— The new guys on the block already have one up on their Big 12 counterparts with the release of the preseason All-Big 12 team Wednesday, selected by media which covers the conference.

West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith is the Big 12 preseason Offensive Player of the Year, beating out Oklahoma’s Landry Jones. Smith will lead West Virginia into its first season of Big 12 football.

Smith, a 6-foot-3 senior, enters the 2012 campaign with 26 consecutive starts. He was an All-Big East first team selection last year after leading the Mountaineers to their league title. Smith threw for 4,385 yards in 13 games, the fourth-best total in the NCAA in 2011. He earned Most Valuable Player of the Orange Bowl after setting five of the bowl’s records in WVU’s 70-33 win over Clemson.

Texas lineman Alex Okafor is the preseason Defensive Player of the Year and is one of three Longhorn defenders selected. Okafor was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection last season as well as an AFCA All-American. He posted 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, 17 pressures, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2011 after transitioning back to defensive end from defensive tackle.

Freshman wide receiver Trey Metoyer of Oklahoma is the preseason Newcomer of the Year.

Metoyer caught 108 passes for 1,540 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior in 2010 at Whitehouse (Texas) High School. He had at least 15 touchdowns in three straight years of prep ball and was listed as the No. 2 wide receiver recruit in 2011 by Rivals.com. After spending a year at Hargrave Military Academy, Metoyer led all OU players with six receptions for 72 yards at the team’s annual spring game in April.

Also for the Sooners, wide receiver Kenny Stills, lineman Gabe Ikard on defense, linemen Ben Habern and Jarmarkus McFarland and defensive back Tony Jefferson were selected. Oklahoma State had lineman Lane Taylor, running back Joseph Randle on offense, Quinn Sharp as punter and kicker and defensive back Brodrick Brown on the squad.

Offensive Player of the Year: Geno Smith, West Virginia

Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Okafor, Texas

Newcomer of the Year: Trey Metoyer, Oklahoma

OFFENSE

WR     Kenny Stills #     OU

TE     Jordan Najvar`    Baylor

OL     Gabe Ikard*    OU

OL     Cyril Richardson     Baylor

C     Ben Habern    OU

OL     LaAdrian Waddle    Tex. Tech

OL     Lane Taylor     OSU

WR     Tavon Austin    W. Va.

QB     Geno Smith    W. Va.

RB     Joseph Randle #     OSU

RB     Malcolm Brown    Texas

PK     Quinn Sharp*    OSU

KR     Tyler Lockett#    Kansas St.

DEFENSE

DL     Jackson Jeffcoat#    Texas

DL     Stansly Maponga     TCU

DL     Alex Okafor#     Texas

DL     Jamarkus McFarland     Oklahoma

LB     Arthur Brown *     Kansas St.

LB     A.J. Klein *     Iowa St.

LB     Jake Knott ^#     Iowa St.

DB     Brodrick Brown *     OSU

DB     Kenny Vaccaro *     Texas

DB     Tony Jefferson    Oklahoma

DB     Nigel Malone *     Kansas St.

P     Quinn Sharp ^*     OSU

PR     Tavon Austin     W. Va.

^ 2011 Preseason Team

* 2011 All-Big 12 First Team selection

# 2011 All-Big 12 Second Team selection