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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Six Rebels Make AP All-SEC Teams
12/8/2014 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. - On the heels of one of the best regular seasons in Ole Miss history, six Rebels have been named All-Southeastern Conference by the Associated Press, led by five on the first team.
First-teamers include left tackle Laremy Tunsil, tight end Evan Engram, defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, cornerback Senquez Golson (unanimous selection) and free safety Cody Prewitt.
Defensive back Tony Conner was chosen to the All-SEC second team.
Ole Miss is the ninth-ranked team in the country and will play No. 6 TCU in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 31. The 9-3 Rebels posted their most regular-season wins since 2003, including victories over fellow College Football Playoff access bowl teams Alabama (Sugar), Mississippi State (Orange) and Boise State (Fiesta).
It was fitting that four Rebels from the defensive side of the ball were recognized as All-SEC. Ole Miss has the nation's No. 1 scoring defense, allowing 13.8 points per outing with a nation-low 18 touchdowns given up.
Golson was one of three unanimous picks, along with Alabama's Amari Cooper (WR) and Landon Collins (DB). The Rebel senior from Pascagoula, Mississippi, leads the SEC and ranks second nationally with nine interceptions. His theft in the back of the end zone sealed the Rebels' 23-17 win over No. 1 Alabama. He also has 41 tackles, three TFLs, eight pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.
Nkemdiche anchors a formidable defensive line that has created many of the Rebels' 28 turnovers and 19 interceptions, which rank top 15 nationally. The monster athlete from Loganville, Georgia, is a Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist and a midseason All-America and All-SEC pick.
Prewitt, who was a first team All-American last year, continues to lead the Ole Miss defense from his free safety spot. The Bay Springs, Mississippi, native is among the team leaders with 60 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two interceptions and two pass breakups. A semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, he has also forced a fumble and recovered one.
Conner is second on the team with 64 tackles and leads the squad with nine TFLs. The Batesville, Mississippi, safety is a key part of the Rebels' gameplan to defend both the run and the pass. He had a huge outing in the win over then-No. 4 Mississippi State, tallying seven tackles, 3.0 TFLs, a sack and a pass breakup.
Tunsil, a midseason All-America and All-SEC pick, has started at left tackle every game in which he's played since midway through his freshman year. The sophomore from Lake City, Florida, has allowed only one sack this year and only two in two years. He helps the Ole Miss offense rank fourth in the SEC and top 30 nationally in passing (275.6 ypg).
Engram, another sophomore, leads all SEC tight ends with 651 receiving yards and 17.6 yards per catch. The John Mackey Award semifinalist from Powder Springs, Georgia, has set the school record for yards in a season by a tight end. He has 37 catches with two touchdowns and has been named National Tight End of the Week three times this year.
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