Byron Murphy, the top-graded cornerback in the nation, leads PFF's All-Pac 12 selections

The 2018 regular season is in the books and the College Football Playoffs are set. With the culmination of the regular season comes PFF's awards and all-conference selections as well as our All-American lists for both the first and second team.

The All-conference selections have been made by each of PFF's leading conference analyst based mainly on PFF's play-by-play grading process for the entire season as well as cumulative grades, game grades against quality opposition, other PFF advanced statistics and playing time.

The All-Pac 12 selections below are headlined by the first team with the second team listed below each position.

For all other all-conference teams: ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | AAC | C-USA | MWC | MAC | Sun Belt

 

Time is running out to register for the Eckrich $1 Million Dollar Challenge! Register now for your chance to win. Eckrich – Official Sponsor of the College Football Playoff.  

Quarterback

First Team: Gardner Minshew, Washington State

Minshew tore it up in his lone season at Washington State and his 82.3 adjusted completion percentage ranks No. 1 among all FBS quarterbacks.

Second Team: K.J. Costello, Stanford

Running Back

First Team: Eno Benjamin, Arizona State

Benjamin was one of college football's most difficult players to tackle in his breakout season, as he forced 69 missed tackles on rushes, ranking him No. 3 among all FBS running backs.

Second Team: James Williams, Washington State

Running Back

First Team: Joshua Kelley, UCLA

Kelley was head coach Chip Kelly's bell cow back this season, with 642 of his 1,240 rushing yards coming after contact.

Second Team: Zack Moss, Utah

Wide Receiver

First Team: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford

Arcega-Whiteside used his big body to excel at red zone and back shoulder throws and his 89.0 receiving grade ranked No. 7 among all Power-5 wide receivers.

Second Team: N'Keal Harry, Arizona State

Wide Receiver

First Team: Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado

An unfortunate turf-toe injury slowed Shenault's breakout season but he still led Pac-12 wide receivers in yards per route run (3.44), yards after the catch (639) and slot catch rate (86.7%).

Second Team: Shawn Poindexter, Arizona

Wide Receiver

First Team: Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State

The sure-handed Hodgins had only one drop on his 80 pass targets for the season.

Second Team: Dillon Mitchell, Oregon

Tight End

First Team: Caleb Wilson, UCLA

Wilson's yards per route run of 2.53 ranked No. 2 among all Power-5 tight ends.

Second Team: Cole Fotheringham, Utah

Offensive Tackle

First Team: Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon

Throckmorton's pass-blocking grade of 91.6 ranks No. 4 among all FBS tackles.

Second Team: Patrick Mekari, Cal

Offensive Guard

First Team: Shane Lemieux, Oregon

One of the pieces in a very talented Ducks' offensive line, Lemieux didn't allow a sack or QB hit all season and only eight pressures on is 426 pass-blocking snaps.

Second Team: Cody Creason, Arizona

Center

First Team: Nick Harris, Washington

Harris' run-block grade of 75.1 leads all Pac-12 centers and he didn't surrender a sack all season.

Second Team: Jake Hanson, Oregon

Offensive Guard

First Team: Chris Brown, USC

Brown's pass-blocking efficiency rating of 99.1 ties him at No. 6 among all FBS guards.

Second Team: Gus Lavaka, Oregon State

Offensive Tackle

First Team: Andre Dillard, Washington State

Dillard was named our best pass-blocking offensive lineman in the country this season, allowing only one sack, three QB hits and 11 hurries on a whopping 693 pass-blocking snaps.

Second Team: Kaleb McGary, Washington

 

DEFENSE

Edge Defender

First Team: Justin Hollins, Oregon

Hollins posted the highest pass-rush grade (86.8) among all of the Pac-12's edge defenders.

Second Team: Christian Rector, USC

Edge Defender

First Team: Bradlee Anae, Utah

Anae is a consistent pass-rushing threat from the right side of the Utah Utes defense as he notched 11 sacks, six QB hits and 34 hurries on his 429 pass-rushing snaps.

Second Team: Joey Alfieri, Stanford

Defensive Interior

First Team: Greg Gaines, Washington

Gaines is one of the most dominant interior run defenders in the nation and his 92.1 run-defense grade ranks No. 6 among all FBS interior defensive linemen.

Second Team: Mustafa Johnson, Colorado

Defensive Interior

First Team: John Penisini, Utah

Penisini was consistently good against the run and added four sacks, two QB hits and 24 hurries on his 294 pass-rush snaps.

Second Team: PJ Johnson, Arizona

Linebacker

First Team: Evan Weaver, Cal

Weaver graded well as a run-defender (90.8), pass-rusher (81.7) and in coverage (83.7) but his 48 run stops lead all Pac-12 linebackers.

Second Team: Nate Landman, Colorado

Linebacker

First Team: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington

Burr-Kirven leads the Pac-12 linebackers in both tackling grade (90.1) and coverage grade (91.2).

Second Team: Troy Dye, Oregon

Cornerback

First Team: Byron Murphy, Washington

Murhpy's overall grade of 91.9 and coverage grade of 91.9 both lead the nation's cornerbacks as he recorded the Pac-12 Championship Game's lone touchdown on a pick-six to put the exclamation point on his season.

Second Team: Thomas Graham Jr., Oregon

Cornerback

First Team: Paulson Adebo, Stanford

Adebo's monster performance against Stanford propelled his grade to the first team, as he had arguably the catch of the year with his end-zone interception.

Second Team: Camryn Bynum, Cal

Safety

First Team: Taylor Rapp, Washington

Rapp is a rare player with the ability to play any back-seven position if needed. He finishes the regular season as our highest-graded safety in the nation (91.4) and displayed his versatility with five sacks, two interceptions and five pass breakups.

Second Team: Jevon Holland, Oregon

Safety

First Team: Ashtyn Davis, Cal

Davis is a rangy and athletic back-end defender who made eight plays on the ball in 2018 (four interceptions and four pass breakups).

Second Team: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Arizona

Flex Defense

First Team: Cameron Smith, USC

Smith made a splash as a freshman and improved his grade every year since, and his 91.2 run-defense grade leads all Pac-12 linebackers.

Second Team: Chase Hansen, Utah

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

First Team: Matt Gay, Utah

Gay kicked made 23 of his 28 field goal attempts including two from 50-plus yards.

Second Team: Jet Toner, Stanford

Punter

First Team: Jake Bailey, Stanford

Bailey's conference-leading average hang time of 4.42 led to a conference's lowest percentage of returned punts at 17.0.

Second Team: Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah

Kick Returner

First Team: Ashtyn Davis, Cal

Davis pulling double-duty on the Pac-12 first team as he leads the Pac-12 in both kick return yards (607) as well as kick-return grade.

Second Team: Velus Jones Jr., USC

Punt Returner

First Team: Tyler Vaughns, USC

Vaughns averaged 10.5 yards per return including an 82-yard touchdown against Arizona State.

Second Team: Trenton Irwin, Stanford