Ole Miss football has two players named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-American teams
Another sign the 2023 college football season just around the corner is the slow beginning of the preseason accolades and Ole Miss has a couple players earning them.
Running back Quinshon Judkins and offensive lineman Micah Pettus were named to Phil Steele’s Preaseason All-American Teams this week. Judkins landed on the First Team while Pettus earned a Fourth Team slot.
Ole Miss was paced by Judkins freshman performance last season and was the top rusher in the Southeastern Conference. The effort provided plenty of hype and expectations for Judkins to have a sophomore surge instead of a sophomore slump this fall.
Steel’s All-American nod is not the first Preseason All-American honor the Ole Miss running back has received. Last month Athlon Sports put Judkins on its First Team along with Michigan running back Blake Corum.
Pro Football Focus named Judkins the highest graded returning SEC running back with a grade of 88.2.
These two honors will likely not be the last preseason lists Judkins finds himself on between now and September.
Related: JAKE’S TAKE: It may be ‘rat poison’ but the Heisman hype for Quinshon Judkins is real
This is the first All-American list Pettus finds himself on following his redshirt freshman season at Ole Miss. Pettus played in 12 games and earned his first career start last season against Kentucky which won him SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honor for his performance.
Of the returning Ole Miss offensive lineman this season Pettus was the second-highest graded by PFF. The tackle received an overall offense grade of 62.6 behind Jeremy James who had an offense grade of 66.9.
Pettus should be in the mix along with James when it comes to Ole Miss’ starting five up front on offense. James is coming off offseason surgery that caused him to miss spring practices.
