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FAYETTEVILLE — No team had fewer representatives on the three preseason All-SEC teams chosen by the conference’s coaches than Arkansas.
Star running back Rakeem Boyd was the Razorbacks’ lone selection, as he was tabbed to the second team Thursday afternoon. Ole Miss and Vanderbilt tied for the second-fewest All-SEC players with three apiece.
Considering Arkansas is coming off consecutive 2-10 seasons and riding a 19-game SEC losing streak, the low number of players was not particularly surprising.
However, with new head coach Sam Pittman in charge, plus Kendal Briles and Barry Odom leading the offense and defense, respectively, there is optimism that the Razorbacks will show at least some improvement in 2020.
With that in mind, here are five players HawgBeat believes could land on the All-SEC teams chosen at the end of the year. It’s unlikely that all five earn postseason recognition, barring a massive turnaround by Arkansas, but we wouldn’t be surprised if any of the five enjoy breakout seasons.
Treylon Burks
This is probably the most obvious choice outside of Boyd. The SEC certainly has some top-end talent at wide receiver - Alabama’s DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle and LSU’s Terrace Marshall Jr. come to mind - but Burks flashed enough last season with abysmal quarterback play to indicate he has all-conference potential.
What helps his case, too, is he will likely be a huge part of Arkansas’ offense. Not only will the Razorbacks throw him the ball, but they’ll probably be creative in ways to get him the ball. That could mean running out of the backfield or maybe even some snaps as a wildcat quarterback. Burks has been discussed as a strong candidate to return punts and kickoffs, as well. Those things should make him an All-SEC candidate as an all-purpose player or return specialist. (Last season, he was one of five players who tied for second-team return specialist honors.)
Myron Cunningham
Perhaps no player will benefit from the hiring of Pittman as Cunningham. Last season, the JUCO transfer played at 290 pounds and earned a 58.7 grade from Pro Football Focus. Now coached by an offensive line guru and checking in at 325 pounds, Cunningham has controlled the starting left tackle job all offseason and many are expecting him to blossom as a senior. Even if he doesn’t earn All-SEC honors, he could emerge as a legitimate NFL Draft prospect.
A.J. Reed
The Razorbacks signed five graduate transfers in their 2020 class and all of them are expected to make significant contributions this season. Among them, we believe Reed has the best shot at postseason accolades.
In his last season at Duke, he made 15 of 18 field goals - including kicks of 49, 50 and 51 yards - and was a perfect 34 of 34 on PATs. That made him a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award and is a big reason he’s on the watch list for the award this year.
Ricky Stromberg
Despite being listed at 266 pounds, Stromberg started all but the opener and played the third-most offensive snaps on the team last season. Not only that, but he held his own. PFF gave him a 65.0 overall grade and didn’t charge him with a single sack allowed.
Making the move from guard to center, Stromberg is now listed at 311 pounds and should fare better against the massive interior linemen in the conference. Much like Cunningham, many expect him to make a jump under Pittman’s guidance.
Julius Coates
Picking someone on the other side of the ball was challenging. The Razorbacks are replacing their best player at all three levels - lineman McTelvin Agim, linebacker De’Jon Harris and safety Kamren Curl - and no one on the defense really stands out based on past performance.
We considered safety Jalen Catalon based on the limited action he got last season, but he’s not even a guaranteed starter at this point. Instead, we settled on a newcomer in Coates. The junior college transfer looks like an SEC defensive end (6-6, 289) and been one of the most praised players in camp. Coaches and teammates on both sides of the ball have said Coates consistently gets after the quarterback, so maybe he racks up a lot of sacks and lands on an All-SEC Team.
