Four Rebels Voted Preseason All-SEC By League Media

Greg Little, photo by Steven Gagliano

A quartet of Ole Miss Rebels were selected to preseason All-Southeastern Conference teams in a vote by media members at the 2017 SEC Media Days this week.

Senior defensive end Marquis Haynes was named to the first team defense. Sophomore Greg Little and junior Javon Patterson were third-team picks on the offensive line, and senior kicker Gary Wunderlich was also a third-team choice.
Haynes, a two-time All-SEC pick as a sophomore and junior, has been a consistent threat in opposing teams’ backfields since his freshman year in 2014 when he helped Ole Miss finish as the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense. The Jacksonville, Florida, native ranks third in school history with 24.5 career sacks and fourth with 36.5 tackles for loss and has led the Rebels in sacks all three years (7.5 in 2014, 10 in 2015, 7 in 2016). This offseason, he has already been named to watch lists for the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy, which go to the nation’s best defensive player. He is a third-team preseason All-America pick by Athlon and rated the No. 4 defensive end in the country by Lindy’s.
Little, who was named to the Outland Trophy watch list Thursday, played in every game, while making five starts at left tackle as a freshman last year. Throughout the 2016 campaign, he helped protect the Ole Miss quarterbacks that led the SEC and ranked 13th nationally in passing as a unit (314.9 ypg). The strong season earned him Freshman All-America honors by Rivals.com, and the coaches voted the Allen, Texas, native Freshman All-SEC.
One of three Ole Miss representatives as SEC Media Days on Thursday, Patterson has been a mainstay as a guard for the Rebels’ offense, helping the team lead the SEC in passing in back-to-back years. Last season, the Petal, Mississippi, athlete was the only Rebel O-lineman to start every game, earning the nod nine times at left guard and three at center.
The nation’s most accurate kicker in 2016, Wunderlich has already been named to the Lou Groza Award watch list and preseason All-America teams by Lindy’s (second team) and Athlon (third team). Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Wunderlich made 22 of 23 field goals last year for an SEC-record 95.7 percent success rate. He ranked fifth nationally with 1.83 field goals per game and 26th overall with 8.9 points scored per outing. His 39-yarder with 37 seconds left won the game for the Rebels on the road at No. 8 Texas A&M.
Ole Miss kicks off its 2017 season at home against South Alabama on Sept. 2. Game time is 6:30 p.m. CT, televised by ESPNU.
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2017 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
(Total points earned in parentheses)
OFFENSE
First Team
QB Jalen Hurts, Alabama (196)
RB Derrius Guice, LSU (223)
RB Nick Chubb, Georgia (211)
WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama (232)
WR Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (197)
TE Isaac Nauta, Georgia (134)
OL Braden Smith, Auburn (201)
OL Martez Ivey, Florida (198)
OL Jonah Williams, Alabama (187)
OL Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama (174)
C Frank Ragnow, Arkansas (174)
Second Team
QB Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State (121)
RB Bo Scarbrough, Alabama (151)
RB Kamryn Pettway, Auburn (141)
WR Antonio Callaway, Florida (152)
WR J’Mon Moore, Missouri (91)
TE Hayden Hurst, South Carolina (115)
OL Isaiah Wynn, Georgia (116)
OL Jashon Robertson, Tennessee (108)
OL K.J. Malone, LSU (101)
OL Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State (101)
C Bradley Bozeman, Alabama (155)
Third Team
QB Austin Allen, Arkansas (102)
RB Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt (105)
RB Sony Michel, Georgia (30)
WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina (64)
WR Jauan Jennings, Tennessee (42)
TE DeAndre Goolsby, Florida (76)
OL Lester Cotton, Alabama (96)
OL Greg Little, Ole Miss (94)
OL Javon Patterson, Ole Miss (87)
OL Koda Martin, Texas A&M (69)
C Will Clapp, LSU (66)
DEFENSE
First Team
DL Da’Ron Payne, Alabama (196)
DL Da’Shawn Hand, Alabama (180)
DL Trenton Thompson, Georgia (172)
DL Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss (159)
LB Arden Key, LSU (191)
LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama (180)
LB Roquan Smith, Georgia (157)
DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (232)
DB Ronnie Harrison, Alabama (156)
DB Armani Watts, Texas A&M (137)
DB Duke Dawson, Florida (137)
Second Team
DL Cece Jefferson, Florida (151)
DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn (120)
DL Christian LaCouture, LSU (107)
DL Denzil Ware, Kentucky (78)
LB Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama (156)
LB Skai Moore, South Carolina (128)
LB Tre’ Williams, Auburn (103)
DB Tray Matthews, Auburn (126)
DB Donte Jackson, LSU (123)
DB Carlton Davis, Auburn (109)
DB Dominick Sanders, Georgia (109)
Third Team
DL Marcell Frazier, Missouri (77)
DL Jabari Zuniga, Florida (76)
DL Dontavius Russell, Auburn (70)
DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU (54)
LB Jordan Jones, Kentucky (91)
LB Lorenzo Carter, Georgia (82)
LB Oren Burks, Vanderbilt (58)
DB Anthony Averett, Alabama (104)
DB Marcell Harris, Florida (83)
DB Mike Edwards, Kentucky (71)
DB Tony Brown, Alabama (62)
SPECIALISTS
First Team
P JK Scott, Alabama (222)
PK Daniel Carlson, Auburn (218)
RS Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (176)
AP Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (161)
Second Team
P Johnny Townsend, Florida (99)
PK Eddy Piniero, Florida (106)
RS Evan Berry, Tennssee (117)
AP Derrius Guice, LSU (133)
Third Team
P Trevor Daniel, Tennessee (58)
PK Gary Wunderlich, Ole Miss (94)
RS Antonio Callaway, Florida (84)
AP Kerryon Johnson, Auburn (66)

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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