Texas Tech football puts two players on preseason all-Big 12 team

Two members of the Texas Tech football team landed on the Big 12's preseason all-conference team, which was announced Tuesday.

Running back Tahj Brooks and punt returner/kick returner Drae McCray represent the Red Raider contingent selected by media who cover the conference. The two seniors are expected to have major roles for Texas Tech, which was picked ninth in the preseason poll , also released Tuesday.

Brooks is coming off a historic campaign that saw the Manor native rush for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking fourth in the country in rushing yards. He put himself firmly into the Tech record books, totaling the most single-season yardage since 1998 and the fourth most in program history.

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Brooks now ranks seventh all-time with 3,052 yards and needs 1,167 yards in 2024 to become Tech's all-time leading rusher. He opted to return for his super-senior season of 2024 after earning first team all-Big 12 honors from the conference.

In 2023, McCray ranked third in the nation in total kick return yards (717) and had seven returns of at least 30 yards. The highlight came with his 100-yard kick return for a touchdown against Houston.

Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II was named the Big 12's preseason offensive player of the year. Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter and UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson earned defensive and newcomer of the year honors, respectively.

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2024 Big 12 Preseason All-Conference Awards

PRESEASON AWARDS

Offensive player of the year: Ollie Gordon II, RB, Jr., Oklahoma State

Defensive player of the year: Travis Hunter, DB, Jr., Colorado

Newcomer of the Year: KJ Jefferson, QB, Jr., UCF

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Offense

QB — Shedeur Sanders, Sr., Colorado

RB — Ollie Gordon II, Jr., Oklahoma State

RB — Tahj Brooks, Sr., Texas Tech

FB — Stevo Klotz, Sr., Iowa State

WR — Tetairoa McMillian, Jr., Arizona

WR — Kobe Hudson, Jr., UCF

WR — Jayden Higgins, Sr., Iowa State

WR — Brennan Presley, Sr., Oklahoma State

TE — Brant Kuithe, Sr., Utah

OL — Jonah Savaiinaea, Jr., Arizona

OL — Luke Kandra, S., rCincinnati

OL — Dalton Cooper, Sr., Oklahoma State

OL — Joe Michalski, Sr., Oklahoma State

OL — Wyatt Milum, Sr., West Virginia

PK — Tyler Loop, Sr., Arizona

KR/PR — Drae McCray, Sr., Texas Tech

Defense

DL — Tyler Batty, Sr., BYU

DL — Dontay Corleone, Jr., Cincinnati

DL — BJ Green II, Sr., Colorado

DL — Lee Hunter, Jr., UCF

DL — Junior Tafuna, Sr., Utah

LB — Jacob Manu, Jr., Arizona

LB — Nick Martin, Jr., Oklahoma State

LB — Collin Oliver, Sr., Oklahoma State

DB — Tacario Davis, Jr., Arizona

DB — Travis Hunter, Jr., Colorado

DB — Jeremiah Cooper, Jr., DB

DB — Cobee Bryant, Sr., Kansas

DB — Mello Dotson, Sr., Kansas

P — Jack Bouwmeester, Jr., Utah

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football puts two players on preseason all-Big 12 team