AAC All-Conference Team Preseason 2022

Although the American Athletic Conference is not a Power 5 conference, it does not mean they
don’t have high caliber talent. Although the AAC lost a lot of players to the NFL Draft, they still
have lots of talent left. With all of that being said, let’s get right into it!

Quarterback – Tanner Mordecai SMU

With Desmond Ridder getting drafted, this means Mordecai now has the spotlight as the best QB
in the AAC. This is the case because Mordecai made the American All-Conference Second
Team. I should also note that Mordecai threw for 3,628 yards and 39 touchdowns last season.
After watching his film from last season and the season before when he was at Oklahoma, I was
very impressed. He has a strong arm and pocket awareness which helps him push the ball down
the field comfortably.

Running Back – Keaton Mitchell East Carolina

Out of all the players on this “team”, I am expecting the most from Keaton Mitchell this upcoming
season. Last season as a redshirt freshman, he ran for 1,132 yards and 9 touchdowns. This
secured him a spot on the All-Conference First Team next to Jerome Ford. Mitchell has
incredible downhill speed, which allows him to gain separation past the line of scrimmage. I can
see Mitchell rushing for 1,300-1,400 yards this next season.

Running Back – Tre Siggers SMU

Tre Siggers started his career at North Texas where he had a solid career, but decided to transfer
to SMU in 2021. His first season at SMU was very impressive. He ran for 727 yards and 9 touchdowns. I can see Siggers being the second best running back in the conference behind Keaton Mitchell. This is due to many SMU players gaining experience and hopefully improving over this offseason.

Wide Receiver – Nathaniel Dell Houston

Nathan “Tank” Dell was the best wide receiver in the American Athletic Conference last season.
Yes, I had him ranked above Alec Pierce, Calvin Austin III and Danny Gray. Last season, Dell
had 1,329 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. This earned him a place on the All-Conference
First Team roster. I see this year being no different, especially with those big names now being
in the NFL. Dell has a small frame of 5’10” and 155 lbs., but that doesn’t stop him from making
big time plays. Personally, although he may have a small frame, I can see him being an early
round draft pick.

Wide Receiver – Ryan O’Keefe UCF

Last season, O’Keefe earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. He earned this spot by
racking up 812 yards and 7 touchdowns in 84 receptions. After watching his film from the 2021
season, I was very impressed by his straight-line speed on offense and special teams. When he
starts running in a straight line, it is like a ball rolling down a hill. I am excited to see what he
can do this season.

Wide Receiver – Rashee Rice SMU

This last season, Rice was an All-Conference Honorable Mention. He has also been very
consistent for SMU the past two seasons. In 2020, he racked up 683 yards and 5 touchdowns with
only 48 receptions. Then, in 2021, he had 670 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Rice is a very good athlete who has good acceleration and explosiveness off the snap. This allows him to quickly gain separation on the opposing defender and make a play on the ball.

Tight End – Josh Whyle Cincinnati

Although Whyle was only an honorable mention last year for the All-Conference team, I expect
him to have a tremendous upcoming season. With Ridder being gone, I think Whyle will have a
bigger presence as a run blocker. I should also note that Whyle is a solid route runner with good
grip strength. This allows him to be a very dangerous threat up the middle for short and
intermediate gains.

Offensive Tackle – Dylan O’Quinn Cincinnati

A big reason why Cincinnati’s offense has been very effective the past few years, is due to their
offensive line. Dylan O’Quinn has been one of the biggest contributing factors. O’Quinn is a
very good pass blocker, who has a low center of gravity. This forces the defender to try and beat
him with their speed. But, O’Quinn does a good job of forcing the defender vertically to force
them off balance.

Offensive Tackle – Patrick Paul Houston

Patrick Paul has been a very good blindside blocker for Houston thus far. He has a very good
frame, standing at 6’7” and weighing 315 lbs. This allows him to be effective against a speed rush
and a bull rush. He has quick feet and a strong upper body, which is a combination a defender
hates to see. His quick feet allow him to react quickly to what a defender is doing and react accordingly. The strong upper body allows him to overpower defenders who are significantly smaller than him.

