Four Razorbacks land on preseason All-SEC teams
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Arkansas landed four players on the preseason All-SEC teams voted on by the media Friday.
Safety Jalen Catalon and center Ricky Stromberg were named to the first team, linebacker Bumper Pool earned second team honors and offensive lineman Brady Latham was named to the third team.
Despite having to sit out the final seven games of the year, Catalon still recorded 46 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. He was an AP First-Team All-SEC selection after the 2020 season and entered last season as an AP preseason Second-Team All-American.
Catalon said on an episode of the Hog Pod that he felt emotional getting back on the field for spring ball.
“Throughout the spring it was an emotional moment for me when I got back on the field for the first time," Catalon said. "Some people just looked at it as a spring practice, but for me I looked at it as this is an opportunity.”
Stromberg returns for his third season as Arkansas' primary center. During his AP Second-Team All-SEC campaign last season, he gave up just three sacks and had a 78.9 run blocking grade on the season according to Pro Football Focus.
He anchored the Arkansas offensive line that led all Power 5 schools with 227.8 rush yards per game. He helped block for three games that the Hogs ran for more than 300 yards in (Texas, Ole Miss and Penn State).
Pool is just 60 tackles away from taking over as the leading-tackler in Razorback football history. His 125 tackles last season were a team-high and ranked No. 10 in the country. He earned Second-Team All-SEC honors from the AP and the coaches last season.
"Bumper Pool is what I would call a super senior, coming back, COVID senior year had 120 tackles at his linebacker position," Pittman said Wednesday. "Great leader. Great kid. I believe if he stays healthy he'll be the all-time leading tackler in the history of the University of Arkansas."
Latham started all 13 games in 2021-22, lining up primarily at left guard. The Jenks, Okla., native played 890 snaps and earned an 81.7 pass blocking grade throughout the season, racking up seven games with a pass blocking grade of 80.0 or higher according to PFF.
First Team
OFFENSE
QB – Bryce Young, Alabama
RB - Tank Bigsby, Auburn
RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
WR - Kayshon Boutte, LSU
WR - Jermaine Burton, Alabama
TE - Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL - Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
OL - Warren McClendon, Georgia
OL - O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
OL - Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
C - Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
DEFENSE
DL - Jalen Carter, Georgia
DL - BJ Ojulari, LSU
DL - Derick Hall, Auburn
DL - Byron Young, Tennessee
LB - Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
LB - Nolan Smith, Georgia
LB - Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama
DB - Jordan Battle, Alabama
DB - Kelee Ringo, Georgia
DB - Eli Ricks, Alabama
DB - Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
SPECIALISTS
P - Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK - Will Reichard, Alabama
RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia
AP - Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Second Team
OFFENSE
QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
RB - Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
RB - Devon Achane, Texas A&M
WR - Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
WR - Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
TE - Cameron Latu, Alabama
OL - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
OL - Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky
OL - Darnell Wright, Tennessee
OL - Javion Cohen, Alabama
C - Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
DEFENSE
DL - Zacch Pickens, South Carolina
DL - D.J. Dale, Alabama
DL - Ali Gaye, LSU
DL - Colby Wooden, Auburn
LB - Bumper Pool, Arkansas
LB - Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB - Brenton Cox Jr., Florida
DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina
DB - Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
DB - Christopher Smith, Georgia
DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
SPECIALISTS
P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP - Devon Achane, Texas A&M
Third Team
QB – Will Levis, Kentucky
RB - Zach Evans, Ole Miss
RB - Kenny McIntosh, Georgia
WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR - Josh Vann, South Carolina
TE - Jaheim Bell, South Carolina
OL - Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL - Tyler Steen, Alabama
OL - Javon Foster, Missouri
*OL - Jeremy James, Ole Miss
*OL – Kendall Randolph, Alabama
C - Cooper Mays, Tennessee
DEFENSE
DL - Gervon Dexter, Florida
DL - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL - Maason Smith, LSU
DL - McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
LB - Owen Pappoe, Auburn
LB - Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB - Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
DB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB - Trey Dean III, Florida
DB - Trevon Flowers, Tennessee
DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama
SPECIALISTS
P - Paxton Brooks, Tennessee
PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri
RS - JoJo Earle, Alabama
AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
* - Indicates a tie