Rawleigh Williams' comeback story includes all-SEC first team

Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams runs through a hole as offensive linemen Dan Skipper (70) and Frank Ragnow (72) block during a game against Mississippi State on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, in Starkville, Miss.
Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams runs through a hole as offensive linemen Dan Skipper (70) and Frank Ragnow (72) block during a game against Mississippi State on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, in Starkville, Miss.

— Less than 14 months after suffering a neck injury that nearly ended his playing career, Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams was named first-team all-SEC on Thursday.

Williams was one of three running backs on the first team voted on by a 14-member panel of The Associated Press, alongside LSU's Derrius Guice and Auburn's Kamryn Pettway. Arkansas offensive linemen Dan Skipper (first team) and Frank Ragnow (second team) were also named all-SEC.

Williams had one of college football's best comeback stories as a sophomore. He missed the Razorbacks' final six games last season after suffering a severe neck injury against Auburn that required surgery.

Williams didn't go through contact football again until August, but finished with an SEC-best 1,326 rushing yards this season. He also ran for 12 touchdowns and had a receiving score.

UA Single-Season Rushing Yards

1 - 1,830 - Darren McFadden, 2007

2 - 1,647 - Darren McFadden, 2006

3 - 1,577 - Alex Collins, 2015

4 - 1,387 - Madre Hill, 1995

5 - 1,326 - Rawleigh Williams, 2016

"There are a lot of great running backs in this conference," Williams said. "On every team there is always one that can go. To be ahead of those guys is definitely an honor and nothing I take for granted at all."

Williams said he nearly quit football after the neck injury that ended his freshman season.

"I was pretty close, mentally more than anything," Williams said. "Once I got over that hump, probably a month after the injury, there was nothing that could stop me."

Williams was named the SEC's offensive player of the week three times in 2016, including twice in November after he rushed for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns against Florida, and set career highs with 205 yards and 4 touchdowns at Mississippi State.

He had seven games of at least 100 yards during the regular season, including three times in the final four games. His season rushing total ranks fifth all-time at Arkansas with a game remaining against Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.

"You know he never got down, never put his head down, he just went to rehab and worked, and it's paying off right now," Arkansas cornerback Jared Collins said.

"I think he was just determined to come back and do the things he set out to do. He never gave up on that and it just helped him to push through."

Williams was a second-team all-SEC pick by league coaches earlier this week, while Guice and Pettway made the first team. Skipper was first-team on both all-SEC lists, while Ragnow was not on either of the coaches' all-conference teams.

"The offensive line, they grew so much this year as a group and without them I wouldn't have been able to get here," Williams said. "Especially toward the end of the season, there were some holes that a truck could have went through."


The 2016 AP All-SEC team, with players listed by name, school, height, weight, class and hometown (u-denotes unanimous selections):

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Jalen Hurts, Alabama, 6-2, 209, Fr., Channelview, Texas.

Running backs — Derrius Guice, LSU, 5-11, 222, So., Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Kamryn Pettway, Auburn, 6-0, 240, So., Montgomery, Alabama; Rawleigh Williams III, Arkansas, 5-10, 225, So., Dallas, Texas.

Tackles — u-Cam Robinson, Alabama, 6-6, 310, Jr., Monroe, Louisiana; Dan Skipper, Arkansas, 6-10, 322, Sr., Arvada, Colorado.

Guards — Braden Smith, Auburn, 6-6, 300, Jr., Olathe, Kansas; Alex Kozan, Auburn, 6-4, 310, Sr., Castle Rock, Colorado.

Centers — Ethan Pocic, LSU, 6-7, 309, Lemont, Illinois; Jon Toth, Kentucky, 6-5, 310, Sr., Indianapolis, Indiana.

Receivers — Fred Ross, Mississippi State, 6-2, 207, Sr., Tyler, Texas; Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, So., Scottsdale, Arizona.

Tight end — u-Evan Engram, Mississippi, 6-3, 227, Sr., Powder Springs, Georgia.

All-purpose player — Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, So., Scottsdale, Arizona.

Kicker — Daniel Carlson, Auburn, 6-4, 218, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colorado.

DEFENSE

Ends — u-Jonathan Allen, Alabama, 6-3, 291, Sr., Leesburg, Virginia; u-Derek Barnett, Tennessee, 6-3, 257, Jr., Nashville, Tennessee.

