When it comes to the title of “Most Mountain West Player”, the idea is to identify the players who are good but not transcendent stars. These are players who are talented but not household names to college football fans outside of the Mountain West Conference. These are often solid players whose talents and production are appreciated more by watching a season’s worth of conference games rather than catching highlights on ESPN or getting national attention from sports media. It may be the best player on the team,
and for other teams, it may simply be one of the better players. The main rule is that their in-conference reputation has to be far greater than their out-of-conference reputation.
Here is last year’s version for reference.
Note: In previous years, team writers submitted a player for each team. This year, Mike is handling this post solo. However, some teams will feature players from the 2023 version, and credit will be given to those who did the write-up. For all of those without a name, it’s from Mike.
Air Force:
Payton Zdroik
For the Falcons, Payton Zdroik appears here for the third season in a row. He has been a stalwart on the Air Force defensive line as an underrated player playing one of the most underrated positions. Zdroik is entering his third season as a starter and as a defensive tackle, and while he doesn’t have huge stats, he has had huge production. He combines strength and quickness, making him tough to block. He missed most of last season with an injury, meaning he is even more off the radar in 2025. But when healthy, Payton is one of the best DTs in the Mountain West, even.
Boise State:
Malik Sherrod
Malik Sherrod would have a case for this spot even if he were still on the Fresno State roster, but being on his second Mountain West team doesn’t hurt. Entering his sixth season in the conference, he has steadily put up over 1600 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. An injury in 2024 kept him from replicating his 2023 performance of 966 yards and 9 TDs while splitting carries, but regardless, Malik is still one of the best returning running backs in the conference this season, despite little time in the national spotlight.
Colorado State:
Aaron Karas
People may not know this, but the Rams have one of the best offensive linemen in the Mountain West with right tackle Aaron Karas. Offensive linemen are always underrated, but Karas takes it to another level, getting overshadowed a bit by the big names on the Boise State or Wyoming OL units. Regardless, he has been a key contributor since 2023, playing in every game but one as a redshirt freshman and stepping into a starting role since last season. Karas is still only a redshirt junior, so he will have another year to provide his strong play for Colorado State.
Fresno State:
Alzillion Hamilton
Who is the best cornerback in the Mountain West? A few players may come to mind, but one of them is definitely Alzillion Hamilton. He’s in his fourth year of regular playing time for the Bulldogs in some form, and his third season as a full-time starter. In 2024, Hamilton set or tied career highs in tackles (52), TFLs (5), INTs (2), FF 2), and PD (13). He is stuffing the state sheet and is one of the leaders of the Fresno State defense. His name isn’t mentioned much in national circles, but it should be.
Hawaii:
Logan Taylor (Provided by Jeremy)
For yet another season, linebacker Logan Taylor, in my eyes, is the most Mountain West football player for the Warriors. After missing last season with an injury, he may be flying under the radar even more. Maybe not the most physically gifted player around, Taylor punches well above his weight to give Hawaii a chance. His entrance into the starting lineup last season gave the Warriors a boost. The defense started the season horribly, but finished admirably, largely thanks to Taylor’s influence. That, to me, makes him the most Mountain West football player for UH. No, he’s probably not going to show up on any early mock drafts. But he will fight his rear end off and give Hawaii a puncher’s chance through leadership and example.
Nevada:
Andrew Madrigal
Among all the Wolf Pack players transferring in and transferring out, center Andrew Madrigal has been a steady presence for the offense. He’s been playing consistently since his redshirt freshman season back in 2022 and has been the leader of the offensive line, starting 25 games in 2023 and 2024. Madrigal is finally a senior, but his production and consistency have not led to much fanfare outside of Nevada, much less outside of the Mountain West Conference.
New Mexico:
Tavian Combs
The Lobos have been through a few coaching changes and have arguably experienced more roster turnover than most other Mountain West teams over the past few seasons. However, one constant on the roster is defensive back Tavian Combs. Playing under three different coaches dating back to 2020, he is one of the elder statesmen in the conference, although injuries have held him back in a few seasons. When healthy, Combs is productive, notably during his 2021 breakout season. In his career, he has totaled 210 tackles, three INTs, seven passes defended, and four forced fumbles.
San Diego State:
Chris Johnson
The Aztecs quietly have one of the top secondary units in the Mountain West, despite their struggles on the field. One of the biggest reasons is star cornerback Chris Johnson. While he has a generic name, there is nothing vanilla about his game. Playing 12 games from 2022-2024, he has totaled 103 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended, and four forced fumbles during that span. Johnson is a top defensive back in the conference despite not making a lot of headlines otherwise.
San Jose State:
Jordan Pollard
People around the country, or even people around the Mountain West may not know there was a MW player who had 115 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 defended pass last season. While Nick Nash was gaining the headlines, his teammate, linebacker Jordan Pollard, was quietly putting up an excellent defensive season. He’s a bit undersized, but has been producing for nearly three seasons now, quietly going about his business. For the 2025 season, Pollard will once again lead the Spartan defense and is a good bet to match his 2024 numbers, doing it with little attention and fanfare outside the conference.
UNLV:
Marsel McDuffie
Everyone remembers Jackson Woodard leading the Rebels’ defense over the last two seasons, but few know that fellow linebacker Marsel McDuffie was also extremely productive. After appearing in 10 games in 2022, he broke out in 2023, compiling 89 tackles as a starter. However, injuries limited McDuffie last season, although he still produced 46 tackles and 8 tackles for loss in 9 games. He has stayed with the new coaching staff and figures to remain one of the most productive players on the UNLV defense going forward.
Utah State:
Noah Avenger
He made the list last season for New Mexico, but now Noah Avinger is on his third Mountain West team, so he has to be on the list. He has a world of talent, and has been a starter for two different teams between some bouts of injuries. After spending time at safety and in a hybrid safety role, Avinger is now moving to cornerback for the Aggies. His ability to tackle in the open field, combined with his skills to defend passes, should prove vital for the USU secondary. Whether it’s for his strong play or his tour of MW teams, everyone in the conference knows who he is.
Wyoming:
John Michael Gyllenborg
The Cowboys have a long track record of turning unheralded recruits into NFL players. This seems like the path that senior tight end John Michael Gyllenborg is on. Standing at a towering 6’5” and weighing 250 lbs, he has the NFL size and the production to back it up. Gyllenborg battled some injuries in 2024, but still managed to put up 425 yards and three touchdowns in only nine games. He makes the most of his receptions, averaging 14.4 yards per catch over his three-year career. Add in his skills as a blocker in the run game and John Michael is quietly one of the most well-rounded TEs in the country. He doesn’t have the highlight-reel catches, but instead goes about his work and produces, making him someone who flies under the national radar despite having a bright future.
