LAS VEGAS — UNLV placed five players on the 2026 Preseason All-Mountain West Team, tying New Mexico for the most selections in the conference as the league announced its preseason honors Wednesday at Old Trapper Mountain West Football Media Days.
Running back Jai’Den Thomas, wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons, offensive lineman Austin Boyd, defensive lineman Lucas Conti and safety Jake Pope represented the Rebels on the preseason team.
The five selections are the second-most in UNLV history, trailing only the six Rebels chosen before the 2024 season. Thomas is the only repeat selection from last year’s preseason team.
Hawai‘i quarterback Micah Alejado was named the Mountain West Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. New Mexico linebacker Jaxton Eck earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors, while North Dakota State return specialist Jackson Williams was selected as the Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year.
UNLV and New Mexico led the conference with five players apiece. Hawai‘i, Nevada and North Dakota State each had four selections, Wyoming placed three players on the team and Air Force had two.
Thomas enters his senior season ranked eighth in UNLV history with 2,457 career rushing yards and fifth with 31 rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 1,036 yards last season and helped the Rebels finish 10-4 during Dan Mullen’s first year as head coach.
Thomas was selected alongside Air Force senior Owen Allen at running back.
Lyons earned one of the three wide receiver positions after his first season at UNLV. He was joined by Hawai‘i senior Pofele Ashlock and New Mexico senior Troy Omeire.
Boyd was one of five offensive linemen chosen. Nevada’s Jack Foster, New Mexico’s Malik Aliane, North Dakota State’s Griffin Empey and Wyoming’s Rex Johnsen completed the group.
Conti represented UNLV on the defensive line alongside Nevada’s Dylan LaBarbera, New Mexico’s Brian Booker and North Dakota State’s Keenan Wilson.
Pope was selected at defensive back with Hawai‘i’s Elijah Palmer, Nevada’s Aiden Walker and North Dakota State’s Darius Givance.
New Mexico matched UNLV with five selections. Omeire, Aliane, tight end Cade Keith, Booker and Eck represented the Lobos, who finished 9-4 last season.
Eck was also selected as the conference’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year. He recorded 129 tackles last season and shared the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year award.
Alejado earned the preseason quarterback position and the conference’s top offensive award after throwing for 3,106 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. He was one of four Hawai‘i players selected, joining Ashlock, linebacker Jamih Otis and Palmer.
North Dakota State had four selections before beginning its first season as a Mountain West member. Empey, Wilson, Givance and Williams represented the Bison.
Williams was selected at both punt returner and kick returner. He also received the conference’s preseason special teams award.
Nevada’s four selections included Foster, LaBarbera, Walker and placekicker Joe McFadden.
Wyoming placed Johnsen, linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz and punter Bart Edmiston on the team. Air Force was represented by Allen and linebacker Blake Fletcher.
San Jose State, Northern Illinois and UTEP did not have a player selected.
The preseason honors were released Wednesday as the Mountain West opened its two-day media event at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas for the first time.
UNLV enters its second season under Mullen after winning 10 games and reaching the Mountain West Championship Game in 2025. The Rebels have appeared in three consecutive conference title games and have won 30 games over the last three seasons.
The program will begin its 59th football season Aug. 29 against Memphis at Allegiant Stadium. The Week Zero game will air nationally on FOX.
UNLV will play six home games during the 2026 season.
The complete 2026 Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team is listed below.
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
Preseason Awards
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