12 Arizona Football players listed across Athlon Sports' four All-Big 12 teams

Athlon Sports' Steven Lassan took an interesting approach to his All-Big 12 projections. While the Big 12 (like all others) only names three all-conference teams before rattling off a large number of honorable mentions, Lassan opted not to do that.

Instead of an honorable mention-soup, he gifted readers with a projected All-Big 12 Fourth Team. Though the first and third teams already contained nine Arizona Football players, three more were added as a part of the fourth team. Let's break down where Arizona's stars fell in Lassan's projections:

First team:

• WR: Tetairoa McMillan (Junior)
• RT: Jonah Savaiinaea (Junior)
• LB: Jacob Manu (Junior)
• CB: Tacario Davis (Junior)
• K: Tyler Loop (Senior)

Arizona's five selections for the first team are tied with Utah for second-most only to Oklahoma State (6). These are the five players on Arizona's roster who are the best at their positions in the conference, and they have all earned all-conference honors in seasons past.

McMillan, Savaiinaea, and Davis are all in the mix to be taken in the 2025 NFL Draft's first round, and they're among the best in all of college football at what they do — much less the Big 12. Manu has been the heart of the defense since his freshman season in 2022, and Loop had a career year after being one of the Pac-12's most automatic kickers.

Third team:

• QB: Noah Fifita (RS Sophomore)
• C: Josh Baker (Senior)
• DE: Tre Smith (RS Junior)
• CB/S: Treydan Stukes (Senior)

This is where things get fun; only Fifita has earned accolades beyond an honorable mention from a power conference. The reigning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year is in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy, and his connection with McMillan will be a spectacular sight to behold.

Smith was named to the All-Mountain West first team last year and is poised to be a force off the edge for Arizona. Stukes, who will reprise his role as the Star (DB/LB hybrid), earned All-Pac-12 honorable mentions last year and is a key cog in the defensive backfield. Baker has been a stalwart in the middle of the offensive line and is the oldest and most experienced on the front line.

Fourth team:

• RB: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RS Senior)
• LG: Wendell Moe (RS Sophomore)
• FS: Gunner Maldonado (Senior)

Lassan's expansion to a fourth All-Big 12 team saw some rising stars included in it that typically don't get as much love. As the youngest of the bunch, Moe has the most upside and emerged as a mauler in his first season as a full-time starter. He's poised to follow the first-round path Jordan Morgan set and Savaiinaea is pursuing.

Maldonado finally put it all together last year and anchored the defensive backfield alongside Dalton Johnson. Those two were on full display in the Alamo Bowl, where the turnovers they forced and big plays they made ultimately tipped the scales. Croskey-Merritt is an incoming transfer running back who earned Second-Team All-Mountain West honors in 2023 after rushing for nearly 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns with New Mexico.

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