Five Rebels Receive Preseason All-SEC Teams by the Media

Ole Miss had five players named named to the 2021 Preseason Media Days All-SEC on Friday that were voted by the media in Hoover, Alabama.

Quarterback Matt Corral and Jerrion Ealy were named to the first-team, offensive lineman Nick Broeker, Ben Brown and punter Mac Brown were named to the third-team.

Corral, who is on the watch list for both the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award, returns after completing over 70 percent of his passes for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns last year in a 10-game season.

Corral, a preseason All-America selection, finished No. 5 in passing yards per game (333.7), No. 7 in passing TDs (29), No. 9 in passing efficiency (177.6) and No. 11 in passing yards per completion (14.5). The junior signal-caller is the returning SEC leader in eight separate categories. He also led the SEC with eight completions of 40 yards or more.

Ealy, who garnered first-team honors as both a return specialist and all-purpose player, led the Rebels in all rushing categories in 2020 with 147 carries for 745 yards and nine touchdowns. Ealy has also hauled in 15 catches for 155 yards and one touchdown.

The Walnut Grove, Mississippi, native ranked No. 25 in the FBS last season with 132.1 all-purpose yards per game. His 11 total touchdowns ranked No. 26. Ealy recently earned first-team preseason All-America honors from Phil Steele as an all-purpose player.

Last season, Broeker and Ben Brown both started all ten games for the Rebels on the offensive line. Broeker, a native of Springfield, Illinois, held down the starting spot at left tackle all season while Brown didn’t allow a sack in 432 pass blocks at center. Brown, a versatile player, has started every game the last three years at numerous o-line positions for the Rebels.

The Rebels punter Mac Brown who is a three-year returning starter at punter and holder who is exercising his additional year of eligibility due to pan­demic, totaled 27 punts on the year and averaged 46.6 yards per punt, including a long of 59 yards. The Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist posted 11 punts greater than 50 yards in 2020.

The media has coach Lane Kiffin’s squad picked to finish fourth in the Western Division behind Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU. Auburn, Arkansas and Mississippi State are picked to round out the division.

Georgia and Alabama are voted by the media to win the divisions and meet in Atlanta, Georgia, for the SEC Championship in December.

Ole Miss open’s the 2021 season in Atlanta against the Louisville Cardinals on September 6 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Staff Report