Offensive Guard – Lorenz Metz Cincinnati

Lorenz Metz is one of the most impressive offensive linemen I have seen with his size. Metz is
6’9” and 326 lbs., and yes you read that correctly. We are talking about a player who is 6’9”. Although he is very big for a guard, he has solid mobility. This allows him to be a good pulling guard for the ball carrier. His long and strong arms can make any defensive lineman look small. He is also pretty versatile, he has
played all over the offensive line for Cincinnati, but has found his home at RG.

Offensive Guard – Lokahi Pauole UCF

Similar to Lorenz Metz, Lokahi Pauole is a very powerful guard for UCF. His power is even
more impressive than Metz, because of Pauole’s smaller frame being 6’4” and 305 lbs. He won’t
blow you away with his ability to move defenders, but he is very good at containing them. This
is why I think he will be a very good pass blocker this upcoming season.

Center – Jake Renfro Cincinnati

Renfro is in my opinion the best offensive lineman in the AAC. He has quick feet and a low center
of gravity. I love when a center has this combination, because he can react quickly after snapping
the ball. He also does a very good job of forcing the opposing defensive lineman vertically and
on their heels. His versatility is another reason why I think he is such a great talent. He is
versatile because he is a great pass blocker and run blocker. I also think he is a very good pulling
lineman, which speaks to his ability to lead the way for the running back.

Defensive End – Derek Parish Houston

Parish was a vital part to Houston’s success last season. During the 2021 season, Parish had 54
total tackles (25 solo) and 5 sacks. When watching his film, I was very impressed by how
explosive he is off the snap. His explosiveness, blended with his good acceleration, allows him to
blow past the line with ease. I have high expectations for Parish this year due to how much
experience he has.

Defensive End – Malik Vann Cincinnati

This pick may be a little shocking because Vann has been a primarily a rotational DE his entire career
so far. But, I think he will have his best season this fall. With many of Cincinnati’s
defenders in the NFL, it opens up the door for Vann to have a big impact. Vann is a solid blend
of speed and power which allows him to keep the offensive line guessing. During the 2021
season, Vann had 33 total tackles (19 solo), 3.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Keep in mind, he did
this as a situational defensive end. If he is a full-time starter this season, I can see him making a
lot of noise.

Defensive Tackle – Elijah Chatman SMU

Elijah Chatman has had a very impressive career at SMU up til now. His most impressive season by
far was last season. During this season, Chatman had 40 total tackles (25 solo), 2.5 sacks and 1
forced fumble. Chatman does a very good job of clogging up lanes in the middle of the offensive
line. He is also good at bull rushing and applying pressure to the QB when he is in the pocket.

Defensive Tackle – Jaxon Player Tulsa

Player is one of the most powerful defensive linemen in the American Athletic Conference.
When watching his film, I was impressed with his ability to overpower offensive linemen.
Although he struggles at times to make plays on his own, he is a very good complimentary piece
to Tulsa’s defense. Last season, Player had 50 total tackles (22 solo), 5 sacks and 1 forced
fumble. I hope these stats carry over into this season, because I expect him to take a huge step forward this year.

Linebacker – Deshawn Pace Cincinnati

Deshawn Pace is one of the most decorated players on the Cincinnati defense. Last season, Pace
racked up 95 tackles (45 solo), 0.5 sacks and 4 interceptions. Being on the field next to 6th round
pick Darrian Beavers was a big contributor to Cincinnati’s success. When watching his film, I
was impressed with his efficiency in coverage. He plays his best as a strong side linebacker in a
4-3 system. This allows him to thrive in zone coverage and as a run stopper. This coming season, I
think that Pace will be the top linebacker in the conference.

