STARKVILLE — Despite a rebuilding line, the Mississippi State defense is already garnering preseason honors.
Junior cornerback Cam Dantzler was named a preseason second-team All-American by Phil Steele Monday afternoon, while senior defensive end Chauncey Rivers and junior linebackers Erroll Thompson and Willie Gay Jr. were named All-Southeastern Conference honorees.
Junior running back Kylin Hill and senior tackle Darryl Williams were offensive All-SEC selections.
Replicating 2019’s No. 1 ranked defense will be a lofty task as the Bulldogs lost first-round NFL draft picks in defensive linemen Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons and defensive back Johnathan Abram. But the building blocks for success are there in Moorhead’s second season at the helm.
“Obviously when you lose potential three of the top 40 players taken in the draft it is what it is,” defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said. “As we talked about before, that’s the business that we’re in.”
Dantzler has said the team is up to the challenge.
“I feel like we haven’t missed a beat,” Dantzler said of the defense this spring. “We lost a couple guys from last year but I feel like we play the same kind of style — hard, physical, aggressive — so I feel like we’re looking good this year.”
For Dantzler, this marks his second All-American nod this offseason after Lindy’s Sports named him a second team All-American June 5.
He finished 2018 ranked No. 2 in the SEC with a 41.1 passer rating allowed and was one of just four corners in the conference who did not allow a touchdown with a minimum of 345 coverage snaps played.
“Since I’ve put on a few pounds I feel like I’m more physical, more explosive,” he said. “So I feel like my game has elevated to the next level.”
For Rivers, the honor is a precursor to what should be a more productive fall for him. After spending time behind Sweat, he is slated to take over one of the starting defensive end positions.
Rivers finished the 2018 season with 24 tackles, seven for a loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Thompson and Gay will anchor an MSU linebacker corps expected to lead the defense this fall. With the losses of the Sweat and Simmons, on the defensive line, the duo brings a wealth of experience in the middle of the Bulldog defense.
Thompson finished last season as the only linebacker in the SEC to total more than 85 tackles (87) and multiple interceptions (2). He also allowed just a 56.2 passer rating in coverage.
Gay secured a starting role midway through 2018, totaling 48 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, five sacks and a fumble recovery.
“We are at the top now and we’ve got to lead the defense, we’ve got to run the team,” he told The Dispatch in the spring. “We’ve got to lead by example and make plays and do what we need to do.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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