West Virginia senior defensive lineman Darius Stills has garnered a great deal of preseason attention.
Just a few days after being named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, which each year honors the top defensive player in college football, Stills was selected by the media the Big 12 Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Stills’ conference nod is part of the announcement of the overall offensive and defensive teams.
He is the Mountaineers’ lone representative on either team. Oklahoma and Texas led the way with five picks each.
Stills’ accolades earned this month also include third-team All-American honors by Phil Steele Magazine.
Stills, a native of Fairmont, W.Va., is the third player from West Virginia to receive preseason player-of-the-year honors since the school joined the Big 12 in 2012.
He wrapped up 2019 All-Big 12 first-team laurels after leading the Mountaineers in sacks (7) and tackles for a loss (14.5) while finishing with 47 tackles overall.
Stills, at 6-foot-1 and 282 pounds, paced West Virginia’s near-upset of No. 12 Baylor last October with a career-best 10 tackles and three sacks in the 17-14 loss.
Big 12 Media Preseason Football Team
Offense
Sam Ehlinger, Texas, QB, Senior
Pooka Williams Jr, Kansas, RB, Junior
Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State, RB, Junior
Nick Lenners, Kansas State, FB, Junior
Andrew Parchment, Kansas, WR, Senior
Charleston Rambo, Oklahoma, WR, Junior
Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State, WR, Senior
Charlie Kolar, Iowa State, TE, Junior
Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma, OL, Junior
Adrian Ealy, Oklahoma, OL, Junior
Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State, OL, Senior
Samuel Cosmi, Texas, OL, Junior
Jack Anderson, Texas Tech, OL, Junior
Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma, PK, Sophomore
Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State, KR/PR, Sophomore
Defense
JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State, DL, Senior
Wyatt Hubert, Kansas State, DL, Junior
Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma, DL, Junior
Eli Howard, Texas Tech, DL, Senior
Darius Stills, West Virginia, DL, Senior
Terrel Bernard, Baylor, LB, Junior
Garret Wallow, TCU, LB, Senior
Joseph Ossal, Texas, LB, Junior
Greg Elsworth, Iowa State, DB, Senior
Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State, DB, Junior
Trevon Moehrig, TCU, DB, Junior
D’Shawn Jamison, Texas, DB, Junior
Caden Sterns, Texas, DB, Junior
Austin McNamara, Texas Tech, P, Sophomore
Offensive Player of the Year: Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State, RB, Junior
Defensive Player of the Year: Darius Stills, West Virginia, DL, Senior
Newcomer of the Year: Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma, QB, Redshirt Freshman
