Eight Missouri football players named to Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Teams

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football kicks off its 2019 season in just 99 days and the preseason accolades are already rolling in for this year’s talented group that is ranked among the top-25 nationally in several preseason polls. Mizzou picked up more individual preseason honors as eight players from its 2019 squad were named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Teams, announced this week. Mizzou’s eight selections are fifth-most among the league’s 14 schools while its three first-team selections are the third-most, trailing only Alabama (seven) and Georgia (four). Below are Mizzou’s designations on the four teams:

Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC First Team

Senior LB Cale Garrett
- SEC’s top-graded returning LB, 264 career tackles … 2018 team captain … 2018 All-SEC First Team (PFF)
Junior TE Albert Okwuegbunam
- 2018 Mackey Award Finalist … 2017 All-SEC Second Team … 17 career TDs
Senior OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
- 2018 First Team All-SEC (AP) … played more than 1,000 snaps without allowing a sack or committing a penalty last year

Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Second Team

Junior RB Larry Rountree III
- SEC’s second-leading returning rusher from a season ago … 1,919 career yards are most ever for a Mizzou running back through his first two seasons … 1,216 yards in 2018 were fourth-most in the SEC

Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Third Team

Senior CB DeMarkus Acy
- 2018 Second Team All-SEC (coaches) … three INTs and 13 passes defended as a junior
Senior DT Jordan Elliott
- 2018 All-SEC Second Team (PFF) … SEC Defensive Player of the Week (11/26/18)

Athlon Sports Preseason All-SEC Fourth Team

Junior C Trystan Colon-Castillo
- Two-year starter at C … 2017 All-SEC Freshman Team
Senior K Tucker McCann
- Fourth nationally and second in the SEC in FGs made per game as a junior

Mizzou Football, ranked 23^rd by Athlon Sports in the preseason, opens its season on Aug. 31 in a true road tilt at Wyoming before returning home the following week for the home opener against West Virginia on Sept. 7.

— Mizzou Athletics —