Dec. 11, 2014
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Vanderbilt leading tackler Nigel Bowden has been voted to the Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team, league officials announced today.
Bowden, a product of Central High School in Macon, Ga., was among three linebackers named to the coaches’ all-league freshman defense.
Bowden was the only Commodore to earn recognition on the coaches’ all-freshman team. Record-breaking running back Ralph Webb was among the first-year Commodores not included on the coaches’ postseason team.
Bowden topped all SEC freshmen this season with 78 total tackles, and became the first freshman to pace the Commodores in tackles since freshman All-America Jamie Winborn did so in 1998.
The 6-1, 240-pound Bowden was superb from his inside linebacker position in Vanderbilt’s 3-4 defense. Bowden posted at least five tackles in his first eight games, and registered a minimum of seven stops in seven straight midseason games. Among his top performances was a 11-tackle effort at Missouri and nine-tackle showing at Kentucky. Bowden’s importance to the Commodore defense was felt late in the season at Mississippi State when injury kept him out of a disappointing loss to the No. 4 ranked Bulldogs.
Bowden also becomes the first Vanderbilt linebacker named to the freshman All-SEC team since Chris Marve was selected in 2008. Marve served as a first-year member of the Commodore coaching staff this season.
Bowden becomes the first Commodore to earn All-Freshman honors from the coaches since offensive lineman Andrew Jelks was recognized in 2013. No Vanderbilt freshmen were named after the 2011-2012 seasons.
FRESHMAN ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
TE – Jeb Blazevich, Georgia
OL – Cam Robinson, Alabama; Jashon Robertson, Tennessee; Braden Smith, Auburn; Ramsey Meyers, Kentucky
C – Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
WR – Speedy Noil, Texas A&M; Malachi Dupre, LSU
QB – Treon Harris, Florida
RB – Nick Chubb, Georgia; Leonard Fournette, LSU
ALL-PURPOSE – Leonard Fournette, LSU
DEFENSE
DL – Myles Garrett, Texas A&M; Derek Barnett, Tennessee; Da’Shawn Hand, Alabama; Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss
LB – Nigel Bowden, Vanderbilt; Lorenzo Carter, Georgia; J.T. Gray, Mississippi State
DB – Jalen Tabor, Florida; Jamal Adams, LSU; Todd Kelly, Jr., Tennessee; Al Harris, Jr., South Carolina
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky
PUNTER – JK Scott, Alabama
RS – Speedy Noil, Texas A&M
