Senior Marcus Monk was one of 12 Arkansas selections to the 2007 SEC...
Robert Black /Robert Black
League High Tying 12 Razorbacks on Pre-Season Coaches All-SEC Teams

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Led by 2006 Doak Walker Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden and 2006 Rimington Trophy finalist Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas placed a league-high tying 12 players on the 2007 Southeastern Conference Coaches Pre-Season All-SEC Teams announced on Thursday.

Arkansas and LSU tied for the most selections with 12 picks, making the Hogs and Tigers the only two teams in the SEC with double-digit All-SEC selections. Arkansas was second in combined first and second round selections with seven. LSU earned nine first and second team picks.

          “I’m pleased that coaches around the SEC recognize the outstanding players that we have on this team,” Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. “They had the opportunity to see our team win 10 games and capture an SEC Western Division Championship last year. It proves that the more success we have as a team, the more individual honors come our way. I hope that we will have just as many or even more players on the post-season All-SEC teams.”

          McFadden and Luigs earned first team honors at tailback and center, respectively. McFadden was the only unanimous selection on the first team offense or defense. McFadden is coming off a sensational sophomore season in which he rushed for a school-record 1,647 yards. His season total was the fifth-best rushing season in SEC history. One of the big reasons for McFadden’s success last season was the blocking of Luigs. The Little Rock, Ark., native helped clear the way for the nation’s No. 4 rushing offense including a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Both Luigs and McFadden have been named to numerous first-team pre-season All-America squads.

A league-high five Razorbacks earned second-team All-SEC honors including offensive guard Robert Felton, wide receiver Marcus Monk, tailback and return specialist Felix Jones and defensive end Antwain Robinson. Felton has 29 career starts to his credit and is slated to open the season as the Razorbacks’ starting right guard. He helped pave the way for 13 100-yard rushing efforts by UA running backs in 14 games last season. Monk enters his senior season as the school-record holder in career touchdown receptions with 24. He is only seven shy of tying Florida’s Chris Doering for the SEC record in that category. Jones earned second-team honors as both a running back and a return specialist. The Tulsa, Okla., product rushed for 1,168 yards last season on his way to first-team All-SEC honors. He also became the first player in school history in nearly a century to return a pair of kickoffs for 100 yards and scores in his Razorback career. Robinson was a second-team All-SEC selection at defensive end following last season. He started all 13 games in 2006 racking up 14.5 tackles for loss (-86) and 8.5 sacks (-63). 

Arkansas landed another five players on the third-team listing with tight end Ben Cleveland, defensive tackle Marcus Harrison, linebackers Weston Dacus and Freddie Fairchild, and strong safety Matt Hewitt all earning recognition from league coaches. Cleveland tied a school record for freshmen tight ends with 12 catches in 2006. The biggest catch of his freshman season came when he caught the game-winner in Arkansas’ double-overtime win over Alabama. Harrison has made a name for himself despite fighting injuries throughout his career. He still managed to tally 42 tackles as a junior in 2006. After an ACL injury last spring, he is questionable for the start of the 2007 campaign.

Dacus is the Razorbacks’ active career-leading tackler with 130 stops in his first three seasons. He has also been named to several other SEC pre-season squads. Fairchild is returning to the gridiron after an injury shortened 2006 season. The freshman All-American played in only two games last season before going down with an ACL injury. He is healthy heading into the 2007 season. Hewitt was one of the Razorbacks’ pleasant surprises on defense last season. He moved to linebacker after Fairchild’s injury and racked up 62 tackles. He is back at his natural position of strong safety for the upcoming fall campaign.

 

2007 SEC COACHES PRE-SEASON ALL-SEC FOOTBALL TEAM

(*-Ties / # - Unanimous vote – Coaches cannot vote for their own student-athletes, unanimous is listed first-team on 11 ballots.)

 

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

TE        Jacob Tamme                Kentucky           6-5       240       Sr.        Danville, Ky.

