BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Four Ole Miss players were selected to the preseason All-Southeastern Conference teams Friday in a vote by media members at the 2022 SEC Media Days.
Nick Broeker (OL) earned first-team accolades, while senior Jonathan Mingo (WR) was named to the second team. Zach Evans (RB) and Jeremy James (OL) were among the third-team honorees.
Additionally, Ole Miss was slotted fourth in the Western Division in the preseason media poll behind Alabama, Texas A&M and Arkansas. LSU, Mississippi State and Auburn rounded out the west standings.
In the East, Georgia was picked as the favorite followed by Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Missouri and Vanderbilt. Alabama was picked to hoist the trophy at the end of the season, followed by Georgia in second.
Broeker, a preseason All-America selection by Athlon Sports, is a multi-year starter for the Rebels who has yet to miss a game in his collegiate career. He started all 13 games at left tackle in 2021, playing in nearly all offensive snaps (927). The senior allowed just two sacks in 497 pass blocking snaps.
Broeker was also awarded with the J. Richard Price Courage and Compassion Award at the end of spring practice, given annually to the senior lineman who, in the opinion of his coaches, has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unusual compassion in his dedication to his team and to Ole Miss.
The Springfield, Illinois, native will hold down a new position along the Rebel offensive front in 2022. After starting every game at left tackle over the past two seasons, Broeker will move to left guard, where he projects to play at the next level.
Mingo, a three-year letterwinner from Brandon, Mississippi, was sidelined over half the season in 2021 due to a broken foot in practice following the third week of the season. He tallied six starts at wide receiver last year and finished fourth on the team in receiving yards (346) and third in TD receptions (3).
Mingo leads all returning receivers with 26 total starts, hauling in 61 catches for 897 yards and seven touchdowns over his three years in a Rebel uniform.
Evans, a transfer running back from TCU, led the Horned Frogs in rushing yards (648) last season despite only playing in six games.
The Houston, Texas, native averaged 7.0 yards per rush with five touchdowns before sidelined for most of the remaining portion of the season due to injury. For his career, Evans has averaged 7.3 yards per carry on nearly 150 rushing attempts.
247Sports rated Evans as the No. 2 running back and No. 8 overall player in the transfer portal this offseason. Since 2020, Evans leads all Power Five running backs in yards after contact per attempt (4.8).
James graded out as Ole Miss’ best offensive lineman last season, securing a grade of 75.9 throughout the 2021 campaign, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, the junior helped pave the way for the sixth-ranked total offense (492.5) in the country, as well as the No. 12 rushing offense (217.6). James has started every game over the last two seasons on the right side of the line, but is slated to move to left tackle for 2022.