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

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