Five Bulldogs Named Preseason All-SEC by League Coaches
August 15, 2019 | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Five Mississippi State Bulldogs were recognized as members of the 2019 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team on Thursday.
MSU's selections were highlighted by defensive team captain Erroll Thompson, who earned first-team honors. Below is the complete list of Bulldogs named to the preseason team.
- LB Erroll Thompson (First-Team Defense)
- C Darryl Williams (Second-Team Offense)
- CB Cameron Dantzler (Second-Team Defense)
- RB Kylin Hill (Third-Team Offense)
- DE Chauncey Rivers (Third-Team Defense)
A smart, instinctive and hard-hitting linebacker, Thompson enters his junior season with 133 total tackles, including 14.5 for loss and six sacks, in 26 games played. He has started 16 straight contests, including all 13 games last season for the nation's top-ranked defense. Last season, Thompson ranked second on the team in total tackles (87), tied for third in tackles for loss (9.0), added 3.5 sacks and collected a pair of interceptions. He earned second-team All-SEC honors from The Associated Press for his efforts. The Florence, Alabama, product was voted the defensive team captain for the 2019 season and is also an early candidate for the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Williams is a preseason All-American and the Bulldogs' offensive team captain. He moved from left guard to center during spring drills to replace second-round draft pick and All-American Elgton Jenkins. The Outland and Rimington trophies candidate allowed only one sack, three quarterback hits and five hurries for just nine total pressures in 2018, according to Pro Football Focus. The Bessemer, Alabama, native was the No. 5 overall graded guard in the SEC by PFF last season (71.1) and had the no. 5 best pass blocking grade (82.9). Williams enters his senior year with 25 starts in 32 games played.
A preseason All-American, Dantzler ranked second in the SEC last season among corners with a 41.1 passer rating allowed, according to PFF. The Louisiana product was one of only four SEC cornerbacks that did not allowed a touchdown (min. 345 coverage snaps played). A candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award, Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Dantzler also had a pair of interceptions and led the Bulldogs in passes defended (11).
Hill, a candidate for the Maxwell and Doak Walker awards, rushed for 734 yards and four touchdowns on 117 attempts. The elusive, bruising running back started all 11 games he played in, and his top performance came in a road win at Kansas State, where he ran for 211 yards and accounted for three scores to earn the SEC's Offensive Player of the Week honor. The Columbus, Mississippi, native also recorded 100-yard rushing games in victories against No. 8 Auburn (126) and at Ole Miss (108). He averaged 6.3 yards per carry, which ranked sixth in the SEC.
Rivers, who steps into a starting role and has broken out as a vocal leader on defense, played in all 13 games in 2018 and had impressive numbers on one of the best defensive lines in college football. He made 24 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The Stone Mountain, Georgia, native recorded an impressive 19 pressures across 339 snaps played, according to PFF.
State opens the 2019 season on Aug. 31 against Louisiana in New Orleans. Tickets for the 2019 season and opener can be purchased at HailState.com/Tickets, by calling 1-888-GO-DAWGS or in person at the MSU Athletic Ticket Office on the first floor of the Bryan Athletic Administration Building (288 Lakeview Drive), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU football on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."
2019 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team (* - ties)
First Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia
OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
OL Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama*
OL Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms, Missouri*
OL Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn*
C Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
WR Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB D'Andre Swift, Georgia
RB Najee Harris, Alabama
AP Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
DEFENSE
DL Raekwon Davis, Alabama
DL Derrick Brown, Auburn
DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU
DL Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
LB Cale Garrett, Missouri
DB C.J. Henderson, Florida
DB Grant Delpit, LSU
DB J.R. Reed, Georgia
DB Trevon Diggs, Alabama*
DB Kristian Fulton, LSU*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
P Braden Mann, Texas A&M
RS Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
OL Damien Lewis, LSU
OL Logan Stenberg, Kentucky
OL Solomon Kindley, Georgia
OL Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
C Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
WR Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
QB Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
RB Lamical Perine, Florida
AP Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
DEFENSE
DL Jabari Zuniga, Florida
DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn
Dl Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
DL Nick Coe, Auburn
LB Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
LB De'Jon Harris, Arkansas
LB David Reese II, Florida
DB Xavier McKinney, Alabama
DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
DB DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
DB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Evan McPherson, Florida
P Tommy Townsend, Florida
RS Jashaun Corbin, Texas A&M*
Marquez Callaway, Tennessee*
Third Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE Charlie Woerner, Georgia
OL Yasir Durant, Missouri
OL Ben Cleveland, Georgia
OL Matt Womack, Alabama
OL Marquel Harrell, Auburn*
OL Mike Horton, Auburn*
C Drake Jackson, Kentucky
WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
WR Lynn Bowden, Kentucky*
WR Justin Jefferson, LSU*
QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
RB Larry Rountree, Missouri
RB Kylin Hill, Mississippi State
AP Jashaun Corbin, Texas A&M
DEFENSE
DL McTelvin Agim, Arkansas
DL Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State
DL Tyler Clark, Georgia
DL LaBryan Ray, Alabama*
DL Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt*
DL Jordan Elliott, Missouri*
LB Michael Divinity, LSU
LB T.J. Brunson, South Carolina*
LB Darrell Taylor, Tennessee*
LB Jacob Phillips, LSU*
DB Daniel Thomas, Auburn
DB Nigel Warrior, Tennessee
DB Shyheim Carter, Alabama
DB Kamren Curl, Arkansas*
DB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina*
DB Javaris Davis, Auburn*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Tucker McCann, Missouri*
PK Anders Carlson, Auburn*
P Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU
RS Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
