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The 2016 version of the Mountain West Connection top 50 football players countdown is finally here and the 49th player is San Diego State defensive back Malik Smith.
While Smith was left off of the media preseason league, he very well could end up there once the season ends. Phil Steele is high on Smith and has him on the Mountain West second-team.
Smith plays for the best defense in the conference and he had five interceptions which was good for second on San Diego State and tied for third in the conference; he also recovered a fumble. He is also doing a good job in the ground game with 77 tackles, 44 solo and five for a loss.
Here are the staff picks and composite rankings.
| Composite | Jeremy Mauss | Duane Grasmick | Daniel Arbino | Matthew Kenerly | Brandon Blake | erwinism | Josh Fredlund | DontWarriorBoutIt | Terrance Dickens |
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| 17 | DJ Dunn, Jr, AFA, LB | ||||||||
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| 22 | Maurice McKnight, SJSU, DB | ||||||||
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| 24 | Malik Smith, SDSU, DB | Roland Ladipo, AFA, CB | |||||||
| 25 | Andre Chachere, SJSU, CB | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | |||||||
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| 27 | Kendall Keys, UNLV, WR | Kendall Keys, UNLV, WR | |||||||
| 28 | Timothy McVey, AFA, RB | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | |||||||
| 29 | Tanner Gentry, Wyo, WR | Devin Centers, USU, FS | Devin Centers, USU, FS | ||||||
| 30 | Roland Ladipo, AFA, CB | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | Salesa Faraimo, DT, NEV | ||||||
| 31 | Will Kreitler, C, UNLV | ||||||||
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| 33 | Izzy Matthews, CSU, RB | Gabe Perez, DE, Boise State | Jermaine Kelly, SJSU, LB | ||||||
| 34 | Gabe Perez, DE, Boise State | ||||||||
| 35 | Reno Henderson, UNM, OL | ||||||||
| 36 | Jarred Gipson, Nev, TE | ||||||||
| 37 | Izzy Matthews, RB, CSU | Jamire Jordan, WR,FSU | |||||||
| 38 | Mike Hughes, UNLV, LB | Gabe Perez, BSU, DL | Jermaine Kelly, SJSU, LB | Mike Hughes, UNLV, LB | |||||
| 39 | Jermaine Kelly, SJSU, DB | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, S | Asauni Rufus, Nev, SS | ||||||
| 40 | Jamire Jordan, FSU, WR | Jamire Jordan, WR, FSU | Jarred Gipson, Nev, TE | Izzy Matthews, RB CSU | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | ||||
| 41 | Tyler Rausa, K, Boise St | Arthur Flores, SDSU, OL | Travis Averill, Boise St, OG | Reno Henderson, UNM, OL | |||||
| 42 | Tanner Gentry, Wyo, WR | ||||||||
| 43 | Johnny Stanton, UNLV, QB | Jarred Gipson, NEV, TE | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, DB | |||||
| 44 | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | Asauni Rufus, NEV, DB | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, S | Travis Averill, G, Boise St | Christian Chapman, SDSU, QB | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | |||
| 45 | DJ Dunn, AFA, LB | Mike Hughes, DT, UNLV | Josh Lovingood, CSU, DT | ||||||
| 46 | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, DB | ||||||||
| 47 | DJ Dunn, LB, AFA | Gabe Perez, BSU, DE | DJ Dunn, LB, AFA | Malik Smith, SDSU, DB | |||||
| 48 | Marcus Kemp, UH, WR | Kwayde Miller, T, SDSU | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | ||||||
| 49 Malik Smith, DB, SDSU | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | Jesse Washington, AFA, DB | Marcus Kemp, UH, WR | Josh Lovingood, CSU, DT | |||||
| 50 DJ May, WYO, LB | Michael Carrizosa, P, SJSU |