Four Beavs make Pac-12 first team

FOUR BEAVERS, seniors Jordan Jenkins, Jordan Poyer and Markus Wheaton, and sophomore Scott Crichton, have been named to the Pac-12 Conference First Team.

Senior Andrew Seumalo, juniors Grant Enger and Rashaad Reynolds, sophomores Brandin Cooks and Trevor Romaine, and freshman Isaac Seumalo earned Honorable Mention.

The Beavers’ four First Team honorees ranks third in the Pac-12 and is the most for OSU since six individuals were on the top squad since 2009, when it was still the Pac-10 conference. The teams were selected by a vote of the 12 head coaches.

CB Jordan Poyer is a candidate for numerous All-America teams and was recently selected a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back) and the Bednarik Award (top defensive player). Poyer has six interceptions this season, tied for the third-best mark in the country; and for his career ranks tied for sixth at OSU with 12. He is the first Beaver defensive back on the First Team since Sabby Piscitelli in 2006 and the first cornerback since Dennis Weathersby in 2002.

WR Markus Wheaton is third on OSU’s career list for receiving yards with 2,834, fourth for career receptions with 212 and tied for sixth for career touchdowns receiving with 15. He is second in the Pac-12 this year for receptions with 76. Wheaton is the first Beaver wide receiver to earn First Team honors since James Rodgers in 2009.

DE Scott Crichton is a semifinalist for the Ted Hendricks Award (top down lineman) and an ESPN.com Midseason All-America selection. Crichton has 40 tackles for the season, including 16 for loss and nine sacks. Crichton was an Honorable Mention selection last season as a redshirt-freshman. He is the first defensive lineman to be selected First Team since Stephen Paea in 2009.

RB Jordan Jenkins earned the honor for his play on special teams. He leads the team in special teams tackles with eight and is a member of the two coverage and kickoff teams. The special teams honor for the Conference is the second for a Beaver as Suaesi Tuimaunei was picked in 2009.

Seumalo is a candidate for the Burlsworth Trophy (top former walkon) and has posted 31 tackles as a defensive lineman. Enger has 19 starts and has played right guard this season. Reynolds is among the national leaders for passes defended and co-leads the team for tackles with 70. Cooks is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top WR) and is sixth for single season yards at OSU with 1,113. Romaine has made 14 of 16 field goals and his 87.5 percentage is the best in the Pac-12. Isaac Seumalo is one of only three true freshmen starting centers in the nation.

The Beavers (8-3, 6-3 in Pac-12) rank No. 15 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and conclude the regular season at home this Saturday at 11:30 a.m. vs. Nicholls State in a rescheduled game from Sept. 1. Tickets are available by contacting OSU at 1-800-GO-BEAVS between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or online at BeaverTickets.com. The game will air live on the Pac-12 Networks.