Ole Miss placed two players on the SEC’s all-freshman team as voted on by the league’s coaches.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche and true freshman defensive tackle Issac Gross both made the team.
Nkemdiche made second-team All-SEC when the AP announced its team earlier this week.
He leads Ole Miss with 78 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three interceptions this year.
Gross started seven games this season and finished second in the SEC among freshmen with nine tackles for loss, trailing only Nkemdiche on the list. Gross had 38 tackles overall, including a season-high seven at No. 6 Georgia. Gross recorded 2.5 sacks on the year, including one at Georgia, one against Heisman Trophy favorite Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M, and one at No. 1 Alabama.
Safety Trae Elston broke into the starting lineup shortly before mid-season and finished with seven starts. Mike Hilton, another safety, broke into the lineup for the last five games, so the Rebels were starting four freshmen — three of them true freshmen — on defense at the end of the year.
Denham Springs, La., native, Mississippian since 1989 with a stop in Meridian before arriving in Tupelo. Daily Journal beat writer since 1996, covering Ole Miss since 2002. Proud Northeast Louisiana alum. Follow me on Twitter @parrishalford and listen to Kory Keys and myself daily with The Ole Miss Beat on Rebel Sports Radio.
