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The SEC Coaches announced their 2014 Freshman All-Conference team on Thursday, and Vanderbilt was able to sneak leading tackler Nigel Bowden onto the roster. Bowden had 78 tackles in 11 games and provided a big defensive boost up the middle for the 'Dores this fall. However, he was the only Vandy athlete to make the list.
Vanderbilt played approximately 30 freshmen with some regularity in 2014 (insert your own Derek Mason joke or defense here). So who got snubbed? You could make a case for:
RB Ralph Webb: 912 rush yards, four touchdowns (but crowded out by Nick Chubb and Leonard Fournette).
SS Oren Burks: 37 tackles, 14 passes broken up or defended (but missed four games due to injury).
LB Zach Cunningham: 67 tackles, 6.5 for loss.
Other freshman starters included QB Johnny McCrary, WR C.J. Duncan, DT Jay Woods, and CB Taurean Ferguson. Here's the full list of the SEC's All-Freshman team for 2014:
| OFFENSE | |
|---|---|
| TE | Jeb Blazevich, Georgia |
| OL | Cam Robinson, Alabama |
| OL | Jashon Robertson, Tennessee |
| OL | Braden Smith, Auburn |
| OL | Ramsey Meyers, Kentucky |
| C | Frank Ragnow, Arkansas |
| WR | Speedy Noil, Texas A&M |
| WR | Malachi Dupre, LSU |
| QB | Treon Harris, Florida |
| RB | Nick Chubb, Georgia |
| RB | Leonard Fournette, LSU |
| AP | Leonard Fournette, LSU |
| DEFENSE | |
| DL | Myles Garrett, Texas A&M |
| DL | Derek Barnett, Tennessee |
| DL | Da’Shawn Hand, Alabama |
| DL | Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss |
| LB | Nigel Bowden, Vanderbilt |
| LB | Lorenzo Carter, Georgia |
| LB | J.T Gray, Mississippi State |
| DB | Jalen Tabor, Florida |
| DB | Jamal Adams, LSU |
| DB | Todd Kelly, Jr., Tennessee |
| DB | Al Harris, Jr., South Carolina |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | |
| PK | Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky |
| P | JK Scott, Alabama |
| RS | Speedy Noil, Texas A&M |