Now that the roster is out and we know who is coming back, I thought I'd refresh the look at returning first or second team all-conference or honorable mention players as well as players who played 100+ snaps the previous year at a 70+ PFF grade. What I found (parenthetically in each season's heading is the final Sagarin ranking that season; reminder that the below are RETURNING talent, that is, players are listed for their performance the previous season):
2015 (#5)
First team all-conference (0): None
Second team all-conference (2): TE Austin Hooper, OL Kyle Murphy
Honorable mention (2): LB Kevin Anderson, LB Blake Martinez
Offensive 70+ (9): RB Christian McCaffrey, OL Graham Shuler, OL David Bright, TE Austin Hooper, OL Kyle Murphy, WR Devon Cajuste, OL Brendon Austin, OL Joshua Garnett, QB Kevin Hogan
Defensive 70+ (2): LB Blake Martinez, LB Peter Kalambayi
2016 (#18)
First team all-conference (1): RB/RS Christian McCaffrey
Second team all-conference (0): None
Honorable mention (5): OL Johnny Caspers, FB Daniel Marx, DL Solomon Thomas, DB Zach Hoffpauir (sort of....he was honorable mention in 2014, went to pro baseball, and then came back), K Conrad Ukropina
Offensive 70+ (10): RB Christian McCaffrey, RB Bryce Love, WR Trent Irwin, WR Michael Rector, TE Dalton Schultz, OL Johnny Caspers, OL David Bright, OL Casey Tucker, FB Daniel Marx, FB Chris Harrell
Defensive 70+ (5): DL Solomon Thomas, LB Peter Kalambayi, LB Mike Tyler, DB Alijah Holder, DB Quenton Meeks
2017 (#21)
First team all-conference (0): None
Second team all-conference (0): None
Honorable mention (9): RB Bryce Love, TE Dalton Schultz, DL Harrison Phillips, LB Joey Alfieri, LB Kevin Palma, DB Justin Reid, DB Quenton Meeks, P Jake Bailey, ST Brandon Simmons
Offensive 70+ (9): QB Keller Chryst, RB Bryce Love, WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, OL David Bright, OL Jesse Burkett, OL Nate Herbig, OL Casey Tucker (kind of, might as well have not been on the roster) OL Brandon Fanaika, OL Nick Wilson
Defensive 70+ (9): DL Harrison Phillips, LB Joey Alfieri, LB Kevin Palma, LB Mike Tyler, DB Justin Reid, DB Quenton Meeks, DB Frank Buncom, DB Alijah Holder, DB Terrence Alexander
2018 (#24)
First team all-conference (2): RB Bryce Love, OL Nate Herbig
Second team all-conference (1): Jake Bailey
Honorable mention (8): WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, OL Jesse Burkett, OL AT Hall, OL Walker Little, LB Bobby Okereke, RS Cameron Scarlett, AP/ST Brandon Simmons, K Jet Toner
Offensive 70+ (11): QB KJ Costello, RB Bryce Love, WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Trent Irwin, WR Connor Wedington, TE Kaden Smith, OL Nate Herbig, OL Jesse Burkett, OL AT Hall, OL Brandon Fanaika, OL Nick Wilson
Defensive 70+ (2): DB Ben Edwards, DB Alijah Holder
2019 (#73)
First team all-conference (2): OL Walker Little, DB Paulson Adebo
Second team all-conference (2): QB KJ Costello, K Jet Toner
Honorable mention (2): TE Colby Parkinson, DL Jovan Swann
Offensive 70+ (1): QB KJ Costello
Defensive 70+ (4): DL Michael Williams, DB Paulson Adebo, DB Malik Antoine, DB Obi Eboh
2020 (because of sample size/pandemic issues this varied wildly but appeared to settle at #38)
First team all-conference (0): None (DB Paulson Adebo was eligible but left the team)
Second team all-conference (1): OL Drew Dalman
Honorable mention (4): OL Foster Sarell, DL Thomas Booker, LB Curtis Robinson, RS Connor Wedington
Offensive 70+ (4): QB Davis Mills, RB Austin Jones, OL Drew Dalman, OL Foster Sarell
Defensive 70+ (2): DL Thomas Booker, DB Malik Antoine (DB Paulson Adebo was eligible but left the team)
2021 (89)
First team all-conference (1): AP/ST Thomas Booker
Second team all-conference (1): DL Thomas Booker
Honorable mention (7): RB Austin Jones, WR Michael Wilson, OL Walter Rouse, FB Houston Heimuli, DB Kyu Blu Kelly, P Ryan Sanborn, RS Nathaniel Peat
Offensive 70+ (1): RB Austin Jones
Defensive 70+ (2): DL Thomas Booker, LB Levani Damuni
2022 (????)
First team all-conference (0): None
Second team all-conference (1): DB Kyu Blu Kelly
Honorable mention (4): OL Branson Bragg, QB Tanner McKee, OL Drake Nugent, TE Benjamin Yurosek
Offensive 70+ (4): OL Drake Nugent, TE Benjamin Yurosek, WR Brycen Tremayne, OL Walter Rouse
Defensive 70+ (0): None
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As I observed last year, the correlations don't seem particularly strong here. The big one that appears evident is that the three worst teams (also the three most recent) are the ones with the least returning PFF 70+ talent. Alas, we again have very little proven talent, less than any year ever under Shaw except for last year. Last year really was bleak to only have Jones, Booker, and Damuni. At least this year we have a good core on offense. But overall.....bleak.
