LAS VEGAS – The 2026 Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team was announced today at the Old Trapper Mountain West Football Media Days, being held at The Palms Casino Resort. As selected by a media panel, the team features five student-athletes who were first or second-team All-MW selections in 2025. The 28-member squad is comprised of two graduate students, three sophomores, five juniors and 17 seniors.
Hawai‘i sophomore quarterback
Micah Alejado is the Preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, while New Mexico senior linebacker
Jaxton Eck is the Preseason MW Defensive Player of the Year. North Dakota State junior return-specialist
Jackson Williams is the Preseason MW Special Teams Player of the Year.
Alejado, who was named the 2025 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, led the MW with 24 passing touchdowns, setting both the school and Conference single-season records by a freshman. The native of Las Vegas led the MW and ranked eighth nationally with 282.4 passing yards per game, while also leading the MW with 25.9 completions per contest. Alejado led the Rainbow Warriors to a 9-4 mark in 2025, including a Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl victory over Cal, while completing 285 passes for 3,106 yards. He was the only FBS quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in four consecutive games in 2025. Alejado is the first Rainbow Warrior to earn a MW preseason individual award and the first sophomore in the history of the Conference to be named MW Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
Eck, the 2025 MW Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-MW honoree, started all 13 games for New Mexico, finishing 10
th nationally with 129 tackles. The Brookings, South Dakota, native added 6.5 tackles for loss, including 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Eck is New Mexico’s first MW Preseason Defensive Player of the Year all-time.
Williams becomes North Dakota State’s first MW preseason individual award winner as the Bison make the transition up to FBS. The Omaha, Nebraska, native was a 2025 FCS All-America punt returner after averaging 13.9 yards on 25 returns. He registered one punt return touchdown last season, a 52-yard score against Illinois State on Dec. 6, 2025. Williams returned 14 kickoffs for 32.1 yards per return, including a 100-yard touchdown against Youngstown State on Nov. 1, 2025. He is one of only three Division I players with a kick off and punt return touchdown last season.
2026 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offense
QB - Micah Alejado, So., Hawai‘i
WR - Pofele Ashlock, Sr., Hawai‘i
WR - Troy Omeire, Sr., New Mexico
WR - Taeshaun Lyons, Jr., UNLV
RB - Owen Allen, Sr., Air Force
RB - Jai’Den Thomas, Sr., UNLV
OL - Jack Foster, Sr., Nevada
OL - Malik Aliane, Sr., New Mexico
OL - Griffin Empey, Jr., North Dakota State
OL - Austin Boyd, Sr., UNLV
OL - Rex Johnsen, Sr., Wyoming
TE - Cade Keith, So., New Mexico
Defense
DL - Dylan LaBarbera, Sr., Nevada
DL - Brian Booker, Sr., New Mexico
DL - Keenan Wilson, Jr., North Dakota State
DL - Lucas Conti, Jr., UNLV
LB - Blake Fletcher, Sr., Air Force
LB - Jamih Otis, Sr., Hawai‘i
LB - Jaxton Eck, Sr., New Mexico
LB - Ethan Stuhlsatz, Gr., Wyoming
DB - Elijah Palmer, Sr., Hawai‘i
DB - Aiden Walker, So., Nevada
DB - Darius Givance, Sr., North Dakota State
DB - Jake Pope, Sr., UNLV
Specialists
P - Bart Edmiston, Sr., Wyoming
PK - Joe McFadden, Gr., Nevada
PR - Jackson Williams, Jr., North Dakota State
KR - Jackson Williams, Jr., North Dakota State
Offensive Player of the Year: Micah Alejado, So., QB, Hawai‘i
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaxton Eck, Sr., LB, New Mexico
Special Teams Player of the Year: Jackson Williams, Jr., PR/KR, North Dakota State