Utah Football’s Devon Dampier, Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu Earn Preseason Big 12 Accolades

SALT LAKE CITY—Media members picked Utah’s new signal-caller Devon Dampier and offensive bookends Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu to the Preseason All‑Big 12 squad, the league announced Monday.

Kyle Whittingham, along with quarterback Devon Dampier, offensive tackle Spencer Fano, linebacker Lander Barton, and cornerback Smith Snowden, will travel to Frisco, TX for Big 12 media days this week.

Both days will be broadcast in their entirety on ESPNU and ESPN+, with portions of the event broadcast live on ESPN2 for the first time.

.@Big12Conference 2025 Preseason📋

𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: @Devonddampier
𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: @FanoSpencer x @CalebLomu51

📰: https://t.co/mzUAGqduoo#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/UeYqSasLw5

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) July 7, 2025

Devon Dampier, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year

The junior transfer from New Mexico, didn’t waste any time making noise. Voted Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, the Phoenix native piled up 3,934 yards of total offense in 2024—2,768 through the air (second‑best in the Mountain West) and a conference‑leading 1,166 on the ground.

He averaged a whopping 7.52 yards per carry, scored 19 touchdowns, and became the first New Mexico QB to rush for over 1,000 yards—six times crossing the 100‑yard mark last season.

Dampier comes to Utah with full command of the offense he’ll be executing this fall. A unique luxury afforded by the fact that he followed his New Mexico offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, to Utah, which should help him in his transition to a higher level of competition.

Dampier, Fano, Snowden, & Barton are ready for @Big12Conference Media Days! pic.twitter.com/Nd9c995JN7

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) June 30, 2025

Spencer Fano, All-Big 12 Conference Team

Fano enters the 2025 season with a considerable amount of preseason buzz. He is already considered one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft and is viewed as one of the top linemen in the country.

He manned right tackle in all 12 games for Utah in 2024 and landed on the All‑Big 12 First Team after a monster year. Fano collected three All‑America nods (PFF First Team, AP Second Team, Walter Camp Second Team) and was PFF’s top run‑blocking tackle (91.8 grade) in the regular season, over three points clear of anyone else.

Fano is a major key to Utah’s outlook in 2025 and he’ll be tasked with leading the O-Block this season.

Caleb Lomu, All-Big 12 Conference Team

Though not as established, Lomu also enters the 2025 season with a growing amount of interest as an NFL Draft prospect. Lomu had an impressive first season as a starter and is on a similar trajectory as his counterpart.

The redshirt sophomore left tackle from Gilbert, Arizona, started all 12 games in 2024 and earned Midseason Freshman All‑American honors from The Athletic. He’s also a two‑time academic standout (CFCA All‑District, Academic All‑Big 12) and was on the Polynesian Player of the Year watch list last season.

Together with Fano, Lomu anchors an O‑line that brings back all five starters from last year—no small feat in today’s transfer‑portal era.

Big 12 Media’s 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State, RS-So.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech, Sr.

Newcomer of the Year: Devon Dampier, QB, Utah, Jr.

Preseason All-Conference Team (Offense)

QB: Sam Leavitt, Arizona State, RS-So.

RB: Bryson Washington, Baylor, RS-So.

RB: Jahiem White, West Virginia, Jr.

FB/H-Back: Will Swanson, Kansas State, Sr.

WR: Eric McAlister, TCU, Sr.

WR: Chase Roberts, BYU, RS-Sr.

WR: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, RS-Jr.

TE: Joe Royer, Cincinnati, RS-Sr.

OL: Ben Coleman, Arizona State, Gr.

OL: Spencer Fano, Utah, Jr.

OL: Bryce Foster, Kansas, RS-Jr.

OL: Caleb Lomu, Utah, RS-So.

OL: Jordan Seaton, Colorado, So.

PK: Will Ferrin, BYU, RS-Sr.

PR/KR: Josh Cameron, Baylor, RS-Sr.

Preseason All-Conference Team

DL: David Bailey, Texas Tech, Sr.

DL: Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati, RS-Sr.

DL: C.J. Fite, Arizona State, Jr.

DL: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech, Sr.

DL: Dominique Orange, Iowa State, Sr.

LB: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, Sr.

LB: Austin Romaine, Kansas State, Jr.

LB: Keaton Thomas, Baylor, RS-Jr.

DB: Xavion Alford, Arizona State, RS-Sr.

DB: Bud Clark, TCU, Sr.

DB: Jeremiah Cooper, Iowa State, Sr.

DB: DJ McKinney, Colorado, Jr.

DB: Jontez Williams, Iowa State, RS-Jr.

P: Palmer Williams, Baylor, Jr.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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