Grace Tafolla
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – First-team honorees Jalen Catalon, Bumper Pool and Ricky Stromberg headline four Razorback standouts who earned 2022 Preseason Coaches All-SEC distinction on Tuesday. Redshirt junior Brady Latham was selected to the third-team offense.
Catalon adds to an extensive list of preseason honors after garnering All-American recognition from the AP, The Athletic, Athlon, CBS Sports/247Sports, Phil Steele, Pro Football Focus and Sporting News. The Mansfield, Texas, native enters the 2022 campaign as one of the nation’s top defensive backs despite missing most of last year due to a season-ending injury. The Mansfield, Texas, native finished eighth on the team in total tackles (46) with 1.5 tackles for loss despite playing in only six games. His four pass breakups tied for third most on the Razorbacks.
Pool, meanwhile, led the Hogs in total tackles with 125 (45 solo) in 2021, his second consecutive season with 100+ total tackles. The Lucas, Texas, product is one of college football’s premier tackling machines, totaling the second-most stops (320) among all FBS defenders since 2019, and enters the 2022 campaign with 349 career tackles – ninth most all-time at Arkansas – to his name.
Stromberg anchored Arkansas’ offensive line last season, starting all 13 games at center and blocking for an offense that led all Power 5 schools in rushing with an average of 227.8 yards per game. Stromberg, who totaled 873 snaps on the year, only gave up three sacks and was penalized just eight times all season.
Latham started all 13 games last season, lining up primarily at left guard and recording 890 snaps to lead the way for one of the nation’s top rushing attacks.
Behind Stromberg and Latham’s blocking, four Razorbacks rushed for at least 500 yards in 2021 – a feat that had not been accomplished at Arkansas since 1975. They were part of an offensive line that blocked for three games of 300+ yards of rushing (Texas, Ole Miss and Penn State) and two games of 600+ yards of total offense (Georgia Southern and Ole Miss).
No. 19 Arkansas begins the season at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, against No. 23 Cincinnati on ESPN. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here or by calling the Razorback Ticket Center at (479) 575-5151.