The All-MWC team honors are in, and it’s a conference dominated by top-tier talent in 2022. Ahead of the 2022 college football season, Pro Football Network is proud to debut our All-Conference honors for each of the 10 conferences and the FBS Independents.
Detailing out our projected top players, units, and teams ahead of the action, PFN’s team of draft evaluators and national college football analysts looked at who they each thought would be the conference’s best in 2022. The results are in, and here is the cream of the crop heading into the fall.
Follow along with all of our All-Conference Awards this preseason: AAC | ACC | B1G | Big 12 | Conference USA | MAC | Pac-12 | SEC | Sun Belt | FBS Independent
Preseason All-MWC football team honors for 2022
It’s important to note that these are awards and honors from Pro Football Network for each individual’s expected prowess on the field this season. This is in no way a projection of their NFL draft status nor a report on the specific conference awards awarded this preseason. These honors are from Pro Football Network, as judged by our team of college football analysts and draft evaluators projecting their success on the field in 2022.
- MWC Player of the Year
Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State - MWC Offensive Player of the Year
Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State - MWC Defensive Player of the Year
Dom Peterson, DT, Nevada - MWC Newcomer of the Year
Cameron Lockridge, CB, Fresno State
Fresno State QB Jake Haener takes the top two individual honors as he’s back to forge his own legacy at the school. After teasing the transfer portal following former head coach Kalen DeLoach’s move to Washington, Haener is back for one more season at Fresno State, just under the coach who recruited him: Jeff Tedford.
Haener has unbelievable arm strength and only just this past season started to really trust his arm into tight windows. It got him in trouble at times, but that proverbial light switched in his game down the stretch, and he’ll be tough to stop in 2022.
Dom Peterson is a one-man wrecking crew, as he single-handedly demolishes offensive lines in front of him. As one of the long holdovers at Nevada, Peterson is back to leave a lasting legacy of his own in 2022. Peterson is a bully in the middle, never gassing out, and constantly pushing the pocket. He’ll track running backs in pursuit with the same grace and strength that he stuffs them in the hole all the same.
As far as newcomers go, we’re cheating a bit here as Cameron Lockridge transfers from an in-conference school to Fresno State. After disrupting Fresno State’s game against them last season, Lockridge left Hawaii to come back stateside and get his name on the national stage. Lockridge has terrific talent in coverage and as a run defender on the outside. He’s a top cornerback not only in the Mountain West but across the country.
Offensive All-MWC team and player honors
- MWC QB of the Year
Jake Haener, Fresno State - MWC RB of the Year
Brad Roberts, Air Force - MWC WR of the Year
Jalen Cropper, Fresno State - MWC TE of the Year
Treyton Welch, Wyoming - MWC Offensive Line of the Year
Fresno State Bulldogs - MWC Offensive Lineman of the Year
Dontae Bull, OT, Fresno State
Haener’s top target earns the top WR honors, as Jalen Cropper has some of the shiftiest routes and strongest hands in college football. Cropper has game-taking-over skill as he showcased against UCLA and can make highlight-reel catches look ordinary.
Air Force RB Brad Roberts earns the top spot as the conference’s top rushing threat. Roberts finished 17th nationally last season by averaging 104 yards per game and set a new school record with 298 carries. His 1,342 rushing yards were the third-most in school history, and he’s a candidate to set even more records this fall.
Fresno State has the conference’s top passing attack, that is for sure, mainly because of Haener, Cropper, and a stalwart offensive line. Led by tackle Dontae Bull, the Bulldogs return four starters in center Bula Schmidt and guards Mose Vavao and Braylen Nelson. Bull takes the headlines, but this unit should surprise people in 2022.
Defensive All-MWC team and player honors
- MWC Defensive Line of the Year
San Jose State Spartans - MWC DL of the Year
Dom Peterson, DT, Nevada - MWC LB of the Year
Cam’ron Carter, Colorado State - MWC Secondary of the Year
Boise State Broncos - MWC CB of the Year
Cameron Lockridge, Fresno State - MWC S of the Year
JL Skinner, Boise State
With the talented duo of Viliami Fehoko and Cade Hall, there are few more talented EDGE units in all of college football. San Jose State returns the top defensive line in the conference as Peterson takes the honors on the interior.
Cam’ron Carter narrowly edged out what should be a stacked linebacker unit from the MWC this fall. Carter is your every-play, three-down LB who excels at everything he does. Easton Gibbs from Wyoming and Kyle Harmon from San Jose State were also in consideration, but Carter’s coverage skills and ability to run the alley gave him the edge.
Lockridge earns the spot for top cornerback, but it’s the Boise State Broncos that are awarded the top secondary in the conference. JL Skinner anchors the unit with three or four players that should be drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Broncos will be stingy in coverage once again this fall.
Special teams All-MWC team and player honors
- MWC K of the Year
Jonah Dalmas, Boise State - MWC P of the Year
Aaron Rodriguez, New Mexico - MWC Specialist of the Year
Jordan Byrd, PR/KR, San Diego State