In the thick of college football preview magazine season, Athlon Sports has released its preseason All-SEC team online.
(We’ll provide the first-team selections below, but to see the second, third and fourth-team picks, check out Athlon Sports’ article here.)
Some positions of note:
- Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott got the nod ahead of Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson. This is the logical choice preseason, and it’s hard to argue based on what Prescott accomplished in 2014 and his progress this spring. But Johnson has more upside and is playing in a better offense, surrounded by better talent. I wouldn’t be shocked if he overtakes Prescott by the end of the year due to relatively inflated statistics.
- Nick Chubb and Leonard Fournette are the two picks for All-SEC running back. Preseason, at least, there should be some debate between Fournette and Athlon’s second-team pick, Derrick Henry. I’d expect a few news outlets to slip Henry into that spot ahead of Fournette. I may be the only person in the country taking Fournette ahead of Chubb for 2015.
- The group of players along the line of scrimmage is really, really good, as one may expect. Arkansas claims three first- or second-team offensive linemen on Athlon’s list. Alabama and Ole Miss each claim three defensive linemen on one of the four teams.
- I’d hate to be an SEC receiver trying to get open against the second-team secondary, as judged by Athlon Sports. Tennessee’s Cam Sutton, LSU’s Tre’Davious White, LSU’s Jalen Mislls and Tennessee’s Brian Randolph are a tough combination.
Here’s the first-team SEC offense, defense and special teams, as judged by Athlon Sports.
OFFENSE
QB: Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
RB: Nick Chubb, Georgia
RB: Leonard Fournette, LSU
AP: Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina
WR: Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss
WR: D’haquille Williams, Auburn
TE: Hunter Henry, Arkansas
C: Ryan Kelly, Alabama
G: Greg Pyke, Georgia
G: Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas
OT: Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss
OT: Cam Robinson, Alabama
DEFENSE
DE: Derek Barnett, Tennessee
DE: Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
DT: Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
DT: A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama
LB: Reggie Ragland, Alabama
LB: Jordan Jenkins, Georgia
LB: Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
CB: Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida
CB: Jonathan Jones, Auburn
S: Tony Conner, Ole Miss
S: Jamal Adams, LSU
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Austin MacGinnis, Kentucky
P: JK Scott, Alabama
KR: Darrius Sims, Vanderbilt
PR: Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia
First-Team Members By School
Alabama: 5
Arkansas: 2
Auburn: 2
Florida: 1
Georgia: 4
Kentucky: 1
LSU: 2
Missouri: 1
Mississippi State: 1
Ole Miss: 4
South Carolina: 1
Tennessee: 1
Texas A&M: 1
Vanderbilt: 1
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
