmen in sacks.
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John Pastore started all 12 games at left tackle for Kansas State, logging 715 offensive snaps and helping the Wildcats allow only 1.08 sacks per game (10th nationally) while producing 5.09 rushing yards per carry; the line also contributed to three 70+-yard rushes in 2025, including a school-record 472 rushing yards at Utah. Pastore earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors.
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BYU added Cade Uluave to the preseason All-Big 12 list as a newcomer; Uluave, who last season was a first-team All-ACC linebacker, joined the conference’s preseason team this year.
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BYU also features three returning defensive starters who earned preseason honors: Keanu Tanuvasa, Evan Johnson and Faletau Satuala, highlighting BYU’s continuity on the defensive side of the ball heading into 2026.
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Palmer Williams, Baylor’s senior punter, was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team and is an All-America candidate and Ray Guy Award finalist after guiding Baylor to the nation’s top net punting in 2025 (45.0), while averaging 46.92 yards per punt. He also produced solid punt metrics: 27 kicks for 1,267 yards, with 11 punts inside the 20 and 7 fair catches, and has 39 career 50+-yard punts.
BYU leads the 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 Team with six selections, headlined by running back LJ Martin as the conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, according to Sports Illustrated. The honors come as Big 12 teams prepare for media days in Frisco, Texas, on July 7-8.
Texas Tech paced the conference with seven total picks, while BYU's six selections reflect a program firing on all cylinders heading into 2026, per Underdog Dynasty. The full preseason squad spans 29 players from 12 schools.
LJ Martin Headlines a Deep BYU Preseason Class
Martin earned the conference's top offensive honor, joining five teammates on the preseason list, according to Sports Illustrated. BYU's other selections include Bruce Mitchell, Keanu Tanuvasa, Evan Johnson, Faletau Satuala, and newcomer Cade Uluave.
Uluave arrives at BYU as a first-team All-ACC linebacker from last season. Tanuvasa, Johnson, and Satuala are all returning defensive starters. That continuity gives BYU one of the Big 12's most experienced defensive cores entering the year.
Kansas State Freshmen and Linemen Earn First Preseason Nods
Kansas State placed two players on the list for the first time: defensive end Wendell Gregory and offensive lineman John Pastore, per Salina Post. Neither had previously appeared on the preseason team.
Gregory, a sophomore, transferred from Oklahoma State in January after redshirting in 2025. In his true freshman season, he posted 27 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks across 12 games. His 12.0 TFLs ranked second nationally among freshmen. He also led all Big 12 freshmen in sacks, according to Salina Post.
Pastore started all 12 games at left tackle in 2025, logging 715 snaps. He helped the Wildcats allow just 1.08 sacks per game, which ranked 10th nationally. Kansas State also averaged 5.09 rushing yards per carry and set a school record with 472 rushing yards at Utah. Pastore earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors.
Baylor's Palmer Williams Is a Ray Guy Award Finalist
Baylor senior punter Palmer Williams earned his second career preseason All-Big 12 nod, according to 247Sports. He is also an All-America candidate and a Ray Guy Award finalist — the sport's top prize for punters.
Williams led the nation in net punting in 2025 with a 45.0-yard average. He averaged 46.92 yards per punt overall, booting 27 kicks for 1,267 total yards. He pinned 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and has 39 career punts of 50 or more yards.
Conference-Wide Depth Sets Stage for 2026 Big 12 Season
Beyond BYU and Kansas State, schools like Houston, West Virginia, and Texas Tech each placed multiple players on the 29-man list, per Underdog Dynasty. The vote came from Big 12 media members and all 16 member institutions.
Media days in Frisco on July 7-8 will give teams their first public platform before the season kicks off. With Texas Tech leading all schools at seven picks and BYU close behind, both programs enter 2026 as teams to watch across the conference.
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