Four named to Rivals.com freshman AA team

Ole Miss' highly touted 2006 freshman class was well-represented on the Rivals.com Freshman All-America teams, as four Rebels were named to the two teams announced on Thursday.

Defensive end Greg Hardy and defensive tackle Marcus Tillman made the first team, while offensive guard John Jerry and place-kicker Joshua Shene were selected to the second team.

Ole Miss' four selections were more than any other school in the nation. Oklahoma State's three picks made it the only other school with more than two picks.

The Southeastern Conference led all leagues with nine first-team selections and 14 picks overall. The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 each placed five players on the first team, while the ACC had 13 across both teams.

The Freshman All-America teams were comprised of 56 total players, who had to qualify as either true freshmen or redshirt-freshmen.

All four of the Ole Miss picks were true freshmen playing in their first collegiate season with the Red and Blue.

Greg Hardy tied for the team lead with three sacks and ranked third in the SEC with four forced fumbles. The Millington, Tenn., native played in all 12 games and started nine for the Rebels. He ranked fifth on the team with 49 tackles. Against Mississippi State, Hardy lined up at wide receiver and caught a 23-yard touchdown pass on his first offensive snap as a collegian.

Marcus Tillman played in all 12 games and started 10 as an undersized defensive tackle. The high school All-American from Meadville, Miss., tied for second on the team with five tackles for loss and collected 22 tackles on the year.

John Jerry stepped into the Ole Miss lineup as a true freshman and started all 12 games at left guard. The Batesville, Miss., product led the Rebels with 26 pancake blocks and helped pave the way for BenJarvus Green-Ellis to rush for 999 yards, the fourth-highest total in school history.

Joshua Shene connected on 14-of-17 field goals for the year at an 82 percent clip, which ranks fourth in the SEC. The highly ranked high school kicker from Oklahoma City, Okla., made nine straight field goals toward the end of the season, including a career-long 52-yarder vs. Northwestern State. He was also a perfect 20-of-20 on PATs in 2006.

Patrick Willis was named first team All-Amereican by Rivals.com earlier in the week on the upperclassman team.

Below is the complete 2006 Rivals.com Freshman All-America first and second team:

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB – Colt McCoy (RS), Texas, 6-3 205

RB – P.J. Hill (RS), Wisconsin, 5-11, 242 (Rivals.com National Freshman of the Year )

RB – C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 5-11, 190

WR – David Harvey, Akron, 5-11, 160

WR – Darrius Heyward-Bey (RS), Maryland, 6-3, 195

TE – Jermichael Finley (RS), Texas, 6-5, 220

T – Andre Smith, Alabama, 6-4, 348

T – Sam Young, Notre Dame, 6-7, 292

G – Greg Isdaner, West Virginia (RS), 6-4, 315

G – Sergio Render, Virginia Tech, 6-3, 320

C – Josh McNeil, Tennessee (RS), 6-4, 290

AP – Percy Harvin, Florida, 5-11, 182

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DE – Jeffrey Fitzgerald (RS), Virginia, 6-3, 279

DE – Greg Hardy, Ole Miss, 6-5, 240

DT – Sen'Derrick Marks (RS), Auburn, 6-1, 287

DT – Marcus Tillman, Ole Miss, 6-4, 255

LB – Reggie Carter (RS), UCLA, 6-1, 218

LB – Prince Hall (RS), Alabama, 5-11, 255

LB – Patrick Lavine, Oklahoma State, 6-2, 210

CB – Vontae Davis, Illinois, 6-0, 185

CB – Trevard Lindley (RS), Kentucky, 6-0, 175

S – Jairus Byrd (RS), Oregon, 5-11, 208

S – Taylor Mays, USC, 6-4, 225

Utility – Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State, 6-1, 180

FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

KR – Jeff Smith, Boston College, 5-9, 190

PR – Brandon James, Florida, 5-7, 180

K – Brett Swenson, Michigan State, 5-8, 151

P – Matt DiLallo (RS), Colorado, 6-1, 200

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB – Kellen Lewis (RS), Indiana, 6-1, 177

RB – Damion Fletcher, Southern Mississippi, 5-10, 176

RB – Javarris James, Miami, 6-0, 202

WR – Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina, 6-1, 210

WR – Oderick Turner (RS), Pittsburgh, 6-3, 200

TE – Brandon Warren, Florida State, 6-2, 230

T – Eben Britton (RS), Arizona, 6-6, 280

T – Jason Fox, Miami, 6-6, 265

G – John Jerry, Ole Miss, 6-6, 340

G – Joe Thomas, Pittsburgh, 6-5, 285

C – Rafael Eubanks (RS), Iowa, 6-3, 288

AP – LaMarcus Coker (RS), Tennessee, 5-11, 205

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DE – Eric Norwood, South Carolina, 6-2, 258

DE – Willie Young (RS), N.C. State, 6-5, 230

DT – Adam Hahn (RS), Northwestern, 6-4, 295

DT – Vince Oghobaase (RS), Duke, 6-6, 310

LB – Josh Bailey (RS), Indiana, 6-1, 220

LB - Chris Collins, Oklahoma State, 6-2, 235

LB – Joe Pawelek (RS), Baylor , 6-2, 232

CB – Walter Thurmond (RS), Oregon, 6-0, 175

CB – Al Verner, UCLA, 5-10, 170

S – Myron Rolle, Florida State, 6-2, 218

S – Aairon Savage (RS), Auburn, 5-11, 170

Utility – Mike Goodson, Texas A&M, 6-0, 192

SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

KR – C.J. Gable, USC, 6-1, 190

PR – Jacoby Ford, Clemson, 5-9, 180

K – Joshua Shene, Ole Miss, 5-9, 170

P – Mike Brandtner (RS), Iowa State, 6-1, 198