Welcome to Kickoff Week here at MWCConnection! The official all-MWC team will be released later at MWC Media Days, but we are getting involved in the fun by releasing our own pre-season content anyway.

Members of our team submitted their list of votes, and we took the top vote-getters at each position to form our two teams. There are 12 players selected for both offense and defense. Since offensive formations are so different, we put 2 RBs and 2 WRs on the team, plus a FLEX, which can be either a RB or WR. Defensively, we have two defensive linemen, two edge players, then three linebackers and four defensive backs, with a FLEX added as well. For special teams, we have a kicker, a punter, a long-snapper, and a returner. Between the two teams, there are a total of 56 players recognized. For reference, here was our post-season 2021 team.

Disclaimer: Keep in mind every voter views the process differently. Some vote for players based on who is the best entering the season. Others see it as a prediction of how players will play by the end of the season. Some include transfers new to the conference, while others don’t. There are a lot of great players in the conference and only so many spots. Arguments can be made for many guys to be mentioned or to be on a higher team. There will always be snubs. Always. The goal is that every player on this list is deserving, even if not every deserving player ended up making the list.

With that being said, here are the 2022 Mountain West Connection All-MWC Preseason First and Second Teams:

First Team:

Quarterback

• Jake Haener (Fresno State)

Running Backs

• Brad Roberts (Air Force)
• Titus Swen (Wyoming)

Wide Receivers

• Jalen Cropper (Fresno State)
• Stefan Cobbs (Boise State)

Flex

• Calvin Tyler (Utah State)

Tight End

• Kyle Patterson (Air Force)

Offensive Line

• Aaron Frost (Nevada)
• Alama Uluave (San Diego State)
• Everett Smalley (Air Force)
• Frank Crum (Wyoming)
• Cade Beresford (Boise State)

Defensive Line

• Scott Matlock (Boise State)
• Dom Peterson (Nevada)

Edge

• KeShawn Banks (San Diego State)
• Viliami Fehoko (San Jose State)

Linebackers

• Kyle Harmon (San Jose State)
• Cam McDonald (San Diego State)
• Easton Gibbs (Wyoming)

Defensive Backs

• JL Skinner (Boise State)
• Evan Williams (Fresno State)
• Jerrick Reed (New Mexico)
• Patrick McMorris (San Diego State)

Flex

• Vince Sanford (Air Force)

Kicker

• Jonah Dalmas (Boise State)

Punter

• Aaron Rodriguez (New Mexico)

Long Snapper

• Austin Ortega (Nevada)

Returner

• Jordan Byrd (San Diego State)

Second Team:

Quarterback

• Logan Bonner (Utah State)

Running Backs

• George Holani (Boise State)
• Jordan Mims (Fresno State)

Wide Receivers

• Jesse Matthews (San Diego State)
• Dante Wright (Colorado State)

Flex

• Kyle Williams (UNLV)

Tight End

• Treyton Welch (Wyoming)

Offensive Line

• Ilm Manning (Hawaii)
• Kekaniokoa Holomalia-Gonzales (Boise State)
• Alfred Edwards III (Utah State)
• Kaleb Holcomb (Air Force)
• Dontae Bull (Fresno State)

Defensive Line

• Jonah Tavai (San Diego State)
• Devin Phillips (Colorado State)

Edge

• Daniel Grzesiak (Utah State)
• David Perales (Fresno State)

Linebackers

• Cam’Ron Carter (Colorado State)
• Austin Ajiake (UNLV)
• Dequan Jackson (Colorado State)

Defensive Backs

• Tyreque Jones (Boise State)
• Trey Taylor (Air Force)
• Elijah Gates (Fresno State)
• Tavian Combs (New Mexico)

Flex

• Nohl Williams (UNLV)

Kicker

• Brandon Talton (Nevada)

Punter

• Ralph Fawaz (Wyoming)

Long Snapper

• Ryan Wintermeyer (San Diego State)

Returner

• Stefan Cobbs (Boise State)

Breakdown by team (1st team in parenthesis):

• Boise State: 9 (5)
• San Diego State: 8 (5)
• Fresno State: 7 (3)
• Air Force: 6 (4)
• Wyoming: 5 (3)
• Nevada: 4 (3)
• Utah State: 4 (1)
• Colorado State: 4 (0)
• New Mexico: 3 (2)
• UNLV: 3 (0)
• San Jose State: 2 (2)
• Hawaii: 1 (0)

Notes:

• There were 9 unanimous selections: Jake Haener, Jalen Cropper, Kyle Patterson, Aaron Frost, Everett Smalley, Kyle Harmon, JL Skinner, Aaron Rodriguez, and Austin Ortega. A few others were one vote away from achieving that status.
• For the first time in a long time and maybe even the first time since we have been doing these votes, all 12 teams are represented.
• The projected top four teams have the most votes between the two teams. Although the order of total players is not the projected order for how those four teams will finish. Boise State and San Diego State put the most players on the first team, but the Broncos had one more player total.
• The number of players from each team varies from the December list. Nevada, and SJSU drop significantly while Fresno State and San Diego State saw a bit of a rise. Utah State had the exact same number of total of players as last year.
• Teams like Nevada, New Mexico, and San Jose State may not have had many players appear, but they made the most of it, with all or the majority of their players making the first team.
• The divide between the first and second-team players in terms of votes was pretty clear for some positions but not all. Running back, wide receiver, and defensive line all had little separation in votes between the two teams.
• There were a few tough battles for second-team spots. Specifically, the offensive line, linebacker, and defenisve back positions all had some tough calls, and arguments could have been made for a few others to appear on our lists.

There it is. So let’s hear it. Who did we snub? Who did we put on here that shouldn’t be? Let’s hear your feedback in the comments section.

Coming tomorrow: Our picks for Mountain West Conference awards.