SEC Announces Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State football lands four on the 2023 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team, the SEC announced on Tuesday. Bulldogs honored by the League's head coaches include Will Rogers, Lideatrick Griffin, Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson.

Rogers, who ESPN.com said is "the most accomplished passer in the SEC," has thrown for 10,689 career yards, the eighth most in SEC history, and he is 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. With 32 consecutive starts to his name, he is the only quarterback in SEC history with over 1,000 career completions, and he is on pace to become just the third SEC quarterback ever with 100 career touchdown passes.

Griffin, a senior from Philadelphia, Miss., has earned a reputation as an elite return specialist and a threat to score anytime he touches the football. Last season Griffin led the nation in kickoff return yards (32.3 yards per return on 19 kickoffs) while racking up 613 kickoff return yards with one return touchdown in total. In eight of the team's 13 games last season, Griffin returned the kickoff for at least 30 yards. He tied a career-high with 144 return yards and a touchdown in State's overtime victory against 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.

Watson, nicknamed Bookie, 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. Watson has also earned national recognition this preseason through the Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award watch lists and a pair of preseason All-SEC honors.

Johnson, a native of Tupelo, Miss., led the SEC in tackles during the 2022 season with 115 while adding 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and three QB hurries. Johnson combined with Watson last season to be the only Power 5 duo to finish first and second in their respective conferences in total tackles. They were also one of just three P5 duos to have 100-plus tackles last season. Throughout his career in the Maroon and White, he has amassed 206 tackles, including 15 for loss and a pair of sacks. He earned a career-best 13 tackles in the Bulldogs' win over Memphis last September.

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.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB – Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB – Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
RB – Raheim Sanders, Arkansas
WR – Malik Nabers, LSU
WR – Antwane Wells, South Carolina*
WR – Ladd McConkey, Georgia*
TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL – JC Latham, Alabama
OL – Tate Ratledge, Georgia
OL – Will Campbell, LSU
OL – Amarius Mims, Georgia
C – Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
AP – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

Defense
DL – Mekhi Wingo, LSU
DL – Mykel Williams, Georgia
DL – Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
DL – Maason Smith, LSU
LB – Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB – Harold Perkins, LSU
LB – Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
DB – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB – Malaki Starks, Georgia
DB – Javon Bullard, Georgia
DB – Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas

Special Teams
PK – Will Reichard, Alabama
P – Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
RS – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
KOS – Mitch Jeter, South Carolina
LS – Wesley Schelling, Vanderbilt

SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB – KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
RB – Jase McClellan, Alabama
RB – Kendall Milton, Georgia
WR – Bru McCoy, Tennessee
WR – Evan Stewart, Texas A&M*
WR – Will Sheppard, Vanderbilt*
WR – Jermaine Burton, Alabama*
TE – Mayson Taylor, LSU
OL – Javon Foster, Missouri
OL – Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL – Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL – Xavier Truss, Georgia*
OL – Emery Jones, LSU*
C – Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
AP – Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State

Defense
DL – McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
DL – Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
DL – Deone Walker, Kentucky
DL – Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
LB – Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
LB – Smael Mondon, Georgia
LB – JJ Weaver, Kentucky
DB – Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
DB – Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
DB – Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB – Demani Richardson, Texas A&M

Special Teams
PK – Harrison Mevis, Missouri
P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
RS – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
KOS – Nathan Dibert, LSU
LS – Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama

THIRD TEAM
Offense
QB – Will Rogers, Mississippi State
RB – Trevor Etienne, Florida
RB – Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
WR – Luther Burden III, Missouri
WR – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M*
WR – Ja'Corey Brooks, Alabama*
TE – Luke Deal, Auburn*
TE – Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss*
TE – Michael Trigg, Ole Miss*
TE – Trey Knox, South Carolina*
OL – Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
OL – Eli Cox, Kentucky
OL – Jeremy James, Ole Miss
OL –Kam Stutts, Auburn*
OL – Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee*
OL – Micah Pettus, Ole Miss*
C – Cooper Mays, Tennessee
AP – Dakereon Joyner, South Carolina

Defense
DL – Princely Umanmiellen, Florida
DL – Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
DL – Jared Ivey, Ole Miss
DL – Tim Smith, Alabama*
DL – Darius Robinson, Missouri*
LB – Ty'Ron Hopper, Missouri
LB – Jett Johnson, Mississippi State
LB – Chris Braswell, Alabama
DB – Marcellas Dial, South Carolina
DB – Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
DB – Jason Marshall, Florida
DB – Greg Brooks, LSU

Special Teams
PK – Cam Little, Arkansas
P – Oscar Chapman, Auburn*
P – Matthew Hayball, Vanderbilt*
RS – Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
LS – Slade Roy, LSU

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– HailState.com –

Mississippi State University Athletics

SEC Announces Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

Players Mentioned

Lideatrick Griffin

Jett Johnson

Will Rogers

Nathaniel Watson

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