Jaylan Ford named Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year, other Longhorns receive preseason all-Big 12 honors
Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford was named the Big 12 Conference’s preseason defensive player of the year on Wednesday, and was joined by four teammates on the league’s preseason all-conference team. The All-Big 12 team and individual awards were chosen by media representatives who cover the league.
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Ford was joined by wide receiver Xavier Worthy, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, offensive lineman Kelvin Banks, and defensive lineman Byron Murphy on the all-conference team. The five selections from the Longhorns were the most from any one school.
Ford, a fourth-year linebacker from Frisco, earned third-team AP All-America honors last season. He led the Longhorns with 119 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and four interceptions. A snub for the conference’s 2022 defensive player of the year, Ford tied a mark set by Derrick Johnson for interceptions by a linebacker with four. He earned first-team All-Big 12 selections from the league’s coaches and the Associated Press. He is the first preseason defensive player of the year from Texas since Malik Jefferson earned the honor in 2016.
Worthy, a third-year wideout from Fresno, Calif., was the only unanimous selection to the Big 12 preseason all-conference team. He caught 60 passes for 760 yards and a league-leading nine touchdowns in 2022 on his way to second-team all-conference honors.
Sanders, from Denton, was a first-team All-Big 12 selection last year after his 54-catch, 613-yard, five-touchdown campaign. His 54 receptions were the most by a tight end in program history and his 613 yards were the second-most in a season by a Longhorn.
Banks, a sophomore from Humble, took hold of the left tackle position as a true freshman and held it for all 13 games. He was a FWAA freshman All-American and a second-team All-Big 12 selection. Banks faced four defensive ends who eventually became first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and turned in impressive performances versus each opponent.
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Murphy, a third-year product of DeSoto, recorded 26 tackles with 3.0 TFL and one sack. Following the departure of Moro Ojomo and Keondre Coburn, Murphy is slated to hold a starting tackle position this year alongside T’Vondre Sweat.
2023 Big 12 Preseason Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Jalon Daniels, Kansas, QB
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaylan Ford, Texas LB
Newcomer of the Year: Treshaun Ward, Kansas State, RB
2023 All-Big 12 Preseason Team
Offense
QB – Jalon Daniels, Kansas
RB – Richard Reese, Baylor
RB – Devin Neal, Kansas
FB – Ben Sinnott, Kansas State
WR – Brennan Presley – Oklahoma State
WR – Xavier Worthy, Texas*
WR – Jerand Bradely, Texas Tech
TE – Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas
OL – Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
OL – Mike Novitsky, Kansas
OL – Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
OL – Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
OL – Zach Frazier, West Virginia
PK – Griffin Kell, TCU
KR/PR – Phillip Brooks, Kansas State
Defense
DL – Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
DL – Ethan Downs, Oklahoma}
DL – Will Damonic Williams, TCU
DL – Byron Murphy II, Texas
DL – Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech
LB – Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
LB – Johnny Hodges, TCU
LB – Jaylan Ford, Texas
DB – T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
DB – Cobee Bryant, Kansas
DB – Kobe Savage, Kansas State
DB – Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma State
DB – Josh Newton, TCU
P – Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati
* Unanimous Preseason Team selection
