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Big 12 Football: Midseason awards and superlatives

By Shane Lunnen

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to pass against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first quarter during Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to pass against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first quarter during Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
(Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

3. Best Defensive Player – DE Jordan Brailford

The Big 12 conference gets a reputation of all offense and no defense. While a lot of the games do live up to that philosophy, there are still some great defensive players in the conference. There is no better one at mid-season than Oklahoma State defensive end Jordan Brailford.

Brailford is not just the best defensive player in the Big 12, he is one of the best defensive players in the country. The junior from Tulsa is having a breakout season, leading the conference in total sacks with eight. He also has tallied 26 total tackles. Brailford is only a half sack behind the leaders in the country, which is a three-way tie at the top. He has a shot to end the year at the top of the sack list.

His monster game came against Kansas where he recorded eight total tackles, five of them for loss, three sacks and a pass defensed in the Cowboys win over the Jayhawks.

Brailford’s name is surely being mentioned for some post-season awards and honors, such as the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the nation’s top defensive end. As long as his second half of the season is as good as his first half was, he should be in the running for all kinds of honors by the end of the season.

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