The 2021 college football regular season has officially come to a close, and now it’s time to recognize the top players across the country with PFF’s all-conference teams and conference players of the year.
With the help of PFF grades and advanced statistics — which are now available to PFF’s CFB Premium Stats+ Subscribers — we present to you the 2021 Big 12 Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big 12 teams.
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Click to view PFF's 2021 All-Conference teams
POWER FIVE: ACC | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
GROUP OF FIVE: AAC | C-USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt
BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State Wildcats
Vaughn quietly earned a top-three PFF grade at the running back position this season (91.1). Between his work as a rusher and receiver, the 5-foot-6 jitterbug was responsible for 55 total plays that resulted in a gain of 10 or more yards, the second-most among Power Five running backs.
Vaughn's 93.0 rushing grade ranks first at the position, while his 79.7 receiving grade cracked the top 10.
BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Edge Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma Sooners
Bonitto's 93.6 pass-rush grade flew under the radar in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but that elite level of production remained in 2021.
The Oklahoma edge defender earned a 92.4 pass-rush grade this regular season, the second-best mark in the Power Five behind only Aidan Hutchinson. He generated multiple pressures in every game he played, recording a pass-rush win rate above 18% in each contest. His 27.1% pass-rush win rate over the season ranks first among FBS players at the position.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG 12
QB Caleb Williams, Oklahoma
RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
WR Tay Martin, Oklahoma State
WR Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
LT Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
LG Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma
C Steve Avila, TCU
RG Hunter Woodard, Oklahoma State
RT Tyrese Robinson, Oklahoma
DI Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma
DI Jayden Jernigan, Oklahoma State
ED Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma
ED Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
LB Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State
LB Colin Schooler, Texas Tech
CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, Oklahoma State
CB Christian Holmes, Oklahoma State
S Russ Yeast, Kansas State
S Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State
FLEX D Jalen Pitre, Baylor
K Andrew Mevis, Iowa State
P Austin McNamara, Texas Tech
KR Winston Wright Jr., West Virginia
PR Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State
SECOND-TEAM ALL-BIG 12
QB Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
RB Abram Smith, Baylor
RB Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma
WR Tyquan Thornton, Baylor
WR Quentin Johnston Jr., TCU
WR Winston Wright Jr., West Virginia
TE Jeremiah Hall, Oklahoma
LT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
LG Josh Rivas, Kansas State
C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
RG Doug Nester, West Virginia
RT Derek Kerstetter, Texas
DI Moro Ojomo, Teas
DI Byron Murphy II, Texas
ED Kyron Johnson, Kansas
ED Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
LB Mike Rose, Iowa State
LB Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma
CB Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa State
CB Ekow Boye-Dow, Kansas State
S Kenny Logan Jr., Kansas
S Isheem Young, Iowa State
FLEX D Delarrin Turner-Yell, Oklahoma
K Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma
P Michael Turk, Oklahoma
KR Malik Knowles, Kansas State
PR Isaiah Esdale, West Virginia
THIRD-TEAM ALL-BIG 12
QB Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
RB Zach Evans, TCU
WR Mario Williams, Oklahoma
WR Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
WR Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech
TE Mason Tharp, Texas Tech
LT Connor Galvin, Baylor
LG Josh Sills, Oklahoma State
C Jacob Gall, Baylor
RG Junior Angilau, Texas
RT Khalil Keith, Baylor
DI Jordan Jefferson, West Virginia
DI T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
ED Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma
ED Tyler Lacy, Oklahoma State
LB Devin Harper, Oklahoma State
LB Jake Hummel, Iowa State
CB Anthony Cook, Texas
CB Kalon Barnes, Baylor
S Jason Taylor II, Oklahoma State
S Key Lawrence, Oklahoma
FLEX D Tanner McCallister, Oklahoma State
K Jonathan Garibay, Texas Tech
P Cameron Dicker, Texas
KR JD Spielman, TCU
PR Trestan Ebner, Baylor
HONORABLE MENTION
QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State
RB Kendre Miller, TCU
RB Jaylen Warren, Oklahoma State
WR Taye Barber, TCU
WR Jordan Whittington, Texas
WR Kwamie Lassiter II, Kansas
TE Daniel Imatorbhebe, Kansas State
LT Obinna Eze, TCU
LG Trevor Downing, Iowa State
C Noah Johnson, Kansas State
RG Chris Murray, Oklahoma
RT Gavin Byers, Baylor
DI Dante Stills, West Virginia
DI Siaki Ika, Baylor
ED Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
ED Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State
LB Terrel Bernard, Baylor
LB Josh Chandler-Semedo, West Virginia
CB Charles Woods, West Virgginia
CB Daryl Porter Jr., West Virginia
S Justin Broiles, Oklahoma
S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech
FLEX D Greg Eisworth II, Iowa State
K Casey Legg, West Virginia
P Issac Power, Baylor
KR Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State
PR Kwamie Lassiter II, Kansas
Click to view PFF's 2021 All-Conference teams
POWER FIVE: ACC | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
GROUP OF FIVE: AAC | C-USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt