Jack Follman’s ’21 All-SportsPac12 Freshman Teams

Posted on December 8, 2021


  By Jack Follman, SuperWest Sports

Each year I like to create teams of the best freshman players—redshirt and true—and this year is the most-complicated ever because I’m not considering players who played in four games or more last year.

I don’t think you can really count them as freshmen, and that makes this year’s teams a little more shallow than usual.

Be sure to check out my All-SportsPac12 Teams as well.


First-Team Offense
Colorado’s Brendon Lewis | Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

QB Brendon Lewis, Colorado – Lewis gets the nod over Dart to me. He had more numbers and more time leading Colorado and was more integral to his team.

RB Byron Cardwell, Oregon – Cardwell emerged as Oregon’s Number Two running back when CJ Verdell went down with injury, and looks like he has a very high ceiling.

RB Jalen John, Arizona – He played in only two games in 2020, so I’m considering him as a redshirt freshman. He had nearly 300 total yards in 2021.

WR De’Zhaun Stribling, Washington State – Became a great target right away. He finished with more than 450 yards and four touchdowns.

WR Dorian Singer, Arizona – The Minnesota product had 18 carries for more than 300 yards in his first season.

TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon – He came in as a freshman and played like a veteran with more than 100 yards receiving, two touchdowns, and a lot of blocking.

OL Josh Baker, Arizona – The only freshman starting offensive lineman this year.

OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon – Saw time on Oregon’s stellar offensive line.

OL Bastian Swinney, Cal – Started a game for the Bears this year.

OL Garrett DiGiorgio, UCLA – Saw time as a freshman at UCLA.

OL Michael Mokofisi, Utah – Looked impressive in his time as a freshman.


First-Team Defense
ASU linebacker Eric Gentry | Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

DL Junior Tafuna, Utah – No question, the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.

DL Voi Tunuffi, Washington – Was one of the Pac-12’s best pass rushing DTs as a true freshman.

DL BJ Green II, Arizona State – Three sacks in his freshman season.

DL Andrew Edson, Washington State – Showed up in his first season with 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

LB Carson Bruener, Washington – Came alive halfway through the season and finished with 70 tackles.

LB Eric Gentry, Arizona State – Earned Freshman All-American honors for his excellent first season.

LB Nate Ruchena, Cal – An amazing season for a freshman, leading with three interceptions in 2021.

DB Lu-Magia Hearns III, Cal – One of the best freshman corners in the nation, he finished with more than 25 tackles and an interceptions.

DB Calen Bullock, USC – At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds with a lot of tackles and a couple of picks, this guy has a rather bright future.

DB Cole Bishop, Utah – Another budding young defensive back star, Bishop had a lot of tackles this season and some sacks.

DB Treydan Stukes, Arizona – A redshirt freshman who made a lot of plays this season.


First-Team Special Teams
WSU kicker Dean Janikowski | Steph Chambers/Getty Images

K Dean Janikowski, Washington State – Made my All-Pac-12 team as a freshman.

P Eddie Czaplicki, Arizona State – Had the best punt average of a freshman punter in the Conference this year.


Second-Team Offense

QB Jaxson Dart, USC

RB Stevie Rocker Jr., Arizona

RB EJ Smith, Stanford

WR Bryce Farrell, Stanford

WR Troy Franklin, Oregon

TE Moliki Matavao, Oregon

OL Faaope Laloulu, Oregon

OL Tyler Morano, Oregon State

OL Taleise Fuaga, Oregon State

OL Jonah Monheim, USC

OL Marcus Harper II, Oregon


Second-Team Defense

DL Korey Foreman, USC

DL Aliki Vimahi, Utah

DL Quinn Roff, Washington State

DL Jayson Jones, Oregon

LB Karene Reid, Utah

LB Femi Olajejo, Cal

LB Marvin Ham II, Colorado

DB Gunner Maldonado, Arizona

DB Jimmy Wyrick, Stanford

DB Macen Williams, Arizona State

DB Isaiah Young, Cal

Second-Team Special Teams

K Joshua Karty, Stanford

P Nick Haberer, Washington State




—More from Jack Follman—