Six Ole Miss football players tabbed to Preseason Coaches All-SEC Teams
Six Ole Miss football players were honored by the Southeastern Conference coaches Tuesday as the league office announced its Preseason Coaches All-SEC teams.
Nick Broeker and Jonathan Mingo were selected to the second team, while Zach Evans, AJ Finley, Jeremy James and Cedric Johnson earned third-team honors. Broker, Mingo, Evans and James were previously selected to the 2022 SEC media’s preseason All-SEC team.
Broeker, also a preseason All-America selection by Athlon Sports, is a multi-year starter for the Rebels who has yet to miss a game in his collegiate career. He started all 13 games at left tackle in 2021, playing in nearly all offensive snaps (927). The senior allowed just two sacks in 497 pass-blocking snaps.
The Springfield, Illinois, native was also awarded with the J. Richard Price Courage and Compassion Award at the end of spring practice, given annually to the senior lineman who, in the opinion of his coaches, has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unusual compassion in his dedication to his team and to Ole Miss.
Mingo, a three-year letterwinner from Brandon, Mississippi, was sidelined over half the season in 2021 due to a broken foot in practice following the third week of the season. He tallied six starts at wide receiver last year and finished fourth on the team in receiving yards (346) and third in TD receptions (3).
Mingo leads all returning receivers with 26 total starts, hauling in 61 catches for 897 yards and seven touchdowns over his three years in a Rebel uniform.
Evans, a transfer running back from TCU, led the Horned Frogs in rushing yards (648) last season despite only playing in six games. The Houston, Texas, native averaged 7.0 yards per rush with five touchdowns before sidelined for most of the remaining portion of the season due to injury. For his career, Evans has averaged 7.3 yards per carry on nearly 150 rushing attempts.
247Sports rated Evans as the No. 2 running back and No. 8 overall player in the transfer portal this offseason. Since 2020, Evans leads all Power Five running backs in yards after contact per attempt (4.8).
James graded out as Ole Miss’ best offensive lineman last season, securing a grade of 75.9 throughout the 2021 campaign, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, the junior helped pave the way for the sixth-ranked total offense (492.5) in the country, as well as the No. 12 rushing offense (217.6). James has started every game over the last two seasons on the right side of the line, but is slated to move to left tackle for 2022.
Finley was selected to this year’s Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Preseason All-SEC teams after a strong junior campaign in 2021. He appeared in 13 games, including 12 starts at safety, leading the team with three interceptions. Finley also paced all Rebel defensive backs with 91 tackles and was third on the team with four pass breakups.
Johnson was also named to the Preseason All-SEC team by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele, in addition to a nod to Bruce Feldman’s Top 50 Freaks list. The junior out of Mobile, Alabama, appeared in 13 games as a sophomore, starting 11 at defensive end. Johnson finished the 2021 campaign with 33 tackles, including 8.0 for a loss and was second on the team with 6.5 sacks.
Ole Miss open the 2022 season at home against Troy on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Related: JAKE’S TAKE: Ole Miss’ offense can throw the depth chart away. There is talent across the board
See the selections for all three teams below.
FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB – Bryce Young, Alabama
RB – Tank Bigsby, Auburn
RB – Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
WR – Kayshon Boutte, LSU
WR – Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL – Warren McClendon, Georgia
OL – Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
OL – O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
OL – Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C – Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
AP – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
Defense
DL – Jalen Carter, Georgia
DL – Derick Hall, Auburn
DL – BJ Ojulari, LSU
DL – Byron Young, Tennessee
LB – Bumper Pool, Arkansas
LB – Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
LB – Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama
DB – Jordan Battle, Alabama
DB – Eli Ricks, Alabama
DB – Kelee Ringo, Georgia*
DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina*
DB – Jalen Catalon, Arkansas*
Special Teams
PK – Harrison Mevis, Missouri
P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
RS – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee*
QB – Stetson Bennett, Georgia*
RB – Devon Achane, Texas A&M
RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
WR – Jermaine Burton, Alabama
WR – Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
TE – Cameron Latu, Alabama
OL – Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky
OL – Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
OL – Darnell Wright, Tennessee
OL – Javon Foster, Missouri
C – Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
AP – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Defense
DL – Colby Wooden, Auburn
DL – Zacch Pickens, South Carolina
DL – Ali Gaye, LSU
DL – Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida*
DL – McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M*
LB – Nolan Smith, Georgia
LB – Brenton Cox Jr., Florida
LB – Dallas Turner, Alabama
DB – Christopher Smith, Georgia
DB – Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
DB – Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
DB – Malachi Moore, Alabama
Special Teams
PK – Will Reichard, Alabama
P – Oscar Chapman, Auburn
RS – Kearis Jackson, Georgia
THIRD TEAM
Offense
QB – Will Levis, Kentucky*
RB – Jabari Small, Tennessee
RB – Zach Evans, Ole Miss
WR – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR – Ladd McConkey, Georgia*
WR – Josh Vann, South Carolina*
WR – Jaden Walley, Mississippi State*
WR – Tayvion Robinson, Kentucky*
TE – Jaheim Bell, South Carolina
OL – Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL – Javion Cohen, Alabama
OL – Jeremy James, Ole Miss
OL – Tyler Steen, Alabama*
OL – Reuben Fatheree II, Texas A&M*
C – Bryce Foster, Texas A&M
AP – Devon Achane, Texas A&M
Defense
DL – Jordan Davis, Mississippi State
DL – D.J. Dale, Alabama
DL – Justin Eboigbe, Alabama*
DL – Jordan Burch, South Carolina*
DL – Jaquelin Roy, LSU*
DL – Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss*
DL – Cameron Young, Mississippi State*
LB – Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB – Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
LB – Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt*
LB – Jacquez Jones, Kentucky*
LB – Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State*
LB – DeAndre Square, Kentucky*
DB – Trevon Flowers, Tennessee
DB – AJ Finley, Ole Miss
DB – Brian Branch, Alabama
DB – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama*
DB – Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri*
DB – Trey Dean III, Florida*
Special Teams
PK – Anders Carlson, Auburn
P – Paxton Brooks, Tennessee
RS – JoJo Earle, Alabama
