Williams, Skipper All-SEC first team

Arkansas offensive lineman Frank Ragnow (72) lifts running back Rawleigh Williams (22) in celebration following a touchdown by Williams against Mississippi State on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., during the first quarter

FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas tailback Rawleigh Williams III capped his comeback season from a severe neck injury as the SEC's leading rusher and a first-team All-SEC selection by The Associated Press.

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Williams, a sophomore from Dallas, and senior left tackle Dan Skipper were first-team choices for the Razorbacks by a 14-member media voting panel covering each SEC school. Center Frank Ragnow was Arkansas' lone second-team choice.

SEC champion Alabama swept the individual honors, with Nick Saban named coach of the year, freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts winning offensive player and newcomer of the year and end Jonathan Allen being selected as defensive player of the year. The Crimson Tide (13-0) are the No. 1 seed and defending champion in the College Football Playoff while making the four-team field for the third consecutive year.

Arkansas defensive players McTelvin Agim and De'Jon Harris were both selected to the SEC All-Freshman team that was voted on by league coaches.

Williams' freshman season was cut short during Arkansas' 54-46 four-overtime victory against Auburn last year, when he was face masked and then immediately had a helmet-to-helmet collision that caused a vertebra in his upper neck to slip perilously close to his spinal cord.

Williams lost feeling in his extremities until the ambulance ride to the hospital and he considered giving up on football.

"I was pretty close, mentally more than anything," Williams said. "Once I got over that hump, probably a month after the injury, there was nothing that could stop me."

Williams leads the SEC with 1,326 rushing yards entering the postseason. He shared first-team honors with fellow sophomores Derrius Guice of LSU and Kamryn Pettway of Auburn. His rushing total ranks fifth on Arkansas' single-season rushing chart, behind Darren McFadden (1,830 yards in 2007 and 1,647 yards in 2006), Alex Collins (1,577 yards in 2015) and Madre Hill (1,387 yards in 1995). Williams can surpass Hill for fourth place with 62 rushing yards in Arkansas' Belk Bowl appearance against Virginia Tech on Dec. 29 in Charlotte, N.C.

Williams was a three-time choice for SEC offensive player of the week, including for his career-high 205 yards and four rushing touchdowns in Arkansas' 58-42 victory at Mississippi State on Nov. 19. He became the SEC's 13th running back to win the award three times in a season.

Skipper, of Arvada, Colo., earned first-team All-SEC honors by both the coaches and the AP. The 6-10, 319-pounder leads the Razorbacks with 46 consecutive starts. Skipper has moved from left guard to left tackle to right tackle and back to left tackle during his career. He has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine game in St. Petersburg, Fla., next month.

Ragnow's father Jon died from a heart attack after watching the Razorbacks' 52-10 victory over Alcorn State on Oct. 1. Ragnow, a junior from Victoria, Minn., was named this week by Pro Football Focus as the highest-graded center in college football.

The only unanimous selections to the AP All-SEC team were Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson, Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram, Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen and Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett.

Agim, a 6-3, 289-pounder from Hope, and Harris, a 6-0, 255-pounder from Harvey, La., were two of the highest-rated prospects in Arkansas' last signing class.

Agim has 25 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks for 13 yards lost and 2 quarterback hurries. He has started each of the past four games.

Harris ranks 10th on the team with 34 tackles, including 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack. He also has forced a fumble. Harris led the team in tackles twice, including a 10-tackle game at Mississippi State, and he ranked second on special teams with nine tackles.

AP All-SEC team

The 2016 AP All-SEC team, with players listed by name, school, height, weight, class and hometown (u-denotes unanimous selections):

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Jalen Hurts, Alabama, 6-2, 209, Fr., Channelview, Texas.

Running backs — Derrius Guice, LSU, 5-11, 222, So., Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Kamryn Pettway, Auburn, 6-0, 240, So., Montgomery, Alabama; Rawleigh Williams III, Arkansas, 5-10, 225, So., Dallas, Texas.

Tackles — u-Cam Robinson, Alabama, 6-6, 310, Jr., Monroe, Louisiana; Dan Skipper, Arkansas, 6-10, 322, Sr., Arvada, Colorado.

Guards — Braden Smith, Auburn, 6-6, 300, Jr., Olathe, Kansas; Alex Kozan, Auburn, 6-4, 310, Sr., Castle Rock, Colorado.

Centers — Ethan Pocic, LSU, 6-7, 309, Lemont, Illinois; Jon Toth, Kentucky, 6-5, 310, Sr., Indianapolis, Indiana.

