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2014 MWC top 50: Chuckie Keeton is best player in Mountain West

Our top 50 countdown is complete and we have a No. 1 player decided by our staff.

USA TODAY Sports

This summer the Mountain West Connection crew is counting down the top 50 players heading into the 2014 Mountain West season. Because the criteria is objective regarding who should be considered "the best," opinions are different for each person. It naturally follows, then, that the results on this list will vary; out of the 94 players who received votes, only 17 were consensus top 50 players, receiving votes from every panel member.

SB Nation 2014 College Football Guide

Well... as people may have noticed, this list took some time off, and that is my fault as there were hiccups and scheduling that made it tough to do this on a daily basis. With the season beginning in one day we are rolling out the rest of the list.

1 Chuckie Keeton USU QB
2 Jay Ajayi Boise St RB
3 Derron Smith Fresno St S
4 Devante Davis UNLV WR
5 Matt Miller Boise St WR
6 Kyler Fackrell USU LB
7 Cody Fajardo Nevada QB
8 Zach Vigil USU LB
9 Eddie Yarbrough Wyoming DE
10 Josh Harper Fresno St WR
11 Cory James CSU LB
12 Ejiro Ederaine Fresno St LB

The top player in this list does not come too much of a surprise as Utah State's Chuckie Keeton tops the list and he earned four first-place votes. Coming in second was Boise State running back Jay Ajayi and he had three other first-place votes, and the final first-place vote went to Fresno State's Derron Smith.

Here is how our writers voted their top 50:

Composite Ben Mitchum Chris Turner Chris Hondros Jeremy Mauss Matthew_K Jacob Schildgen BenPhillips27 Scott Tejerian
1. Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State
2.Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State
3. Derron Smith, DB, Fresno State Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State
4. Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Jake Fely, LB, SDSU Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV
5. Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV
Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Chuckie Keeton, QB, Utah State
6. Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State
7. Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada
8. Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Ty Sambrailo, OL, Colorado State Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Brock Hecking, LB, Nevada Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Brian Suite, S, Utah State
9. Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State
10. Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Jeremy Ioane, S, Boise State Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State Brian Suite, S, Utah State Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State
11. Cory James, LB, Colorado State Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Devante Davis, WR, UNLV Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State Cory James, LB, Colorado State Cory James, LB, Colorado State Jared Roberts, K, Colorado State
Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State
12. Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State Cory James, LB, Colorado State Quinn Kaehler, QB, SDSU Matt Miller, WR, Boise State Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Christian Tago, LB, SJSU
13. Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State Cory James, LB, ColCory James, LB, Colorado Stateorado State Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State
14 Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Donnel Pumphrey, RB, SDSU LaMar Bratton, OL, New Mexico Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Cory James, LB, Colorado State Ty Sambrailo, OL, Colorado State
15. Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Brian Suite, S, Utah State Cory James, LB, Colorado State Jeremy Ioane, S, Boise State Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State
16. Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Derron Smith, S, Fresno State Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Bryan Douglas, DB, Boise State
Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State
17. Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State Robert Waterman, C, UNLV Travis Raciti, DT, SJSU
JoJo Natson, WR, Utah State David Peterson, OL, San Jose St
18. Brian Suite, S, Utah State
Cory James, LB, Colorado State Ejiro Ederaine, DE, Fresno State Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Shane Williams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU
19. Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State
20. Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming
Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State JoJo Natson, WR, Utah State
Quinn Kaehler, QB, SDSU Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Brian Suite, S, Utah State Matt Miller, WR, Boise State
21. Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State Brett Bowers, DE, New Mexico Shane Williams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State Brian Suite, S, Utah State Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State Jeremy Ioane, S, Boise State
22. Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Corey Bell, DB, Boise State
Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State Brian Suite, S, Utah State Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Robert Waterman, C, UNLV Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming
23. Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State
BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Joey Iosefa, RB, Hawaii Christian Tago, LB, SJSU J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Peni Vea, S, UNLV
24. J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State Kyrie Wilson, LB, Fresno State
LaMar Bratton, OL, New Mexico Robert Waterman, C, UNLV Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State
25. Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Shane Williams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State
26. Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State Rykeem Yates, DT, Nevada Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State LaMar Bratton, OL, New Mexico Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State
27. Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Aaron Davis, LB, Colorado State
Kendall Brock, RB, Nevada Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State Donte Deayon, CB, Boise State Kenneth Penny, CB, UNLV
Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Terry Poole, OL, San Diego State
28. Shane WIlliams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Mark Nzeocha, LB, Wyoming
Kenneth Penny, CB, UNLV Joey Iosefa, RB, Hawaii Shane Williams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Ezell Ruffin, WR, SDSU Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State

Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State

Cory James, LB, Colorado State
29. Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Jared Roberts, K, Colorado State Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State Donnel Pumphrey, RB, SDSU Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State Charles Washington, S, Fresno State
30. Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State Zach Vigil, LB, Utah State Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Brett Bowers, DE, New Mexico Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Jonathan McNeal, LB, Nevada
31. Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Tanner Vallejo, LB, Boise State
Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Bruce 'JoJo' Natson, WR,PR, Utah State Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State Kyrie Wilson, LB, Fresno State
32. Jeremy Ioane, S, Boise State Jarrod Lawson, RB, SJSU
Peni Vea, S, UNLV Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Tanner Vallejo, LB, Boise State Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Billy Freeman, TE, SJSU
Kendall Brock, RB, Nevada Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State
33. Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State Donnel Pumphrey, RB, SDSU