Tackle — Montravius Adams, Auburn, 6-4, 309, Sr., Vienna, Georgia

Linebackers — Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 238, Jr., Pinson, Alabama; Reuben Foster, Alabama, 6-1, 228, Sr., Auburn, Alabama; Ryan Anderson, Alabama, 6-2, 253, Sr., Daphne, Alabama; Arden Key, LSU, 6-6, 231, So., Atlanta, Georgia.

Cornerbacks — Teez Tabor, Florida, 6-0, 201, Jr., Washington, D.C.; Tre'Davious White, LSU, 5-11, 191, Sr., Shreveport, Louisiana.

Safeties — Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama, 6-1, 203, So., Old Bridge, New Jersey; Jamal Adams, LSU, 6-1, 211, Jr., Lewisville, Texas.

Punter — JK Scott, Alabama, 6-6, 202, Jr., Denver, Colorado.


SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks — Josh Dobbs, Tennessee, 6-3, 207, Sr., Alpharetta, Georgia; Chad Kelly, Mississippi, 6-2, 215, Sr., Buffalo, New York.

Running backs — Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt, 5-10, 205, Jr., Gainesville, Florida; Leonard Fournette, LSU, 6-1, 230, Jr. New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tackles — Robert Leff, Auburn, 6-6, 299, Sr.; Fairhope, Alabama; Jonah Williams, Alabama, 6-5, 296, Fr., Folsom, California.

Guards — Josh Boutte, LSU, 6-5, 342, Sr., New Iberia, Louisiana; Martez Ivey, Florida, 6-5, 305, So., Apopka, Florida; Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama, 6-4, 304, So., Cedar Falls, Iowa

Center — Frank Ragnow, Arkansas, 6-5, 312, Jr., Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Receivers — ArDarius Stewart, Alabama, 6-1, 204, Jr., Fultondale, Alabama; J'Mon Moore, Missouri, 6-3, 190, Jr., Missouri City, Texas; Josh Reynolds, Texas A&M, 6-4, 190, Sr., San Antonio, Texas.

Tight end — O.J. Howard, Alabama, 6-6, 251, Sr., Prattville, Alabama.

All-purpose player — Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia, 5-8, 170, Jr., Miami, Florida.

Kicker — Gary Wunderlich, Mississippi, 6-0, 193, Jr., Memphis, Tennessee.

DEFENSE

Ends — Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, 6-5, 262, Jr., Arlington, Texas; Charles Harris, Missouri, 6-3, 255, Jr., Kansas City, Missouri; Carl Lawson, Auburn, 6-2, 253, Jr., Alpharetta, Georgia.

Tackles — Caleb Brantley, Florida, 6-2, 297, Jr., Crescent City, Florida; Darius English, South Carolina,6-6, 245, Sr., Powder Springs, Georgia.

Linebackers — Tim Williams, Alabama, 6-4, 252, Sr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Jordan Jones, Kentucky, 6-2, 220, So., Youngstown, Ohio; Kendall Beckwith, LSU, 6-2, 252, Sr., Clinton, Louisiana.

Cornerbacks — Aarion Penton, Missouri, 5-10, 190, Sr., St. Louis, Missouri; Quincy Wilson, Florida, 6-1, 213, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Safeties — Marcus Maye, Florida, 6-0, 210, Sr., Melbourne, Florida; Justin Evans, Texas A&M, 6-1, 195, Sr., Wiggins, Mississippi; Mike Edwards, Kentucky, 6-0, 200, So., Cincinnati, Ohio.

Punter — Johnny Townsend, Florida, 6-1, 210, Jr., Orlando, Florida.


Coach of the year — Nick Saban, Alabama

Offensive player of the year — Jalen Hurts, Alabama

Defensive player of the year — Jonathan Allen, Alabama

Newcomer of the year — Jalen Hurts, Alabama


AP All-SEC Voting Panel:

Parrish Alford, Daily Journal; Michael Bonner, The Clarion-Ledger; Patrick Brown, Chattanooga Times Free Press; John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader; Joe Dubin, WSMV-TV; Garland Gillen, WVUE-TV; Josh Kendall, The State; Tom Murphy, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Dwayne Rankin, Montgomery Advertiser; Gary Smits, The Florida Times-Union; Dana Sulonen, Opelika-Auburn News; Joe Walljasper, , Columbia Daily Tribune; Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald; Brent Zwerneman, Houston Chronicle.

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