2021 Preseason SportsPac12 All-Northwest Region Teams

Posted on June 30, 2021

SportsPac12 is pleased to announce its second-annual Preseason Football All-Northwest Region teams for 2021, as well its Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors for Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, and Washington State, as selected by Jack Follman.

Our All-California Region honors will appear next week with Nick Bartlett’s selections, followed by Dane Miller’s All-Southwest/Mountain Region picks two weeks from now.

Our All-SportsPac12 teams will be selected soon after, with Stephen Vilardo and Chris Courtney joining the other three senior football writers in the voting for players and awards across all three regions.

You’ll find a breakdown of All-Northwest Region players by program at the bottom of the page.


  By Jack Follman, SportsPac12

As always, deciding between talented players and coaches is a difficult task, especially in the preseason. We’re bound to have more clarity after the season, when we vote on these same teams in December.

Nonetheless, here’s how I see the All-Northwest teams shaping up as of this summer.

The Ducks lead the way with a total of 21 combined First/Second-Team and individual honor selections, followed by the Huskies with 17, the Cougars with 11, and the Beavers with eight.

Coach of the Year: Jimmy Lake, Washington

While I’m not willing to predict that Washington wins the North, I think they win at least 10 games with their schedule. That would be big in Lake’s first true season as head coach after a long, weird year and a half of waiting for a true season.

Offensive Player of the Year: Max Borghi, Running Back, Washington State

I think Borghi has a huge year in Nick Rolovich’s offense after really getting 1.5 years off. He’s easily the most-exciting offensive player returning in the Northwest this season.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Defensive End, Oregon

Kayvon Thibodeaux | Samual Marshall/Eric Evans Photography

This one seems like a lock for the Northwest and the Pac-12 for Thibodeaux. It’s going to be interesting to see how he looks in what Oregon says should be a more full-time OLB role for him this season.

Offensive Freshman of the Year: Troy Franklin, Wide Receiver, Oregon

Troy Franklin | Abbie Parr/Getty Images via Autzen Zoo

For the purpose of these all-region teams, we’re going to disregard any “super freshmen” who played in 2020. Consequently, I’m going with blue chip WR recruit Franklin, who looked really good in Oregon’s Spring Game and will step into a unit that needs some flash to accompany their steady veterans.

Defensive Freshman of the Year: Justin Flowe, Linebacker, Oregon

Justin Flowe | Abbie Parr/Getty Images via NBC Sports

Flowe redshirted in 2020 due to an injury, and was one of the top recruits at any position in his Class. It will be exciting to see how he plays with fellow super freshman Noah Sewell, also at ILB, for the Ducks.

All-Northwest Region First-Team Offense

QB: Dylan Morris, Washington — There’s no obvious choice here so I’m going with Morris, who was rated very highly in 2020 and super efficient. I don’t think he makes a surprise Heisman run, but I have a feeling he will do great things in Washington’s offense this year.

RB: Max Borghi, Washington State — The Conference’s best all-purpose back since Christian McCaffrey. I’m excited to see the huge rushing and receiving numbers he puts up after missing almost all of 2020.

RB: Travis Dye, Oregon – He didn’t grab any headlines, but I thought Dye was Oregon’s Most Valuable Player in 2020, always making huge plays when the Ducks were struggling and really needed something. He should be excellent in his final season.

WR: Devon Williams, Oregon — The only full package (really talented, proven, skilled) receiver returning in the Northwest this season. He was good in 2020, and could step up to being great in 2021.

WR: Travell Harris, Washington State – Just another super-productive Cougar receiver who flies under the radar. Harris is speedy and consistent and should put up big numbers again in 2021.

TE: Cade Otton, Washington – The Huskies have had some good tight ends in recent seasons and Otton might be the best of them. He could win the Mackey Award this year.

OL: Abraham Lucas, Washington State – The Pac-12’s best pass blocker is a multi-year All-Pac-12 tackle.

OL: Jaxson Kirkland, Washington – The four-year starter moved from guard to left tackle in 2020 and is getting First Round NFL Draft pick and All-American buzz going into this year.

