FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg, defensive back Jalen Catalon, linebacker Bumper Pool and offensive lineman Brady Latham were named to the All-SEC Team on Friday morning.
Stromberg, who earned first-team honors at center, anchored Arkansas’ offensive line last season, starting all 13 games and blocking for an offense that led all Power 5 schools in rushing with an average of 227.8 yards per game. Behind his blocking, four Razorbacks rushed for at least 500 yards in 2021 – a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975.
Stromberg totaled 873 snaps at center on the year, allowing only three sacks and getting penalized just eight times all season. He was part of an offensive line that blocked for three games of 300+ yards of rushing (Texas, Ole Miss and Penn State) and two games of 600+ yards of total offense (Georgia Southern and Ole Miss).
Catalon, who carded first-team praise at defensive back, remains one of the nation’s top defensive backs despite missing most of last year due to a season-ending injury. The Mansfield, Texas, native finished eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss despite playing in only six games. His four pass breakups tied for third most on the Razorbacks.
Pool earned second-team honors at linebacker. The Lucas, Texas, product led the Hogs in total tackles with 125 (45 solo), his second consecutive season with 100+ total tackles. He is one of college football’s premier tackling machines, totaling the second-most stops (320) among all FBS defenders since 2019, and enters the 2022 campaign with 349 career tackles – ninth most all-time at Arkansas – to his name.
Latham, who grabbed third-team recognition on the offensive line, started all 13 games, lining up primarily at left guard. The Jenks, Okla., native played in 890 snaps and held an 81.7 pass blocking grade throughout the season, posting seven games with a pass blocking grade of 80.0 or higher according to Pro Football Focus. Blocking alongside fellow All-SEC Team honoree Stromberg, he helped lead the way for four Razorbacks to rush for at least 500 yards.
The Razorbacks, meanwhile, were picked to finish third in the SEC West, receiving one first-place vote. Under head coach Sam Pittman, Arkansas won nine games in 2021, including all three of the program’s trophy games for the first time in history in addition to the Outback Bowl. The Hogs rose to as high as No. 8 in the AP poll – the team’s highest ranking since 2011 – and checked in at No. 21 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, tying Arkansas’ highest-ever ranking from the committee and marking its first time finishing the season in the Top 25 since the CFP’s inception in 2014.
SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
First place votes in ()
EASTERN DIVISION
SchoolPointsGeorgia (172)1254Kentucky (4)932Tennessee (1)929Florida712South Carolina (3)662Missouri383Vanderbilt (1)196
WESTERN DIVISION
SchoolPointsAlabama (177)1262Texas A&M (3)968Arkansas (1)844Ole Miss675LSU591Mississippi State390Auburn338
SEC CHAMPION
SchoolPointsAlabama158Georgia18South Carolina3Vanderbilt1Texas A&M1
2022 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
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
Second-Team
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
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
First-Team
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
Second-Team
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
Third-Team
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
First-Team
P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK - Will Reichard, Alabama
RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia
AP - Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
Second-Team
P – Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP - Devon Achane, Texas A&M
Third-Team
P - Paxton Brooks, Tennessee
PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri
RS - JoJo Earle, Alabama
AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M