Bulldog Trio Named To Media Preseason All-SEC Team

STARKVILLE – The Mississippi State trio of Will Rogers, Nathaniel Watson and Lideatrick Griffin have been named to the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Teams in a vote for by the media covering SEC Media Days in Nashville, the League announced on Friday.

Rogers enters his senior season having thrown for 10,689 career yards, the eighth most in SEC history, and just 2,478 yards shy of becoming the SEC's all-time leading passer. The senior from Brandon, Miss., has rewritten the Mississippi State record book in his time wearing Maroon and White. He owns 29 different program records, highlighted by 82 career touchdown passes, ranking eighth in SEC history. Rogers is the MSU record holder for the most 300-yard passing games (18) and 200-yard passing games (26). Rogers is the only quarterback in SEC history with over 1,000 career completions while also being on pace to become just the third SEC quarterback with 100 career touchdown passes.

Watson earned his spot on the Preseason All-SEC team as a linebacker. He is coming off a career year that saw him finish with 113 tackles. As one of the anchors to last year's defense that ranked seventh in the SEC in team defense, Watson finished second in the SEC in total tackles and third in tackles per game (8.69). Watson also had a knack for getting to the quarterback with six sacks, tied for the most on the team, while adding an interception to his season stat line. Watson has played 45 career games and has racked up 242 tackles with 11 sacks. This is Watson's second preseason All-SEC honor of 2023.

Griffin, named an All-American kick returner by Pro Football Focus last season, earned two Preseason All-SEC honors by the media as a return specialist and an all-purpose athlete. Last season Griffin racked up 613 kickoff return yards as a junior with one return touchdown. He tied a career-high with 144 return yards and a touchdown in State's overtime victory over Auburn and was named the SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts. He has earned 1,333 kickoff return yards and two touchdowns in his career. Griffin also lined up at receiver and posted career-highs during the 2023 season in receptions (40), receiving yards (502) and receiving touchdowns (4). Griffin has 76 receptions for 832 yards and five scores in his career.

Mississippi State will kickoff the 2023 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 2, when the Bulldogs host Southeastern Louisiana at 3 p.m. (CT). Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here or visiting hailstate.com/tickets.

2023 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB - Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB - Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
RB - Raheim Sanders, Arkansas
WR - Malik Nabers, LSU
WR - Ladd McConkey, Georgia
TE -  Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL - JC Latham, Alabama
OL - Amarius Mims, Georgia
OL - Tate Ratledge, Georgia
OL - Will Campbell, LSU
C - Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

Second-Team
QB - KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
RB - Jase McClellan, Alabama
RB - Kendall Milton, Georgia
WR - Antwane Wells, South Carolina
WR - Bru McCoy, Tennessee *
WR - Ja'Corey Brooks, Alabama *
TE - Mason Taylor, LSU
OL - Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL - Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL - Javon Foster, Missouri
OL - Xavier Truss, Georgia
C - Seth McLaughlin, Alabama

Third-Team
QB - Joe Milton III, Tennessee *
QB - Will Rogers, Mississippi State *
RB - Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
RB - Trevor Etienne, Florida
WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR - Jermaine Burton, Alabama
TE - Trey Knox, South Carolina
OL - Emery Jones, LSU
OL - Eli Cox, Kentucky
OL - Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee
OL - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C - Cooper Mays, Tennessee

DEFENSE
First-Team
DL - Mekhi Wingo, LSU
DL - Mykel Williams, Georgia
DL - Maason Smith, LSU
DL - Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
LB - Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB - Harold Perkins, LSU
LB - Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
DB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB - Malaki Starks, Georgia
DB - Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
DB - Javon Bullard, Georgia

Second-Team
DL - Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
DL - McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
DL - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL - Deone Walker, Kentucky
LB - Smael Mondon, Georgia
LB - Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
LB - Ty'Ron Hopper, Missouri
DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB - Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
DB - Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
DB - Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri

Third-Team
DL - Princely Umanmiellen, Florida
DL - Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
DL - Tim Smith, Alabama
DL - Darius Robinson, Missouri
LB -  Chris Braswell, Alabama
LB -  Jalon Walker, Georgia
LB -  JJ Weaver, Kentucky
DB - Major Burns, LSU
DB - D.J. James, Auburn
DB - Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
DB - Jason Marshall, Florida

SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P - Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
PK - Will Reichard, Alabama
LS - Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama
KS - Brian Battie, Auburn
RS - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

Second-Team
P - Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri
LS - Slade Roy, LSU
KS - Barion Brown, Kentucky
RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP -  Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State

Third-Team
P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK - Alex McPherson, Auburn
LS - William Mote, Georgia
KS - Mitch Jeter, South Carolina
RS - Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
AP - Dakereon Joyner, South Carolina

* - Indicates a tie

For the most up-to-date information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU football on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateFB."

– HailState.com –

Mississippi State University Athletics

Bulldog Trio Named To Media Preseason All-SEC Team

Players Mentioned

Lideatrick Griffin

Will Rogers

Nathaniel Watson

Related Videos