OL: Nathan Eldridge, Oregon State – The super veteran returned for another round after a stellar 2020, plowing the way for endless Jermar Jefferson rushing yards. The Conference’s best center is coming back.

OL: Joshua Gray, Oregon State – Stepped up as a freshman last year and was immediately one of the Pac-12’s best offensive linemen. Should keep progressing in 2021.

OL: Henry Bainivalu, Washington – He might actually be Washington’s most-talented offensive linemen, having broke out in 2020, grading high—and he still could be even better in 2021.

All-Northwest Region First-Team Defense

DL: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon – I know I said earlier that Thibodeaux is supposed to be more of an OLB, but looking at Oregon’s roster, I think he will have to play a lot of traditional DE, at which he is still listed. The crazy thing with Thibodeaux is he actually hasn’t had that many reps in his career, so it will be exciting to see him really play his first full season, as a junior.

DL: Ryan Bowman, Washington – He’s a versatile player who plays a lot of OLB but also lines up at DT occasionally. A powerful pass rusher who is dangerous on third-and-long, and should rack up sacks.

DL: Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington – Keeping ZTF here because he could be back later in the season and he was so impactful in four games in 2020. That could mean a lot. Also, it’s a very thin year for DL in the Pac-12 and Northwest.

DL: Isaac Hodgins, Oregon State – The Beavers have been much-maligned on the DL for years, but turned around some of that in 2020. Hodgins was a big reason why. He’s a good versatile DL.

LB: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington – The former walk-on really emerged in 2020 as one of the Pac-12’s best linebackers. He does everything really well, and is a major effort guy on top of that.

LB: Avery Roberts, Oregon State – A veteran tackling machine who has been integral in helping Oregon State and their defense turn the corner, Roberts is one of the best tacklers in the Conference.

LB: Noah Sewell, Oregon — The five-star recruit showed enough in the shortened 2020 season to suggest he could be the Pac-12’s best linebacker by the end of the 2021 season.

DB: Trent McDuffie, Washington – Close to being unanimously seen as the Pac-12’s best DB and cover corner. He’s started practically from Day One at UW.

DB: Mykael Wright, Oregon – The blazing speed Wright brings to the position makes him a threat to McDuffie as the Pac-12’s top DB. He’s also great in run support.

DB: Jaydon Grant, Oregon State – He’s an underrated DB who is super versatile and great in pass coverage and run support. A skilled playmaker in the back of the Beaver defense.

DB: Jamal Hill, Oregon – The big, long, athletic DB broke out in the Pac-12 Championship Game and should continue to progress as one of the Conference’s scariest DBs.

All-Northwest Region First-Team Special Teams

K: Peyton Henry,Washington – He’s grown a lot as Washington’s kicker the past two years and has made some big kicks in his career.

P: Luke Loecher, Oregon State – The top punter per-punt returning in the Conference.

R: Travell Harris, Washington State – He’s been one of the Pac-12’s most-dangerous returners for years now.

AP/ST: Kyler Gordon, Washington – One of the best pure athletes in the Conference, and it shows in his stellar special teams play.

All-Northwest Region Second-Team Offense

QB: Anthony Brown, Oregon
RB: CJ Verdell, Oregon
RB: Deon McIntosh, Washington State
WR: Johnny Johnson, Oregon
WR: Renard Bell, Washington State
TE: Spencer Webb, Oregon
OL: Victor Curne, Washington
OL: Alex Forsyth, Oregon
OL: TJ Bass, Oregon
OL: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Oregon
OL: Luke Wattenberg, Washington

All-Northwest Region Second-Team Defense

DL: Brennen Jackson, Washington State
DL: Tuli Letuligasenoa, Washington
DL: Popo Aumavae, Oregon
DL: Sam Taimani, Washington
LB: Omar Speights, Oregon State
LB: Jahad Woods, Washington State
LB: Justin Flowe, Oregon
DB: Brendan Radley-Hiles, Washington
DB: Jaylen Watson, Washington State
DB: Kyler Gordon, Washington
DB: Verone McKinley, Oregon