Hogs picked 3rd in division; 4 Razorbacks named All-SEC

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman reacts after a score during the first quarter of Arkansas' 24-10 win in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 1, 2022.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has been picked to finish third in the SEC West in 2022 by media members who cover the conference.

The Razorbacks are slotted to finish behind projected division and overall conference champion Alabama and Texas A&M in a poll released Friday at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. They are expected to finish ahead of Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn, respectively.

"We don't want to repeat last year," Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon said this week. "We want to be better. Like I said, last year was a great year, but I always say to the team that last year was last year. It's 2022.

"Now it's a new year. Everybody is looking to start off right and try to make it to the top."

The league’s media predicted the Razorbacks to finish sixth last year. They went 9-4 overall, capping the season with a victory in the Outback Bowl, and 4-4 in SEC play to secure third in the division behind the Crimson Tide and Rebels.

In 2020, Sam Pittman’s first season leading Arkansas, the Razorbacks were picked last in the SEC West for the third consecutive year.

"I've been a part of teams that have been 2-10," Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool said this week. "After last season things completely changed, but it wasn't an overnight success. There's a lot of work that goes into it.

"You talk about repeating (our) success, well, the work is what ultimately can determine the wins and losses. This team is extremely hard working."

Four Arkansas players were named to preseason All-SEC teams on Friday, led by offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg and Catalon on the first team. Pool (second) and offensive lineman Brady Latham (third) were also selected.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson, entering his second season as the team's full-time starter, was not named to any of the three teams.

Here are the division and conference voting results, and All-SEC teams:

Overall

Alabama (158)

Georgia (18)

South Carolina (3)

Vanderbilt (1)

Texas A&M (1)

SEC West

1 Alabama (177)

2 Texas A&M (3)

3 Arkansas (1)

4 Ole Miss

5 LSU

6 Mississippi State

7 Auburn

SEC East

1 Georgia (172)

2 Kentucky (4)

3 Tennessee (1)

4 Florida

5 South Carolina (3)

6 Missouri

7 Vanderbilt (1)

All-SEC first team

Offense

QB – Bryce Young, Alabama

RB - Tank Bigsby, Auburn

RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

WR - Kayshon Boutte, LSU

WR - Jermaine Burton, Alabama

TE - Brock Bowers, Georgia

OL - Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama

OL - Warren McClendon, Georgia

OL - O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida

OL - Nick Broeker, Ole Miss

C - Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas

Defense

DL - Jalen Carter, Georgia

DL - BJ Ojulari, LSU

DL - Derick Hall, Auburn

DL - Byron Young, Tennessee

LB - Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

LB - Nolan Smith, Georgia

LB - Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama

DB - Jordan Battle, Alabama

DB - Kelee Ringo, Georgia

DB - Eli Ricks, Alabama

DB - Jalen Catalon, Arkansas

All-SEC second team

Offense

QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

RB - Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky

RB - Devon Achane, Texas A&M

WR - Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

WR - Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss

TE - Cameron Latu, Alabama

OL - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M

OL - Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky

OL - Darnell Wright, Tennessee

OL - Javion Cohen, Alabama

C - Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

Defense

DL - Zacch Pickens, South Carolina

DL - D.J. Dale, Alabama

DL - Ali Gaye, LSU

DL - Colby Wooden, Auburn

LB - Bumper Pool, Arkansas

LB - Dallas Turner, Alabama

LB - Brenton Cox Jr., Florida

DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina

DB - Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

DB - Christopher Smith, Georgia

DB - Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

All-SEC third team

Offense

QB – Will Levis, Kentucky

RB - Zach Evans, Ole Miss

RB - Kenny McIntosh, Georgia

WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

WR - Josh Vann, South Carolina

TE - Jaheim Bell, South Carolina

OL - Brady Latham, Arkansas

OL - Tyler Steen, Alabama

OL - Javon Foster, Missouri

*OL - Jeremy James, Ole Miss

*OL – Kendall Randolph, Alabama

C - Cooper Mays, Tennessee

Defense

DL - Gervon Dexter, Florida

DL - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama

DL - Maason Smith, LSU

DL - McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M

LB - Owen Pappoe, Auburn

LB - Ventrell Miller, Florida

LB - Jeremy Banks, Tennessee

DB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

DB - Trey Dean III, Florida

DB - Trevon Flowers, Tennessee

DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama

Specialists

First team

P - Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M

PK - Will Reichard, Alabama

RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia

AP - Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Second team

P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn

PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn

RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

AP - Devon Achane, Texas A&M

Third team

P - Paxton Brooks, Tennessee

PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri

RS - JoJo Earle, Alabama

AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M