Jake Fely, LB, SDSU

Joey Ioesefa, RB, Hawaii Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Karl Mickelsen. LB, Fresno State
34. Robert Waterman, C, UNLV Donavon Lewis, LB, Fresno State
Tyler Horn, DT, Boise State
Joe Hill, RB, Utah State Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State Darian Thompson, S, Boise State Ty Sambrailo, OL, Colorado State Jarrod Lawson, RB, San Jose State Aaron Davis, LB, Colorado State
35. Ty Sambrailo, OL, Colorado State Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State Jordan Stanton, LB, Wyoming Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Jeremy Ioane, S, Boise State Shane Williams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Donavon Lewis, LB, Fresno State
36. Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State
Sonny Puletasi, DE, Wyoming
Jamal Price, OL, New Mexico BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State Rykeem Yates, DT, Nevada Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State
37. Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico Tajh Hasson, CB, UNLV
Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Kendall Brock, RB, Nevada BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State Brett Bowers, DE, New Mexico Quinn Kaehler, QB, SDSU Ben Weaver, LB, Boise State
38. BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State Christian Tago, LB, SJSU J.J. Whittaker, CB, San Diego State Jonathan McNeal, LB, Nevada
Don Jackson, RB, Nevada
Dominic Rufran, WR, Wyoming Aaron Davis, LB, Colorado State
Jonathan McNeal, LB, Nevada
Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming
39. Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Tyler Winston, WR, San Jose State Robert Waterman, C, UNLV Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Jon Lee, RB, Air Force Shane Williams-Rhodes, WR, Boise State Kendall Brock, RB, Nevada Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State Josh Quezada, RB, Fresno State
40. LaMar Bratton, OL, New Mexico Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State Broam Hart, RB, Air Force Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Robert Waterman, C, UNLV Joe Hill, RB, Utah State
Mark Nzeocha, LB, Wyoming
41. Christian Tago, LB, San Jose State Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State Sonny Puletasi, DE, Wyoming Broam Hart, RB, Air Force
Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Grant Hedrick, QB, Boise State Peni Vea, S, UNLV Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Kendall Brock, RB, Nevada
42. Quinn Kaehler, QB, San Diego State Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii Max Morgan, LB, Colorado State Tyler Horn, DT, Boise State Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico Vince Buhagiar, LB, San Jose State Jake Fely, LB, SDSU Brandon Swindall, WR, Utah State
Travis Raciti, DL, San Jose State
43. Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State Ben Weaver, LB, Boise State Joey Ioesefa, RB, Hawaii Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Ty Sambrailo, OL, Colorado State Shaun Wick, RB, Wyoming Christian Tago, LB, SJSU Christian Tago, LB, SJSU Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico
44. Jake Fely, LB, San Diego State Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico

Jake Fely, LB, SDSU

Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State Mark Nzeocha, LB, Wyoming Cody Wichmann, OL, Fresno State Donnel Pumphrey, RB, SDSU Beau Yap, DE, Hawaii
45. Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State Brett Bowers, DE, New Mexico Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Marcus Sullivan, WR, UNLV
Peni Vea, S, UNLV Brandon Connette, QB, Fresno State Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State LaMar Bratton, OL, New Mexico BJ Larsen, DE, Utah State
46. Kendall Brock, RB, Nevada
Quinn Kaehler, QB, SDSU Richy Turner, WR, Nevada Brian Douglas, DB, Boise State
Cole Gautsche, QB, New Mexico Peni Vea, S, UNLV Carlos Wiggins, KR/WR, New Mexico Brett Boyko, OL, UNLV Dakota Cox. LB, New Mexico
47. Joey Iosefa, RB, Hawaii Jake Jones, OL, Wyoming Vince Buhagiar, LB, SJSU Brett Bowers, DE, New Mexico Sonny Puletasi, DE, Wyoming Ty Sambrailo, OL, Colorado State Jarrod Lawson, RB, SJSU
Marteze Waller, RB, Fresno State
Justin Northern, OL, Fresno State
48. Brett Bowers, DE, New Mexico Cody Fajardo, QB, Nevada Darian Thompson, S, Boise State Scott Harding, WR/KR, Hawaii
Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State
Ben Clarke, OL, Hawaii LaMar Bratton, OL, New Mexico Kenneth Penny, DB, UNLV
Brock Hekking, DE, Nevada
49. Peni Vea, S, UNLV Brian Suite, S, Utah State Kevin Whimpey, OL, Utah State Jeremy Ioane, S, Boise State Jake Jones, OL, Wyoming Dasheon Frierson, CB, SJSU Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, RB, UNLV Kivon Cartwright, TE, Colorado State Christian Spears, S, Air Force
50. Bruce 'JoJo' Natson, WR/PR, Utah State Will Conant, K, Air Force
Jared Roberts, K, Colorado State Trent Matthews, S, Colorado State Vince Buhagiar, LB, SJSU Ben Weaver, LB, Boise State Jonathan McNeal, LB, Nevada Jared Roberts, K, Colorado State Darian Thompson, S, Boise State