OL        Will Arnold                    LSU                   6-4       319       Sr.        Gloster, Miss.

OL        Michael Oher                 Ole Miss            6-5       325       Jr.        Memphis, Tenn.

OL        Drew Miller                    Florida              6-5       297       Sr.        Sarasota, Fla.

OL        Chris Williams               Vanderbilt         6-6       320       Sr.        Glynn, La.

C          Jonathan Luigs             Arkansas          6-4       307      Jr.        Little Rock, Ark.

WR       Earl Bennett                  Vanderbilt         6-1       202       Jr.        Birmingham, Ala.

WR       Early Doucet                  LSU                   6-0       207       Sr.        St. Martinville, La.

QB        Andre’ Woodson            Kentucky           6-5       230       Sr.        Radcliff, Ky.

#RB      Darren McFadden         Arkansas          6-2       215      Jr.        Little Rock, Ark.

RB        BenJarvus Green-Ellis     Ole Miss            5-11      225       Sr.        New Orleans, La.

 

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

TE        Andy Boyd                     South Carolina   6-4       267       Sr.        Concord, N.C.

OL        Phil Trautwein               Florida              6-6       298       Sr.        Voorhees, N.J.

OL        Robert Felton               Arkansas          6-4       328      Sr.        Houston, Texas

OL        Andre Smith                  Alabama            6-4       348       So.       Birmingham, Ala.

OL        Brian Stamper               Vanderbilt         6-4       300       Sr.        Windermere, Fla.

*C         Antoine Caldwell            Alabama            6-4       288       Jr.        Montgomery, Ala.

*C         Brett Helms                   LSU                   6-2       283       Jr.        Stuttgart, Ark.

WR       Marcus Monk                Arkansas          6-6       220      Sr.        Lepanto, Ark.

WR       Keenan Burton               Kentucky           6-2       195       Sr.        Louisville, Ky.

QB        Erik Ainge                     Tennessee         6-6       220       Sr.        Hillsboro, Ore.

RB        Felix Jones                   Arkansas          6-0       207      Jr.        Tulsa, Okla.

RB        LaMarcus Coker             Tennessee         5-11      205       So.       Antioch, Tenn.

 

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC -- OFFENSE

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

TE        Ben Cleveland              Arkansas          6-4       250      So.       Springdale, Ark.

OL        Ciron Black                    LSU                   6-5       314       So.       Tyler, Texas

OL        King Dunlap                   Auburn              6-8       312       Sr.        Brentwood, Tenn.

OL        Anthony Parker              Tennessee         6-3       305       Jr.        Jonesboro, Ga.

OL        Herman Johnson            LSU                   6-7       351       Jr.        Denton, Texas

*C         Royce Blackledge           Miss. State        6-4       293       Sr.        Sandersville, Miss.

*C         Fernando Velasco           Georgia             6-4       328       Sr.        Wrens, Ga.

WR       Percy Harvin                  Florida              5-11      181       So.       Virginia Beach, Va.

WR       Andre Caldwell               Florida              6-0       198       Sr.        Tampa, Fla.

QB        Chris Nicksion               Vanderbilt         6-1       210       Jr.        Brundidge, Ala.

*RB       Brad Lester                   Auburn              5-11      194       Jr.        Lilburn, Ga.

*RB       Cory Boyd                      South Carolina   6-1       214       Sr.        Orange, N.J.

*RB       Rafael Little                  Kentucky           5-10      195       Sr.        Anderson, S.C.

 

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

DL        Glenn Dorsey                 LSU                   6-2       299       Sr.        Gonzales, La.

DL        Quentin Groves             Auburn              6-3       254       Sr.        Greenville, Miss.

DL        Derrick Harvey              Florida              6-4       245       Jr.        Greenbelt, Md.

LB         Ali Highsmith                LSU                   6-1       226       Sr.        Miami, Fla.

LB         Jonathan Goff               Vanderbilt         6-4       235       Sr.        Lynn, Mass.

