Brock Purdy Leads 8 Cyclones On College Football America Big 12 Team
Eight Iowa State players, including quarterback Brock Purdy and running back Breece Hall, are on the 2021 College Football America Yearbook’s Preseason Big 12 Starting Lineup, the book’s version of a preseason all-conference team.
The Cyclones are coming off a nine-win season in which they reached the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time, where they lost to Oklahoma. The Cyclones bounced back with a win over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
Purdy — who also appears on the cover of the 2021 Yearbook — passed up leaving early for the NFL for the chance to help the Cyclones finish the job in 2021.
Along with Purdy and Hall, the other Cyclones to make the team were wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson, tight end Charlie Kolar, offensive lineman Derek Schweiger, center Colin Newell, defensive lineman Will McDonald IV, linebacker Mike Rose and defensive back Isheem Young.
READ MORE: Big 12 Break-up Power Rankings: Oklahoma State, Kansas Lead the Way
READ MORE: Here’s Why It’s Likely the ‘Other Eight’ Big 12 Teams Stay Together, For Now
Hall, Rose, Kolar and Newell made the Yearbook’s preseason FBS Dream Team, with Hall and Rose making the first team.
Around the Big 12
Oklahoma, which won the Big 12 Championship Game and then throttled Florida State in the Cotton Bowl, have four players on the team, including offensive lineman Marquis Hayes, defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas, linebacker Nik Bonitto and kicker Gabe Brkic.
Bonitto was a first-team selection to the Yearbook’s preseason FBS Dream Team, while Thomas made it as a reserve.
The offensive skill players are rounded out by West Virginia’s Leddie Brown at running back and Texas Tech’s Erik Ezukanma at wide receiver.
Joining Newell, Schweiger and Hayes on the offensive line are Texas Tech’s Weston Wright and Oklahoma State’s Josh Sills.
Joining McDonald and Thomas on the defensive line are TCU’s Ochaun Mathis and West Virginia’s Akheem Mesidor.
Baylor’s Terrel Bernard is the other linebacker on the team, and one of two Baylor players to make the team. The other Bear, defensive back Jalen Pitre, joins Young in the secondary, along with Oklahoma State’s Kolby Harvell-Peel and TCU’s Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson.
Texas Tech’s Austin McNamara is the punter, while Texas defensive back D’Shawn Jamison — who also made the Yearbook’s FBS Dream Team as a first-team selection — earned a spot as kick returner. Two Kansas State players — Phillip Brooks and Deuce Vaughn — round out the team as the punt returner and the all-purpose player, respectively.
The 2021 College Football America Yearbookfeatures seven pages of Big 12 content, including an overall preview of the conference race, a spotlight piece on Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium, the Big 12 Starting Lineup, all Big 12 schedules and a half-page devoted to each program.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
**Want to win a $20 gift card? Go sign up here and join our conversation! The best poster each week wins a gift card to your favorite establishment!**
OFFENSE
QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State, Sr.
RB Breece Hall, Iowa State, Jr.
RB Leddie Brown, West Virginia, Sr.
WR Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State, Sr.
WR Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech, Jr.
TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State, Sr.
OL Derek Schweiger, Iowa State, Sr.
OL Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma, Sr.
OL Weston Wright, Texas Tech, Jr.
OL Josh Sills, Oklahoma State, Sr.
C Colin Newell, Iowa State, Sr.
DEFENSE
DL Will McDonald IV, Iowa State, Jr.
DL Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma, Sr.
DL Ochaun Mathis, TCU, Jr.
DL Akheem Mesidor, West Virginia, So.
LB Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma, Jr.
LB Mike Rose, Iowa State, Sr.
LB Terrel Bernard, Baylor, Sr.
DB Isheem Young, Iowa State, So.
DB Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State, Sr.
DB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU, Jr.
DB Jalen Pitre, Baylor, Sr.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma, Jr.
P Austin McNamara, Texas Tech, Jr.
KR D’Shawn Jamison, Texas, Sr.
PR Phillip Brooks, K-State, Jr.
AP Deuce Vaughn, K-State, So.
