We are going to have to pick up the pace a little bit on putting our defensive team together but don't panic we still have plenty of time (If we hurry). We'll start with the defensive tackles. We'll take the two with the highest number of votes. Have fun!
Rubin Ahtyba - Iowa State
Last Season: Started the last nine games of the season. Finished with 34 tackles, four for a loss, and one sack. Had a career high five tackles at Iowa and against Nebraska.
Last Season: Started the last nine games of the season. Finished with 34 tackles, four for a loss, and one sack. Had a career high five tackles at Iowa and against Nebraska.
Chris Harrington - Texas A&M
Last Season: Earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after posting team-best totals in solo tackles (30), quarterback sacks (7.5 for -58 yards) and tackles for loss (11.5 for -64 yards) ... posted 59 total tackles, which was fourth-best on the team, while starting all 13 games ... forced two fumbles and recovered one ... also batted down three passes ... posted a season-high eight tackles against the Citadel and Oklahoma.
Last Season: Earned first-team All-Big 12 honors after posting team-best totals in solo tackles (30), quarterback sacks (7.5 for -58 yards) and tackles for loss (11.5 for -64 yards) ... posted 59 total tackles, which was fourth-best on the team, while starting all 13 games ... forced two fumbles and recovered one ... also batted down three passes ... posted a season-high eight tackles against the Citadel and Oklahoma.
George Hypolite - Colorado
Last Season: He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors by the league coaches, and was also an honorable mention All-Colorado performer as selected by the state's chapter of the National Football Foundation. He played in all 12 games, including eight starts at defensive tackle, and was in for 601 snaps from scrimmage. He had 50 tackles (31 solo), with his 13 tackles for loss the second most on the team; his two-and-a-half quarterback sacks tied for the third most.
Last Season: He earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors by the league coaches, and was also an honorable mention All-Colorado performer as selected by the state's chapter of the National Football Foundation. He played in all 12 games, including eight starts at defensive tackle, and was in for 601 snaps from scrimmage. He had 50 tackles (31 solo), with his 13 tackles for loss the second most on the team; his two-and-a-half quarterback sacks tied for the third most.
Derek Lokey - Texas
Last Season: Started eight games before missing the remainder of the season with a broken right leg ... helped UT give up only 61.2 yards rushing per game (third NCAA), 297.4 yards per game (22nd NCAA) and 18.3 points per game (26th NCAA) ... the 61.2 yards rushing per game ranks second on UT's all-time list ... posted 24 tackles, four TFL, a half sack and a fumble recovery.
Last Season: Started eight games before missing the remainder of the season with a broken right leg ... helped UT give up only 61.2 yards rushing per game (third NCAA), 297.4 yards per game (22nd NCAA) and 18.3 points per game (26th NCAA) ... the 61.2 yards rushing per game ranks second on UT's all-time list ... posted 24 tackles, four TFL, a half sack and a fumble recovery.
James McClinton - Kansas
Last Season: Started all 12 games of the season at defensive tackle... Named All-Big 12 honorable mention by the league's head coaches and second-team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press... Also was named second-team All-Big 12 by the Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle... Finished fourth on the team with 51 total tackles including 41 solo stops... Finished third in the Big 12 and 34th in the nation with 14.5 tackles-for-loss... Collected six QB sacks and added five hurries... Led the team with three forced fumbles.
Last Season: Started all 12 games of the season at defensive tackle... Named All-Big 12 honorable mention by the league's head coaches and second-team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press... Also was named second-team All-Big 12 by the Kansas City Star, Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle... Finished fourth on the team with 51 total tackles including 41 solo stops... Finished third in the Big 12 and 34th in the nation with 14.5 tackles-for-loss... Collected six QB sacks and added five hurries... Led the team with three forced fumbles.
Frank Okam - Texas
Last Season: Started 12 games ... sat out the Baylor game to rest an injury and only appeared on special teams against Nebraska ... earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors from The Associated Press ... was a preseason member of the Playboy All-America team ... helped UT give up only 61.2 yards rushing per game (third NCAA), 297.4 yards per game (22nd NCAA) and 18.3 points per game (26th NCAA) ... the 61.2 yards rushing per game ranks second on UT's all-time list ... posted 38 tackles, six TFL, two sacks, 10 pressures and recovered a fumble.
Last Season: Started 12 games ... sat out the Baylor game to rest an injury and only appeared on special teams against Nebraska ... earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors from The Associated Press ... was a preseason member of the Playboy All-America team ... helped UT give up only 61.2 yards rushing per game (third NCAA), 297.4 yards per game (22nd NCAA) and 18.3 points per game (26th NCAA) ... the 61.2 yards rushing per game ranks second on UT's all-time list ... posted 38 tackles, six TFL, two sacks, 10 pressures and recovered a fumble.
Vincent Rhodes - Baylor
Last Season: Started final eight games of 2006 season at defensive tackle opposite senior M.T. Robinson ... Totaled 35 tackles (17 solos) in 12 appearances to rank No. 10 on the squad ... Also finished No. 2 on squad in sacks (two) and quarterback hurries (eight), No. 3 in tackles for loss (five) ... Eight multi-tackle games in 12 appearances.
Last Season: Started final eight games of 2006 season at defensive tackle opposite senior M.T. Robinson ... Totaled 35 tackles (17 solos) in 12 appearances to rank No. 10 on the squad ... Also finished No. 2 on squad in sacks (two) and quarterback hurries (eight), No. 3 in tackles for loss (five) ... Eight multi-tackle games in 12 appearances.
Lorenzo Williams - Missouri
Last Season: He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 by both league coaches and media voting ... Earned his All-Big 12 status for a season that saw him record 53 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6 QB sacks playing in the trenches at nosetackle ... He also recovered 3 fumbles, forced 2 more and ranked 3rd on the team with 7 QB pressures ... He added 2 pass break ups, and led the team with 2 blocked kicks, blocking field goal attempts in consecutive games at New Mexico and against Ohio.
Last Season: He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 by both league coaches and media voting ... Earned his All-Big 12 status for a season that saw him record 53 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6 QB sacks playing in the trenches at nosetackle ... He also recovered 3 fumbles, forced 2 more and ranked 3rd on the team with 7 QB pressures ... He added 2 pass break ups, and led the team with 2 blocked kicks, blocking field goal attempts in consecutive games at New Mexico and against Ohio.