Boyd named preseason second team by Athlon in preseason magazine

FAYETTEVILLE — Three Arkansas players were named to the Athlon Sports SEC Football 2020 Preseason All-Conference Teams, including a pair of multi-year honorees.

Senior running back Rakeem Boyd landed on the second team offense, while sophomore offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg was placed on the fourth team unit.

Senior De’Vion Warren rounded out the group with fourth team specialist honors. It’s the third-straight year Warren has appeared on an all-conference squad from the outlet, while Boyd is making his second showing on the list.

Boyd, from Houston, Texas, was the team’s leading rusher for the second consecutive season, totaling 1,133 yards on 184 carries, scoring eight times in 2019.

He ranked fourth in the SEC and 27th nationally with an average of 94.4 rushing yards per game and ninth in the conference with 6.2 yards per carry. He ran for 100+ yards in five games, posting a season-high 185 yards against Western Kentucky on Nov. 9, his most rushing yards as a Razorback.

His five 100+ yard performances brought him to a total of eight over two years, making him one of 16 Arkansas running backs in school history to do so. Boyd also hauled in 160 yards through the air on 19 catches in 2019.

Stromberg, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, played in all 12 games as a freshman last year, moving into the starting position at guard, with each of the last nine games coming at the right guard slot.

He totaled 741 snaps in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus, participating in every offensive play in five games. Stromberg did not allow a sack in 417 pass protection plays, recording three grades over 80.0 from PFF in the category.

He blocked for an offense that scored 28 times and racked up 4,081 total yards, including 2,315 passing yards, 1,766 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns both through the air and on the ground last season.

Warren, from Monroe, Louisiana, appeared in nine games for the Razorbacks in 2019, seeing time as a regular on both offense and on Arkansas’ special teams units.

He returned a team-high 16 kickoffs for 326 yards, averaging 20.4 yards per turn. His longest of the year came on a 37-yard return at Ole Miss on Sept. 7, coming a yard shy of it the following week against Colorado State with a 36-yard play.

Warren finished the year with nine of his 16 returns going for 20+ yards. He also caught four passes for 19 yards, while also rushing five times for 51 yards, providing a threat every time he touched the ball.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.

RAZORBACK FOOTBALL

Sat, Sep 5vs North AlabamaW 31-14
Sat, Sep 12@ UtahL, 43-10
Sat, Sep 19GeorgiaL, 45-17
Sat, Sep 26Tulsa7:00 PM
SECN+
Sat, Oct 3@ Texas A&M6:00 PM
ESPN or ESPN2
Sat, Oct 10TennesseeTBA
Sat, Oct 17@ VanderbiltTBA
Sat, Oct 31vs MissouriTBA
Sat, Nov 7@ AuburnTBA
Sat, Nov 14South CarolinaTBA
Sat, Nov 21@ TexasTBA
Sat, Nov 28vs LSUTBA

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

OVERALLRecordPts
1.Bentonville (15)3-01861
2.Conway2-11552
3.Shiloh Christian (2)3-01463
4.Bentonville West (1)3-01324
5.Joe T. Robinson3-01038
6.Searcy3-0837
7.North Little Rock3-0799
6.Bryant (1)0-3526
9.Benton1-3305
10.Fayetteville2-1510
Others receiving votes: Sylvan Hills 12, El Dorado 12, HS Lakeside 8, Springdale Har-Ber 7, Greenwood 6, Stuttgart 5, Pulaski Academy 4, Sheridan 3, Mountain Home 2.
CLASS 7A
1.Bentonville (15)3-0911
2.Conway2-1642
3.Shiloh Christian (2)3-0524
4.Bentonville West (1)3-0493
5.North Little Rock3-0143
Others receiving votes: Bryant (1) 13, Fayetteville 1, Springdale Har-Ber 1.
CLASS 6A
1.Searcy (16)3-0921t
2.Benton (1)1-2591t
3.Sylvan Hills (1)2-1513
4.El Dorado (1)3-0344
5.Mountain Home2-1225
Others receiving votes: Sheridan 19, Van Buren 8.
CLASS 5A
1.Joe T. Robinson (19)3-0951
2.Greenwood1-2542
3.Greenbrier2-1443
5.Farmington3-0354
4.Hot Springs Lakeside (1)2-1305
Others receiving votes: LR Parkview 12, Jacksonville 9, Valley View 6.
CLASS 4A
1.Stuttgart (16)3-0891
2.Nashville (2)3-0673
3.Gosnell (1)3-0324
4.Arkadelphia2-1285t
5.Elkins2-1232
Others receiving votes: Ozark 14, Hamburg 13, Fountain Lake 8, Gravette 7, Bauxite 2, Pottsville 1, Booneville 1.

CLASS 3A
1.Fordyce (16)1-1901
2.Bismarck (1)2-1582
3.Mansfield2-238
4.Rivercrest (1)3-0314
5.Smackover (2)2-1213
Others receiving votes: Glen Rose 19, Walnut Ridge (1) 11, Rison 11, Palestine-Wheatley 4, Newport 2.
CLASS 2A
1.Mount Ida (17)3-0891
2.Baptist Prep (1)3-0553
3.Junction City1-3292
4.Hazen3-026
5.East Poinsett Co.2-1155
Others receiving votes: Poyen 17, Gurdon 14, Bigelow 11, Earle (1) 8, Dierks 7, Marked Tree 6, Hector 2, Des Arc 3, Cross County 2, Bearden 1.
8-MAN SANCTIONED
2.Corning (8)3-0322
1.Cedar Ridge (6)4-0311
3.Izard County3-010
Others receiving votes: Magazine 9, Woodlawn 5, Rose Bud 2, Strong 1.