Receivers — Fred Ross, Mississippi State, 6-2, 207, Sr., Tyler, Texas; Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, So., Scottsdale, Arizona.

Tight end — u-Evan Engram, Mississippi, 6-3, 227, Sr., Powder Springs, Georgia.

All-purpose player — Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, So., Scottsdale, Arizona.

Kicker — Daniel Carlson, Auburn, 6-4, 218, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colorado.

DEFENSE

Ends — u-Jonathan Allen, Alabama, 6-3, 291, Sr., Leesburg, Virginia; u-Derek Barnett, Tennessee, 6-3, 257, Jr., Nashville, Tennessee.

Tackle — Montravius Adams, Auburn, 6-4, 309, Sr., Vienna, Georgia

Linebackers — Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 238, Jr., Pinson, Alabama; Reuben Foster, Alabama, 6-1, 228, Sr., Auburn, Alabama; Ryan Anderson, Alabama, 6-2, 253, Sr., Daphne, Alabama; Arden Key, LSU, 6-6, 231, So., Atlanta, Georgia.

Cornerbacks — Teez Tabor, Florida, 6-0, 201, Jr., Washington, D.C.; Tre’Davious White, LSU, 5-11, 191, Sr., Shreveport, Louisiana.

Safeties — Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama, 6-1, 203, So., Old Bridge, New Jersey; Jamal Adams, LSU, 6-1, 211, Jr., Lewisville, Texas.

Punter — JK Scott, Alabama, 6-6, 202, Jr., Denver, Colorado.

———

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks — Josh Dobbs, Tennessee, 6-3, 207, Sr., Alpharetta, Georgia; Chad Kelly, Mississippi, 6-2, 215, Sr., Buffalo, New York.

Running backs — Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt, 5-10, 205, Jr., Gainesville, Florida; Leonard Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, Jr. New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tackles — Robert Leff, Auburn, 6-6, 299, Sr.; Fairhope, Alabama; Jonah Williams, Alabama, 6-5, 296, Fr., Folsom, California.

Guards — Josh Boutte, LSU, 6-5, 342, Sr., New Iberia, Louisiana; Martez Ivey, Florida, 6-5, 305, So., Apopka, Florida; Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama, 6-4, 304, So., Cedar Falls, Iowa

Center — Frank Ragnow, Arkansas, 6-5, 312, Jr., Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Receivers — ArDarius Stewart, Alabama, 6-1, 204, Jr., Fultondale, Alabama; J’Mon Moore, Missouri, 6-3, 190, Jr., Missouri City, Texas; Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M, 6-4, 190, Sr., San Antonio, Texas.

Tight end — O.J. Howard, Alabama, 6-6, 251, Sr., Prattville, Alabama.

All-purpose player — Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia, 5-8, 170, Jr., Miami, Florida.

Kicker — Gary Wunderlich, Mississippi, 6-0, 193, Jr., Memphis, Tennessee.

DEFENSE

Ends — Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, 6-5, 262, Jr., Arlington, Texas; Charles Harris, Missouri, 6-3, 255, Jr., Kansas City, Missouri; Carl Lawson, Auburn, 6-2, 253, Jr., Alpharetta, Georgia.

Tackles — Caleb Brantley, Florida, 6-2, 297, Jr., Crescent City, Florida; Darius English, South Carolina,6-6, 245, Sr., Powder Springs, Georgia.

Linebackers — Tim Williams, Alabama, 6-4, 252, Sr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jordan Jones, Kentucky, 6-2, 220, So., Youngstown, Ohio; Kendall Beckwith, LSU, 6-2, 252, Sr., Clinton, Louisiana.

Cornerbacks — Aarion Penton, Missouri, 5-10, 190, Sr., St. Louis, Missouri; Quincy Wilson, Florida, 6-1, 213, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Safeties — Marcus Maye, Florida, 6-0, 210, Sr., Melbourne, Florida; Justin Evans, Texas A&M, 6-1, 195, Sr., Wiggins, Mississippi; Mike Edwards, Kentucky, 6-0, 200, So., Cincinnati, Ohio.

Punter — Johnny Townsend, Florida, 6-1, 210, Jr., Orlando, Florida.

———

Coach of the year — Nick Saban, Alabama

Offensive player of the year — Jalen Hurts, Alabama

Defensive player of the year — Jonathan Allen, Alabama

Newcomer of the year — Jalen Hurts, Alabama

Sports on 12/09/2016