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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.
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 |