Rob Weintraub’s 2021 All-Big 12 Awards

NFL – The NFL Alumni Awards series has made it to its tenth year, which, sad to say, is known as the Tin Anniversary. There’s nothing malleable about these awards, my friends! I’ve had a great time capping off the NFL season over the last decade by determining who is the very best professional player from each of the Power 5 schools. It’s a great way to gauge the health of the collegiate teams, an indicator of the volatility of the pro game, and, most of all, a fun argument starter.

Today we bring the hardware to the wide-open Big 12, which has actually begun to play some defense the last couple of seasons. Of course, no Big 12 team has made the playoff in the last couple of seasons, either…

BAYLOR (15)
2012: Robert Griffin III—QB Washington
2013: Josh Gordon—WR Cleveland
2014: Matt Bryant—K Atlanta
2015: Matt Bryant—K Atanta
2016: Matt Bryant—K Atlanta
2017: Matt Bryant—K Atlanta
2018: Xavien Howard—CB Miami
2019: Andrew Billings—DT Cincinnati
2020: Xavien Howard—CB Miami

2021: Xavien Howard—CB Miami

Not much happening for pros who matriculated along the banks of the Pecos, save for Howard, who continues to hold up the Bearpaw mantle single-handedly. Former Baylor coach Matt Ruhle isn’t doing the old school much in the pride department, either. 

IOWA STATE (10)
2012: Kelechi Osemele—OG Baltimore
2013: Ahtyba Rubin—DE Cleveland
2014: Kelechi Osemele—OG Baltimore
2015: Kelechi Osemele—OG Baltimore
2016: Kelechi Osemele—OG Oakland
2017: Kelechi Osemele—OG Oakland
2018: A.J. Klein—LB New Orleans
2019: A.J. Klein—LB New Orleans
2020: David Montgomery—RB Chicago

2021: David Montgomery—RB Chicago

Twin Tornadoes for Monty, who goes back-to-back with little competition. 

KANSAS (7)
2012: Aqib Talib—CB New England
2013: Aqib Talib—CB New England
2014: Chris Harris, Jr.—CB Denver
2015: Chris Harris, Jr.—CB Denver
2016: Aqib Talib—CB Denver
2017: Chris Harris, Jr.—CB Denver
2018: Bradley McDougald—S Los Angeles Rams
2019: Bradley McDougald—S Los Angeles Rams
2020: Chris Harris, Jr.—CB Los Angeles Chargers

2021: Hakeem Adeniji—OG Cincinnati

Adeniji was, to put it mildly, not great when forced into the Bengals lineup, but he at least had some decent moments and played in the Super Bowl. Otherwise, the Jayhawk pros were lacking. 

KANSAS STATE (13)
2012: Darren Sproles—RB New Orleans
2013: Jordy Nelson—WR Green Bay
2014: Jordy Nelson—WR Green Bay
2015: Tyler Lockett—WR Seattle
2016: Jordy Nelson—WR Green Bay
2017: Tyler Lockett—WR Seattle
2018: Tyler Lockett—WR Seattle
2019: Tyler Lockett—WR Seattle
2020: Tyler Lockett—WR Seattle

2021: Tyler Lockett—WR Seattle

Another easy win for the still-sensational Lockett, overlooked this season due to the Seahawks mediocrity. Tyler the Creator was 8th in DYAR in 2021, after finishing 14th, 4th and 1st the three prior years. He was 15th in 2015 as well—his Wildcat Trophy after finishing 60th in 2017 is the lone “weak competition” win of his six Alumni Awards. 

OKLAHOMA (33)
2012: Adrian Peterson—RB Minnesota
2013: Gerald McCoy—DT Tampa Bay
2014: DeMarco Murray—RB Dallas
2015: Adrian Peterson—RB Minnesota
2016: Trent Williams—OT Washington
2017: Lane Johnson—OT Philadelphia
2018: Joe Mixon—RB Cincinnati
2019: Mark Andrews—TE Baltimore
2020: Orlando Brown—OT Baltimore

2021: Trent Williams—OT San Francisco

No shortage of top-level Sooners in the pros— Johnson, Mixon, Arizona (for now?) quarterback Kyler Murray, Brown and his fellow Chiefs lineman, rookie center Creed Humphrey, even Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts. Andrews had a truly outstanding season in Baltimore. But you can’t argue against Williams earning his second Okie after a dominant season on San Fran’s left side. The program has only had one other repeat winner—the great Adrian Peterson—a sign of a healthy program. Whether that remains the case now that Lincoln Riley has moved west will be worth watching. 

