Iowa State will head into the 2026 season without a single player on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
The conference released its preseason individual awards and all-conference selections Monday, July 6, as Big 12 Football Media Days opened in Frisco, Texas. Unlike some leagues, the Big 12 is not putting out preseason rankings or a predicted order of finish.
That leaves the Cyclones on the outside looking in despite bringing back a couple of recognizable names. Aiden Flora, who earned All-Big 12 second-team honors in 2025, and honorable mention kicker Kyle Konrardy are both back for Iowa State’s revamped roster. Still, neither made the preseason all-conference list.
The timing fits the bigger picture around the program. Iowa State went 8-4 last season, then went through a major reset with Jimmy Rogers taking over for Matt Campbell at head coach. The Cyclones also added more than 60 new players, making this a dramatically different group than the one that finished last fall.
At the top of the league’s individual honors, BYU running back L.J. Martin was named preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Texas Tech defensive lineman A.J. Holmes was selected as preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker earned preseason Newcomer of the Year.
The preseason All-Big 12 defense featured a heavy Texas Tech presence, with C.J. Fite, A.J.
Holmes Jr., Adam Trick, Ben Roberts and Austin Romaine all landing spots. BYU also placed several defenders on the list, including Keanu Tanuvasa, Cade Uluave, Evan Johnson and Faletau Situala.
Other selections included Wendell Gregory of Kansas State, Will James of Houston, Jamel Johnson of TCU and Brice Pollock of Texas Tech. Baylor punter Palmer Williams rounded out the team.
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