Sanders headlines Hogs’ preseason All-SEC selections

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Led by running back Raheim Sanders’ first-team selection, four Razorbacks earned preseason All-Southeastern Conference honors on Friday morning in a vote by members of the media.

In addition to Sanders, Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson and offensive lineman Brady Latham garnered preseason second-team All-SEC praise. Defensive back Dwight McGlothern was the Razorbacks’ lone representative on the defensive side of the football, picking up preseason second-team All-SEC honors.

Sanders, the first Razorback running back to earn preseason first-team All-SEC recognition since Knile Davis in 2012, is coming off one of the greatest seasons by an Arkansas running back in recent memory after rushing for 10 touchdowns and 1,443 yards — fourth-most in a single season in school history — in 2022. Sanders became just the second Razorback to ever run for 1,400-plus yards and return to school the following year, joining Arkansas legend Darren McFadden, who ran for a then-school record 1,647 yards in 2006 before breaking his own record in 2007 with 1,830 yards. Sanders finished second in the SEC in rushing yards en route to being named First-Team All-SEC by The Associated Press and USA Today.

Jefferson, the first Razorback quarterback to earn preseason All-SEC accolades since Tyler Wilson in 2012, is poised to rewrite a large portion of the Arkansas record book this fall as he heads into his third season as the Hogs’ full-time starter. Jefferson already sits inside the career top 10 in school history in completions (436 — seventh), yards (5,816 — seventh), touchdown passes (48 — sixth), 300-yard passing games (five — third), total plays (1,028 — sixth), total yards (7,245 — fifth) and touchdown responsibility (67 — fourth). Jefferson’s name is already dotted throughout the school record book for numerous single-season records, including twice for completion percentage in 2021 (.673 — third) and 2022 (.680 — second).

Latham, a third-team All-SEC selection by Pro Football Focus last year, has been a staple on the Arkansas offensive line over the last three seasons, starting in a team-leading 36 consecutive games dating back to 2020. In 2022, he tied for the team lead in offensive snaps played (983) while allowing only two sacks and committing just two penalties.

McGlothern, who earned second-team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches last year, had an impressive season for the Hogs in 2022, staring all 13 games and racking up a career-high 52 total tackles. He led the Arkansas defense and finished second in the SEC with four interceptions, picking off passes in each of his first two games as a Razorback against Cincinnati and South Carolina before adding interceptions against Alabama and Kansas in the Liberty Bowl.

As a team, the Razorbacks were picked to finish fifth in the SEC West, receiving three first-place votes. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has led the program to consecutive winning seasons and back-to-back bowl victories entering 2023.