Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders could be the first player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft but was not the best player on his own team or, arguably, the best quarterback in the region.
In fact, he might not have been one of the three or four top players in the western third of the country.
That’s no knock on Sanders, who was sensational.
Rather, it’s a reflection of the depth of high-end talent across the region, from Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty to Arizona State tailback Cam Skattebo, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The Hotline attempted to corral that talent and craft the first annual Best of the West all-region team.
We couldn’t pack the deserving players into one lineup, so we created a second team.
First team
Offense
QB: Oregon’s Dillon GabrielRB: Arizona State’s Cam SkatteboRB: Boise State’s Ashton JeantyWR: Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillanWR: Arizona State’s Jordyn TysonWR: San Jose State’s Nick NashTE: Boise State’s Matt LauterOL: Oregon’s Josh ConerlyOL: Oregon State’s Joshua GrayOL: Arizona State’s Leif FautanuOL: Utah’s Spencer FanoOL: Oregon’s Ajani CorneliusAP: Oregon’s Tez Johnson
Defense
DL: UCLA’s Jay ToiaDL: Colorado’s BJ Green IIDL: Oregon’s Derrick HarmonDL: Boise State’s Ahmed HassaneinEdge: San Diego State’s Trey WhiteLB: UCLA’s Carson SchwesingerLB: UNLV’s Jackson WoodardLB: Oregon’s Bryce BoettcherDB: Colorado’s Travis HunterDB: Cal’s Nohl WilliamsDB: Arizona’s Tacario DavisDB: Washington’s Thaddeus Dixon
Special teams
K: Brigham Young’s Will FerrinP: Cal’s Lachlan WilsonRS: Brigham Young’s Keelan Marion
Second team
Offense
QB: Colorado’s Shedeur SandersRB: Oregon’s Jordan JamesRB: USC’s Woody MarksWR: Colorado’s Travis HunterWR: Washington State’s Kyle WilliamsWR: UNLV’s Ricky WhiteTE: Oregon’s Terrance FergusonOL: USC’s Jonah MonheimOL: Brigham Young’s Caleb EtienneOL: Arizona’s Jonah SavaiinaeaOL: UNLV’s Tiger ShanksOL: Boise State’s Ben DooleyAP: USC’s Makai Lemon
Defense
DL: Oregon’s Jordan BurchDL: Brigham Young’s Tyler BattyDL: Arizona State’s C.J. FiteDL: Oregon’s Matayo UiagaleleiEdge: Boise State’s Jayden Virgin-MorganLB: Washington’s Carson BruenerLB: Cal’s Teddye BuchananLB: Arizona State’s Caleb McCulloughDB: Oregon’s Jabbar MuhammadDB: Arizona State’s Xavion AlfordDB: Oregon’s Nikko ReedDB: Washington State’s Ethan O’Connor
Special teams
K: Oregon’s Atticus SappingtonP: Utah’s Jack BouwmeesterRS: Fresno State’s Jalen Moss
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College Football Playoff field set: SMU’s in, Alabama’s out and there could be consequences
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