Four Mississippi State Football Players Earn Spots On 2023 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team

Plenty of honors have rolled in for Mississippi State football ahead of the upcoming season, something that only continued on Tuesday when four Bulldogs players were named to the 2023 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team.

Quarterback Will Rogers, wide receiver/kick returner Tulu Griffin and linebackers Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson were all included on the list.

The senior passer Rogers has played in 35 games with 32 starts, totaling 10,689 career passing yards and 82 passing touchdowns over same time span. Rogers has also earned a plethora of other preseason recognitions ahead of the 2023 season with his name scattered across multiple watch lists.

Griffin, who also enters his senior year, has caught national attention for the spark he brings on special teams in addition to playing the traditional role. He's started 14 of the 32 games he's appeared in and has led the nation in kickoff return yards with 32.3 yards per return on 19 kickoffs.

Griffin is among the SEC's best as a returner with 1,333 total career kickoff return yards and an average of 33.3 yards per kick return to this point. He also totals 76 receptions for 832 yards and five scores as a wideout.

Watson, better known to Mississippi State fans as "Bookie", is a graduate student playing in his final season for the Bulldogs this fall. He has appeared in 45 career games with 27 starts. To this point in his college career, Watson totals 242 career tackles, 11 career sacks, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble.

Johnson also heads into his final year at State as a potential NFL Draft prospect to watch, seeing action in 33 games with 19 starts. He tallies 206 career tackles, including 15 for loss and 2.0 sacks. Last season, Johnson led the SEC in tackles (155), including 8 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

Here's a look at the complete list of players across the conference who made the 2023 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team:

First Team

Offense:

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

Next, for 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 Jett Johnson - 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

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 Tulu Griffin - 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