COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Three San Diego State football players were named to the 2021 Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team, the league announced Thursday. Senior offensive lineman Zachary Thomas (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad High) represented the Aztec offense, while junior defensive end Cameron Thomas (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad High) and senior linebacker Caden McDonald (Haslet, Texas) each made the team from the defensive side of the ball.
The all-conference team and preseason poll are voted on by media representatives who cover the conference. Yesterday, SDSU was picked third in the West Division of the preseason MW poll.
Zachary Thomas is the projected left tackle for SDSU in 2021 after garnering second-team all-MW honors last year while playing right tackle. Zachary Thomas started all eight games in 2020 and was a member of a team that was named to the Joe Moore Midseason Honor Roll for the best offensive line (one of only two Mountain West teams (also Air Force)). Thomas allowed just two sacks in 220 passing plays (0.91 pct.) and four pressures (1.82 pct.), while not recording a penalty in 560 offensive snaps.
Zachary Thomas has also been named to the preseason all-MW first team by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Pro Football Focus, and is labeled as "SDSU's best offensive player" by College Football News.
Cameron Thomas had another great year in 2020, moving over from defensive tackle to defensive end midway through the season, totaling 35 tackles (21 solo) in eight starts, including 9.5 tackles for 48 yards of loss, four sacks for 34 yards and 14 quarterback hurries. Cameron Thomas, who was named a first-team all-MW pick and the team's Defensive Lineman of the Year for a second straight season, also ranked second in FBS in 2020 in quarterback pressures (37) among DI (defensive interiors) in just eight games according to Pro Football Focus, only two short of Alabama's Christian Barmore's 39 accomplished in 12 games. He recorded 27 of his 35 tackles over the final three games, including a career-high 14 tackles (11 solo), a 12-yard sack, a career-best three tackles for loss at Colorado en route to being named to the Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week.
Cameron Thomas has also been named to the Bednarik Award Watch List for the college defensive player of the year, and is a preseason first-team selection by Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports and Pro Football Focus (interior defensive lineman). Additionally, he's listed as SDSU's second-best defensive player by College Football News.
McDonald, meanwhile, is coming off a breakout season in 2020 where he totaled 34 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss for 48 yards, 4.5 sacks for 33 yards, 10 quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and a forced fumble, starting all eight of the team's games. For his efforts, he was named a first-team all-MW selection. His best game came against UNLV on Oct. 24 when he posted career highs of eight tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries en route to being named the MW Defensive Player of the Week. His 2.5 sacks matched the most by a SDSU player since Jay Henderson's three sacks vs. Northern Illinois on Sept. 30, 2017.
McDonald joined Cameron Thomas on the Bednarik Award Watch List for the college defensive player of the year, and has been named a preseason all-MW first-team pick by Athlon Sports, a second-team selection by Phil Steele Magazine and a fourth-team pick by Pro Football Focus as an edge defender. He was also deemed SDSU's best defensive player by College Football News.
The Aztecs finished 4-4 last year with their four losses coming to teams that went a combined 29-6 (.829).
San Diego State will play seven of its 12 games in 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., and will have only one road contest over the first six weeks of the season. The 2021 home slate features high-profile games against Utah, Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada. Five of the six FBS opponents that the Aztecs will play host to this season finished the 2020 campaign with a .500 or better record. SDSU opens 2021 at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, Sept. 4 against New Mexico State.
San Diego State football single-game tickets go on sale on Monday. Season tickets are also available now, starting at just $149, and fans can select their seats when ordering online at GoAztecs.com/tickets. Additionally, three-game mini plans, starting at just $65, are also currently on sale. For questions, please contact the Aztec Athletic Ticket Office, either by email at aztix@sdsu.edu, or by phone at 619-283-7378.
Notes: Only three programs (Boise State, Nevada and San José State) have more players (4) on the preseason team than San Diego State … SDSU has at least three all-MW preseason picks in seven straight years after doing so just four times over the previous 10 years (2005-14) … San Diego State has multiple players on the defensive team in three straight years for the first time in league history (since 1999) … The Aztecs have had at least one defensive player on the preseason all-MW team in 10 of the last 11 seasons … SDSU had an offensive player make the team after not having one last year for the first time since 2008 and having multiple players the previous five seasons (2015-19) … LT Zachary Thomas gives the Aztecs at least one offensive lineman on the preseason team for the third time in the last four seasons (four total selections) … DE Cameron Thomas is on the preseason team for a second straight season, the first time in league history an Aztec defensive lineman has been on multiple preseason teams … LB Caden McDonald is just the second SDSU linebacker to make the preseason team since 2016 (also Kyahva Tezino in 2019).
2021 Mountain West Football Preseason Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Carson Strong, Jr., QB, Nevada
Defensive Player of the Year: Cade Hall, Sr., DL, San José State
Special Teams Player of the Year: Savon Scarver, Sr., KR, Utah State
2021 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team
Offense
QBCarson Strong, Nevada
WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada
WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State
RB Xazavian Valladay, Wyoming
RB Ronnie Rivers, Fresno State
OL Keegan Cryder, Wyoming
OLJohn Ojukwu, Boise State
OL Jack Snyder, San José State
OL Zachary Thomas, San Diego State
OL Jake Stetz, Boise State
TE Cole Turner, Nevada
Defense
DL Cade Hall, San José State
DL Cameron Thomas, San Diego State
DL Scott Patchan, Colorado State
DL Viliami Fehoko, San José State
LB Chad Muma, Wyoming
LB Caden McDonald, San Diego State
LB Darius Muasau, Hawai'i
DB Kekaula Kaniho, Boise State
DB Jerrick Reed II, New Mexico
DB Cortez Davis, Hawai'i
DB Tre Jenkins, San José State
Specialists
P Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State
PK Brandon Talton, Nevada
PR Calvin Turner, Hawai'i
KR Savon Scarver, Utah State
Three Aztecs Named MW Preseason All-Conference
