Three Missouri football players named to preseason coaches All-SEC teams

Three Missouri football players were named to the Preseason All-SEC teams on Tuesday, with one player apiece on the first, second, and third teams.

Offensive lineman Cayden Green was a first-team selection by the league’s coaches, while wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. and safety Jalen Catalon earned second- and third-team nods, respectively.

Green has received preseason All-American honors from multiple outlets throughout the offseason, and the career left guard is making a significant position switch for the Tigers this year.

The Lee’s Summit, Missouri, native will be the Tigers’ starting blindside blocker this season, making the switch to left tackle — where he played in high school and one game while with Oklahoma.

Coleman was a third-team, end-of-season All-SEC selection last year while at Mississippi State. The wideout is expected to be Mizzou’s starting slot receiver, taking over for Luther Burden III as the potential primary pass-catching option in Columbia.

The St. Louis native and St. Mary’s High grad caught 79 passes for 932 yards and six touchdowns last season in Starkville, Mississippi. He is the former SWAC Freshman of the Year from his time at Jackson State, and he also spent a season at Louisville. Coleman is expected to be Mizzou’s primary punt returner, too.

Oct 26, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) dives into the end zone against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Catalon is playing his seventh season in the sport, and he joins the Tigers after a third-team AP All-American season with UNLV under former MU coach Barry Odom. He began his career at Arkansas, where he was a freshman All-American, and he also spent a season at Texas.

The safety has 2,488 career snaps, during which he has amassed 272 total tackles and 10 interceptions. Like Green, he was recently voted as a team captain by his Mizzou teammates in fall camp.