A look at the Mountain West Conference's outstanding players from Rivals.com

BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE STAR: Utah DE Paul Kruger. Kruger capped a solid redshirt freshman season last year by collecting 10 tackles and a sack in a Poinsettia Bowl victory over Navy. The Utes would love to see him pick up where he left off last season.

BEST OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER: San Diego State QB Ryan Lindley. Lindley, a redshirt freshman, ended spring practice as the Aztecs' likely starter. Lindley threw for 3,521 yards and 35 touchdowns his senior year at El Capitan (Calif.) High. If Lindley doesn't win the job, it likely will go to fellow newcomer Drew Westling, who transferred from Southwestern College after beginning his college career at Tulsa.

BEST DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER: TCU DE Braylon Broughton. The Horned Frogs must find a pass rusher to replace Blake and Ortiz. Broughton, a 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman with exceptional athleticism, just might fill the void. The MWC media made Broughton the preseason pick as the conference's freshman of the year. MWC fans also should look out for Wyoming LB Gabe Knapton, a redshirt freshman who performed well enough in spring practice to emerge as the Cowboys' starting middle linebacker. Knapton's uncle, Jeff Knapton, earned all-conference honors for the 1987 Wyoming team that won the WAC championship.