The 2016 version of the Mountain West Connection top 50 football players countdown is here and the 19th player comes from Utah State in offensive lineman Austin Stephens. Stephens has 27 career starts for himself at center and was named to the first-team all-conference from the media at Mountain West media days.
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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11 | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | |||||||
12 | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | ||||||
13 | Teriyon Gipson, UNM, RB | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | Ben Weaver, BSU, LB | Teriyon Gipson, UNM, RB | |||
14 | Joe Martarano, BSU, LB | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | Joe Martarano, BSU, LB | |||||
15 | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Tanner Vallejo, BSU, LB | Kenny Potter, SJSU, QB | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | ||
16 | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Nik D'Avanso, UNM, DE | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | ||||
17 | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | Kenny Potter, SJSU, QB | DJ Dunn, Jr, AFA, LB | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | |||||
18 | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | |||||||
19 Austin Stephens, USU, OL | Kenny Potter, SJSU, QB | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Jalen Robinette, AFA, WR | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | ||||
20 Joe Martarano, BSU, LB | Roland Ladipo, CB, AFA | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Chase Roullier, WYO, OL | Nik D'Avanso, UNM, DE | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Joe Martarano, BSU, LB | Roland Ladipo, CB, AFA | |
21 Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Tanner Vallejo, BSU, LB | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | |||
22 Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Maurice McKnight, SJSU, DB | Joe Martarano, BSU, LB | Kenny Potter, SJSU, QB | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | ||
23 Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Tanner Vallejo, BSU, LB | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | |||
24 Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Malik Smith, SDSU, DB | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Roland Ladipo, AFA, CB | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Roland Ladipo, CB, AFA | ||||
25 Tanner Vallejo, BSU, LB | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Chase Roullier, WYO, OL | Andre Chachere, SJSU, CB | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | Tanner Vallejo, BSU, LB | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | ||
26 NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Jalen Robinette, AFA, WR | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Ben Weaver, BSU, LB | Roland Ladipo, CB, AFA | Jake Simonich, USU, T | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | |||
27 Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | Kendall Keys, UNLV, WR | Jalen Robinette, AFA, WR | Jake Simonich, USU, T | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Kendall Keys, UNLV, WR | ||
28 Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | Timothy McVey, AFA, RB | Chase Roullier, WYO, OL | Chase Roullier, WYO, OL | Nik D'Avanzo, UNM, DE | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB |
29 Roland Ladipo, CB, AFA | Devante Mays, USU, RB | Joe Martarano, BSU, LB | Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | Devin Centers, USU, FS | Devin Centers, USU, FS | Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | Nik D'Avanzo, UNM, DE | Jalen Robinette, AFA, WR | Devante Mays, USU, RB |
30 Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Roland Ladipo, AFA, CB | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Salesa Faraimo, DT, NEV | Chase Roullier, WYO, OL | ||||
31 Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Will Kreitler, C, UNLV | Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Fred Zerblis, CSU, G | |
32 Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | Jake Simonich, USU, T | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | Jake Simonich, USU, T | ||||
33 Nik D'Avanzo, UNM, DE | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Kevin Davis Jr., CSU, LB | Kenny Potter, SJSU, QB | Izzy Matthews, CSU, RB | Gabe Perez, DE, Boise State | Jermaine Kelly, SJSU, LB | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | |
34 Chase Roullier, WYO, OL | Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR | Jalen Davis, USU, DB |
Jerico Richardson, NEV, WR |
Devante Mays, USU, RB | Gabe Perez, DE, Boise State | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR | ||
35 Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Reno Henderson, UNM, OL | Nik D'Avanzo, UNM, DE | Jalen Robinette, AFA, WR | Jalen Davis, USU, DB | Nik D'Avanzo, UNM, DE | Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | |||
36 Jalen Robinette, AFA, WR | Nik D'Avanszo, UNM, DE | Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR | Jarred Gipson, Nev, TE | Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | Nik D'Avanzo, UNM, DE | |||
37 Jake Simonich, USU, T | Jerico Richardson, NEV, WR | Teriyon Gipson, UNM, RB | Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | Tau Lotulelei, UNLV, LB | Izzy Matthews, RB, CSU | Jamire Jordan, WR,FSU | Jalen Davis, USU, DB | Jake Simonich, USU, T | Jerico Richardson, NEV, WR |
38 Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | Mike Hughes, UNLV, LB | Gabe Perez, BSU, DL | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Jermaine Kelly, SJSU, LB | Devante Mays, USU, RB | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Mike Hughes, UNLV, LB | |
39 Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR* (Ineligible) | Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | Jermaine Kelly, SJSU, DB | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, S | Asauni Rufus, Nev, SS | Devante Mays, USU, RB | Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | Devante Mays, USU, RB | Ricky Ali'ifua, USU, DT | |
39 Devante Mays, USU, RB | Tanner Vallejo, BSU, LB | Jamire Jordan, FSU, WR | Jamire Jordan, WR, FSU | Jarred Gipson, Nev, TE | Izzy Matthews, RB CSU | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | |||
39 Teriyon Gipson, UNM, RB | Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Tyler Rausa, K, Boise St | Arthur Flores, SDSU, OL | Travis Averill, Boise St, OG | Ben Weaver, BSU, LB | Reno Henderson, UNM, OL | |
42 Ben Weaver, BSU, LB | Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR | Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | Jonathan Moxey, BSU, CB | Jacobi Owens, AFA, RB | Tyler Winston, SJSU, WR | Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | |
43 Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | Johnny Stanton, UNLV, QB | Jarred Gipson, NEV, TE | Jake Simonich, USU, T | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | Tanner Gentry, WYO, WR | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, DB | |||
44 Jalen Davis, USU, DB | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | Asauni Rufus, NEV, DB | Ben Weaver, BSU, LB | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, S | Travis Averill, G, Boise St | Christian Chapman, SDSU, QB | Jerico Richardson, NEV, WR | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | |
45 Jerico Richardson, NEV, WR | DJ Dunn, AFA, LB | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Teriyon Gipson, UNM, RB | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Mike Hughes, DT, UNLV | Josh Lovingood, CSU, DT | Kevin Davis Jr., CSU, LB | ||
46 Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | Dylan Sumner-Gardner, BSU, DB | Paul Harris, Hawaii, RB | Ben Weaver, BSU, LB | Kevin Davis Jr., CSU, LB | |||||
47 Kenny Potter, SJSU, QB | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | DJ Dunn, LB, AFA | Gabe Perez, BSU, DE | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | DJ Dunn, LB, AFA | Jerico Richardson, NEV, WR | Malik Smith, SDSU, DB | Hasaan Henderson, NEV, WR | |
48 Kevin Davis Jr., CSU, LB | D.J. May, WYO, LB | Austin Stephens, USU, OL | Marcus Kemp, UH, WR | Jake Roh, BSU, TE | Kwayde Miller, T, SDSU | Malik Smith, SDSU, FS | Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | ||
49 Malik Smith, DB, SDSU | Jalen Davis, USU, DB | Austin Corbett, NEV, OL | Jesse Washington, AFA, DB | Travis Seefeldt, USU, DT | Marcus Kemp, UH, WR | Josh Lovingood, CSU, DT | |||
50 DJ May, WYO, LB | Nico Siragusa, SDSU, OL | Jake Simonich, USU, T | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | Rashaad Penny, SDSU, RB/KR/PR | Michael Carrizosa, P, SJSU | NIck Stevens, CSU, QB | Dalyn Dawkins, CSU, RB | Teriyon Gipson, UNM, RB | Chase Roullier, WYO, OL |