TCU Football's Mathis and Hodges-Tomlinson Named To 2021 Preseason All-Big 12 Defensive Team

TCU defensive end Ochuan Mathis (#32)

TCU defensive end Ochuan Mathis and cornerback Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson have been named to the Preseason All-Big 12 defensive team, as chosen by media representatives who cover the league.

Last season, Mathis led the Big 12 and ranked 12th nationally in sacks per game at 0.9. A second-team all-conference selection last season, he recorded a team-best nine sacks for the most by a Horned Frog since Mat Boesen had 11.5 in 2017. Mathis placed second on TCU with 14 tackles for loss (TFL), which ranked third in the Big 12 and tied for 12th in the FBS. The junior had at least one TFL in nine of 10 games and placed fourth on TCU with 46 tackles. He started all 10 games, marking his second straight season of starting every contest, and recorded a career-best 3.0 sacks as part of six tackles in the 34-18 win over Texas Tech.

Hodges-Tomlinson was First-Team All-Big 12 and received All-America honors last season from the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus (PFF). PFF rated him as the nation's highest-graded cornerback in coverage at 89.1, allowing just 12 catches on 45 targets over the final nine games of the season. His 13 pass breakups led the Big 12 and were second nationally. The junior had 26 stops on the season.

No Horned Frogs were named to the preseason offensive team.

Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

Iowa State linebacker Mike Rose was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Oklahoma running back Eric Gray was named the Preseason Newcomer of the Year.