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Here are the seven Razorbacks included on Phil Steele's preseason All-SEC team:
- Trey Flowers - 1st Team
- Jonathan Williams - 2nd Team
- Hunter Henry - 2nd Team
- Alex Collins - 4th Team
- Brey Cook - 4th Team
- Darius Philon - 4th Team
- Sam Irwin-Hill - 4th Team
This is interesting because while all those players are certainly talented, there are still others on the team I think who could also have arguments to be included by the end of the year. What about Dan Skipper or Denver Kirkland along the offensive line? Cameron Jefferson was an All-MWC candidate before transferring. Fans are obviously hoping for big things from Korliss Marshall and some of the new receivers.
Similarly, what about the defense? Deatrich Wise had a great spring. How big a jump can Brooks Ellis make from his freshman to sophomore year? Will Otha Peters get to where we thought he'd go?
As always, the big question is Brandon Allen. Can he at least be as good as Dak Prescott (4th Team quarterback)? Steele kept his four quarterback spots to returning players, but still, that doesn't seem like a terribly high bar. There shouldn't be any excuses this year with improved receivers (hopefully), improved offensive line (probably), and improved stable of running backs (or at least just as good). I think that's a level Allen can get to.
Seven players on the team is certainly a respectable number. It's more than all the other schools predicted to be bad this season, and is about equal to a few others expected to be decent. Maybe this is all just preseason prediction silliness, but I think it's encouraging.
Here's the SEC breakdown by school
- Alabama - 14 - (Christion Jones twice)
- Arkansas - 7
- Auburn - 13
- Florida - 9
- Georgia - 12
- Kentucky - 4
- LSU - 8
- Ole Miss - 9
- Mississippi State - 4
- Missouri - 7
- South Carolina - 8
- Tennessee - 5
- Texas A&M - 7
- Vanderbilt - 1