2015 (#5)
First team all-conference (0): None
Second team all-conference (2): TE Austin Hooper, OL Kyle Murphy
Honorable mention (2): LB Kevin Anderson, LB Blake Martinez
Offensive 70+ (9): RB Christian McCaffrey, OL Graham Shuler, OL David Bright, TE Austin Hooper, OL Kyle Murphy, WR Devon Cajuste, OL Brendon Austin, OL Joshua Garnett, QB Kevin Hogan
Defensive 70+ (2): LB Blake Martinez, LB Peter Kalambayi
2016 (#18)
First team all-conference (1): RB/RS Christian McCaffrey
Second team all-conference (0): None
Honorable mention (5): OL Johnny Caspers, FB Daniel Marx, DL Solomon Thomas, DB Zach Hoffpauir (sort of....he was honorable mention in 2014, went to pro baseball, and then came back), K Conrad Ukropina
Offensive 70+ (10): RB Christian McCaffrey, RB Bryce Love, WR Trent Irwin, WR Michael Rector, TE Dalton Schultz, OL Johnny Caspers, OL David Bright, OL Casey Tucker, FB Daniel Marx, FB Chris Harrell
Defensive 70+ (5): DL Solomon Thomas, LB Peter Kalambayi, LB Mike Tyler, DB Alijah Holder, DB Quenton Meeks
2017 (#21)
First team all-conference (0): None
Second team all-conference (0): None
Honorable mention (9): RB Bryce Love, TE Dalton Schultz, DL Harrison Phillips, LB Joey Alfieri, LB Kevin Palma, DB Justin Reid, DB Quenton Meeks, P Jake Bailey, ST Brandon Simmons
Offensive 70+ (9): QB Keller Chryst, RB Bryce Love, WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, OL David Bright, OL Jesse Burkett, OL Nate Herbig, OL Casey Tucker (kind of, might as well have not been on the roster) OL Brandon Fanaika, OL Nick Wilson
Defensive 70+ (9): DL Harrison Phillips, LB Joey Alfieri, LB Kevin Palma, LB Mike Tyler, DB Justin Reid, DB Quenton Meeks, DB Frank Buncom, DB Alijah Holder, DB Terrence Alexander
2018 (#24)
First team all-conference (2): RB Bryce Love, OL Nate Herbig
Second team all-conference (1): Jake Bailey
Honorable mention (8): WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, OL Jesse Burkett, OL AT Hall, OL Walker Little, LB Bobby Okereke, RS Cameron Scarlett, AP/ST Brandon Simmons, K Jet Toner
Offensive 70+ (11): QB KJ Costello, RB Bryce Love, WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Trent Irwin, WR Connor Wedington, TE Kaden Smith, OL Nate Herbig, OL Jesse Burkett, OL AT Hall, OL Brandon Fanaika, OL Nick Wilson
Defensive 70+ (2): DB Ben Edwards, DB Alijah Holder
2019 (#73)
First team all-conference (2): OL Walker Little, DB Paulson Adebo
Second team all-conference (2): QB KJ Costello, K Jet Toner
Honorable mention (2): TE Colby Parkinson, DL Jovan Swann
Offensive 70+ (1): QB KJ Costello
Defensive 70+ (4): DL Michael Williams, DB Paulson Adebo, DB Malik Antoine, DB Obi Eboh
2020 (because of sample size/pandemic issues this varied wildly but appeared to settle at #38)
First team all-conference (0): None (DB Paulson Adebo was eligible but left the team)
Second team all-conference (1): OL Drew Dalman
Honorable mention (4): OL Foster Sarell, DL Thomas Booker, LB Curtis Robinson, RS Connor Wedington
Offensive 70+ (4): QB Davis Mills, RB Austin Jones, OL Drew Dalman, OL Foster Sarell
Defensive 70+ (2): DL Thomas Booker, DB Malik Antoine (DB Paulson Adebo was eligible but left the team)
2021 (89)
First team all-conference (1): AP/ST Thomas Booker
Second team all-conference (1): DL Thomas Booker
Honorable mention (7): RB Austin Jones, WR Michael Wilson, OL Walter Rouse, FB Houston Heimuli, DB Kyu Blu Kelly, P Ryan Sanborn, RS Nathaniel Peat
Offensive 70+ (1): RB Austin Jones
Defensive 70+ (2): DL Thomas Booker, LB Levani Damuni
2022 (????)
First team all-conference (0): None
Second team all-conference (1): DB Kyu Blu Kelly
Honorable mention (4): OL Branson Bragg, QB Tanner McKee, OL Drake Nugent, TE Benjamin Yurosek
Offensive 70+ (4): OL Drake Nugent, TE Benjamin Yurosek, WR Brycen Tremayne, OL Walter Rouse
Defensive 70+ (0): None
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As I observed last year, the correlations don't seem particularly strong here. The big one that appears evident is that the three worst teams (also the three most recent) are the ones with the least returning PFF 70+ talent. Alas, we again have very little proven talent, less than any year ever under Shaw except for last year. Last year really was bleak to only have Jones, Booker, and Damuni. At least this year we have a good core on offense. But overall.....bleak.