LB         Jasper Brinkley              South Carolina   6-2       262       Sr.        Thomson, Ga.

LB         Jerod Mayo                    Tennessee         6-2       230       Jr.        Hampton, Va.

DB        Simeon Castille              Alabama            6-1       189       Sr.        Birmingham, Ala.

DB        Jonathan Hefney            Tennessee         5-9       185       Sr.        Rock Hill, S.C.

DB        Chevis Jackson              LSU                   6-0       190       Sr.        Mobile, Ala.

DB        Derek Pegues                Miss. State        5-10      196       Jr.        Batesville, Miss.

 

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

DL        Titus Brown                   Miss. State        6-3       250       Sr.        Tuscaloosa, Ala.

DL        Tyson Jackson               LSU                   6-5       292       Jr.        Edgard, La.

DL        Antwain Robinson         Arkansas          6-2       255      Jr.        Little Rock, Ark.

LB         Wesley Woodyard          Kentucky           6-1       212       Sr.        LaGrange, Ga.

LB         Prince Hall                            Alabama              5-11      255       So.       Moreno Valley, Calif.

LB         Darry Beckwith              LSU                   6-1       232       Jr.        Baton Rouge, La.

LB         Brandon Miller               Georgia             6-4       257       Sr.        Colquitt, Ga.

DB        Tony Joiner                   Florida              5-11      217       Sr.        Haines City, Fla.

DB        Jonathan Zenon             LSU                   6-0       176       Sr.        Breaux Bridge, La.

DB        Jonathan Wilhite           Auburn              5-11      185       Sr.        Monroe, La.

DB        Kelin Johnson                Georgia             6-1       194       Sr.        Daytona Beach, Fla.

 

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC -- DEFENSE

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

DL        Wallace Gilberry            Alabama            6-4       264       Sr.        Bay Minette, Ala.

DL        Josh Thompson              Auburn              6-0       301       Sr.        Statesboro, Ga.

*DL       Casper Brinkley              South Carolina   6-2       257       Sr.        Thomson, Ga.

*DL       Marcus Harrison           Arkansas          6-3       307      Sr.        Little Rock, Ark.

LB         Tray Blackmon               Auburn              6-0       223       So.       LaGrange, Ga.

LB        Weston Dacus               Arkansas          6-2       230      Sr.        Searcy, Ark.

LB         Jamar Chaney                Miss. State        6-1       236       Jr.        Fort Pierce, Fla.

LB        Freddie Fairchild         Arkansas          6-3       220      So.       Little Rock, Ark.

DB        Craig Steltz                   LSU                   6-2       204       Sr.        New Orleans, La.

DB        Eric Brock                      Auburn              6-1       209       Sr.        Alexander City, Ala.

*DB       Patrick Lee                    Auburn              6-0       201       Sr.        Miami, Fla.

*DB       Jamarca Sanford            Ole Miss            5-10      200       Jr.        Batesville, Miss.

*DB       Matt Hewitt                  Arkansas          6-3       215      Sr.        Englewood, N.J.

 

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

PK         Brandon Coutu               Georgia             6-0       200       Sr.        Lawrenceville, Ga.

P          Britton Colquitt              Tennessee         6-3       205       Jr.        Knoxville, Tenn.

RS        Mikey Henderson           Georgia             5-10      150       Sr.        Buford, Ga.

 

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

PK         Ryan Succop                  South Carolina   6-2       213       Jr.        Hickory, N.C.

P          Ryan Succop                  South Carolina   6-2       213       Jr.        Hickory, N.C.

RS        Felix Jones                   Arkansas          6-0       207      Jr.        Tulsa, Okla.

 

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC -- SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos.      Name                            School               Ht.       Wt.       Class     Hometown

PK         Jamie Christensen         Alabama            6-0       183       Sr.        Norcross, Ga.

P          None

RS        Rafael Little                  Kentucky           5-10      195       Sr.        Anderson, S.C.