Linebacker – Donavan Mutin Houston

Last season, Donavan Mutin was one of the most electrifying players in the American Athletic
Conference. During this season, Mutin racked up 77 total tackles (46 solo), 2 sacks and 3 forced
fumbles. These stats are even more impressive given the fact that he experienced a Grade-1
concussion during the season. This season, I expect him to be arguably the best player on the
already stacked Houston defense.

Linebacker – Antonio Grier USF

Antonio Grier is a very athletic linebacker and is easily one of the best in the conference. When
watching his film, I loved his ability to quickly close down on a receiver in the middle of the
field. His good acceleration and explosiveness is what makes him such a special talent. Last
season, Grier racked up 85 total tackles (46 solo), 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 2 interceptions.
His most impressive game last season was against the #5  team in the nation, Cincinnati. In this game, he
racked up 14 total tackles in which 13 were solo.

Cornerback – Arquon Bush Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s secondary last season was easily one of the best in the nation. Bush was often
overlooked, because he was sharing the field with Sauce Gardner, Coby Bryant and Bryan Cook.
However, I expect Bush to have a breakout year this upcoming season, if he has a season similar to last
year. Last season, Bush had 40 total tackles (27 solo), 1 sack, 3 interceptions and 6 passes
defensed. Bush has very good ball skills as well as body control. It is almost like he is a corner
with wide receiver instincts, which is basically a cheat code.

Cornerback – Alex Hogan Houston

Alex Hogan has some of the quickest hips out of all the corners in the conference. I love his
ability to shift his hips quickly and take off glued to the receiver’s hip. With Damarion Williams
and Marcus Jones both gone, I expect Hogan to have a huge role on defense this season. Last
season, Hogan had 27 total tackles (22 solo), 6 passes defensed and 2 interceptions. This next
season, I can see Hogan racking up around 45 tackles with 3 interceptions and 7 passes defensed.

Cornerback – Davonte Brown UCF

Davonte Brown is a lanky corner who is very good in man to man coverage. He is very explosive
and has very good ball skills as well. Last season, Brown had 37 tackles (24 solo), 1 interception
and 13 passes defensed. As a sophomore, Brown was ranked 8th in the nation in passes defensed.
I can’t imagine what he might do this next season if he continues to improve.

Safety – Ja’von Hicks Cincinnati

Yet again, we have another Cincinnati defensive back making the AAC All Conference team.
Hicks has incredible instincts when he is playing in deep zone coverage. He is a tremendous
athlete with great body control and ball skills. When the ball is thrown in his direction, he seems
to always make a play on it. He is also very difficult to lose in open field. What makes him so
special is his ability to stick to a receiver and make a tackle in the open field.

Safety – Quindell Johnson Memphis

When watching film on Johnson, I was impressed with how patient he is when in coverage. He
does a good job of sitting off the receiver just enough to bait a throw in his direction. Once the ball
leaves the quarterback’s hands, he takes off and either picks the ball off, or deflects it away. This
makes it very difficult for the opposing team to have any kind of passing game. Last season,
Johnson racked up 104 tackles (66 solo), 1 interception and 11 passes defensed. Yes, you read
that correctly, 11 passes defensed. That is almost unheard of at the college level, which is why I
think he will be a unanimous All Conference 1 st Team lock.

Kicker – Spencer Shrader USF

In my opinion, Spencer Shrader was the most impressive kicker to watch during the 2021 season.
According to ESPN, Shrader attempted 13 field goals and made 11 of them, only missing from 40 yards and longer. He also attempted a total of 35 field goals and made all of them. Hopefully,
Shrader can carry this efficiency into next season.

Punter – Laine Wilkins Houston

Wilkins had a very impressive 2021 season. According to PFF, Wilson punted the ball 59 times
for 2,451 yards. This means that he averaged around 41.5 yards per attempt. I think he will be
very good next season and hopefully he will turn some NFL scouts heads.