OKLAHOMA STATE (18)
2012: Russell Okung—OT Seattle
2013: Dez Bryant—WR Dallas
2014: Dez Bryant—WR Dallas
2015: Dan Bailey—K Dallas
2016: Emmanuel Ogbah—LB Cleveland
2017: Russell Okung—Los Angeles Chargers
2018: Chris Carson—RB Seattle
2019: Chris Carson—RB Seattle
2020: Emmanuel Ogbah—LB Miami

2021: Emmanuel Ogbah—LB Miami

Who would have thought the all-time OK State Alumni Trophy holder—passing Dez Bryant, Chris Carson and Russell Okung— would be Ogbah? But the E-man has been extremely consistent since heading for South Beach. It will be interesting to see if the absence of Brian Flores halts Ogbah’s run. 

TCU (16)
2012: Andy Dalton—QB Cincinnati
2013: Andy Dalton—QB Cincinnati
2014: Jerry Hughes—LB Buffalo
2015: Andy Dalton—QB Cincinnati
2016: Marcus Cannon—OT New England
2017: Andy Dalton—QB Cincinnati
2018: Jerry Hughes—LB Buffalo
2019: Jerry Hughes—LB Buffalo
2020: Jerry Hughes—LB Buffalo

2021: Jerry Hughes—LB Buffalo

Make it fo’ in a ro’ for Hughes, who had some push from the unspellable guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai and rookie safety Tre’von Moehrig. 

TEXAS (33)
2012: Earl Thomas—S Seattle
2013: Jamaal Charles—RB Kansas City
2014: Jamaal Charles—RB Kansas City
2015: Earl Thomas—S Seattle
2016: Justin Tucker—K Baltimore
2017: Justin Tucker—K Baltimore
2018: Michael Dickson—P Seattle
2019: Kenny Vaccaro—S Tennessee
2020: Jordan Hicks—LB Arizona

2021: Justin Tucker—K Baltimore

Hicks and Bengals center Trey Hopkins were decent enough, but neither of them won a game with a 66-yard field goal that bounced in off the crossbar. That boot alone was worth Tucker’s third Steer Award. 

TEXAS TECH (15)
2012: Michael Crabtree—WR San Francisco
2013: Wes Welker—WR Denver
2014: Michael Crabtree—WR San Francisco
2015: Michael Crabtree—WR Oakland
2016: Michael Crabtree—WR Oakland
2017: Michael Crabtree—WR Oakland
2018: Patrick Mahomes—QB Kansas City
2019: Patrick Mahomes—QB Kansas City
2020: Patrick Mahomes—QB Kansas City

2021: Patrick Mahomes—QB Kansas City

It wasn’t Patrick’s best season, with a clunky start and a horrific finale, but he cruised to his fourth straight Red Raider Award, which eases the pain. 

WEST VIRGINIA (16)
2012: Bruce Irvin—LB Seattle
2013: Adam Jones—CB Cincinnati
2014: Adam Jones—CB Cincinnati
2015: Adam Jones—CB Cincinnati
2016: Daryl Worley—CB Carolina
2017: Pat McAfee—P Indianapolis
2018: Quinton Spain—G Tennessee
2019: Mark Glowinski—G Indianapolis
2020: Mark Glowinski—G Indianapolis

2021: Quinton Spain—G Cincinnati

Spain turned the tables on Glowinski with a solid season in Stripes, winning the Burnt Couch Trophy and taking the sting out of his poor Super Bowl performance. In reality, 2017 winner McAfee won it all with the enormous contract he signed to produce his YouTube show, but then, that’s a different award.