Six Razorbacks land on Phil Steele’s preseason All-SEC team

“I feel very comfortable at guard now and have no doubt this year’s O-line will be better than 2024,” Carmona said in a spring interview.

Nobody really wants to point out that bar to improve over last year is low. It is a nearly-complete overhaul upfront, which is tough to project without seeing them as a unit in games where they keep score.

As a redshirt freshman transfer from UAB, Shanks led the nation in punt return yards (329), average (20.6), and touchdowns (2), earning him a finalist spot for the Jet Award honoring the country’s top return specialist.

“I just want to make an impact every time I touch the ball,” Shanks told local reporters after his transfer was announced.

He’s not just a threat on special teams. Shanks also posted two 100-yard receiving games last season, including a nine-catch, 119-yard effort against Army and a career-high 153 yards with three touchdowns versus Tulsa.

Shanks is in a large group of receivers looking for some order after losing nearly everybody that caught passes last season.

Cam Ball was named to Steele’s second team after a career-best year where he started all 13 games, registered 47 tackles, and played a crucial role in Arkansas’s Liberty Bowl victory over Texas Tech.

Ball’s ability to disrupt plays in the backfield and his knack for pouncing on loose balls have made him a key player for the Hogs’ defense.

“We’ve got a chip on our shoulder,” Ball said after the bowl win, referencing the team’s hunger to prove doubters wrong and build on last season’s momentum.

Corey Robinson II, a redshirt senior offensive tackle who transferred from Georgia Tech, also garnered third-team All-SEC honors.

Robinson, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing in at a whopping 305 pounds, started the final seven games for Georgia Tech in 2024, helping guide their offense to 186.8 rushing yards per contest, third best among all ACC teams.

His pass-blocking prowess was noted by Pro Football Focus, which gave him a 91.2 grade, the highest among Power 4 offensive linemen.

“I’m here to protect the quarterback and open running lanes,” Robinson said following his transfer announcement. “That’s my job, and I take pride in it.”

Devin Bale, Arkansas’s punter, made the third team after averaging 45.2 yards on 41 punts, with 11 of those punts downed inside the opponent’s 20 and another 11 traveling more than 50 yards.

He flipped field position repeatedly for the Razorbacks, with a season-long 66-yard punt against Tennessee standing out in a year with big moments in the kicking game.

Rounding out the Razorback honorees is linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr., who earned fourth-team All-SEC recognition after an eye-popping debut season for Arkansas.

Sorey led the team in total tackles with 99, tied for the lead in tackles for loss with 9.5, and contributed two sacks, an interception, and a handful of quarterback hurries.

“I just want to be where the ball is,” Sorey told the media after a late-season win. “That’s how you help your team win games in this conference.”

The Razorbacks open their 2024 season on August 30 against Alabama A&M at Razorback Stadium.

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