SEC’s sports information directors select best offensive, defensive players for 2017

After polling the various sports information directors around the Southeastern Conference, AL.com has published predictions for both the SEC East and SEC West before SEC Media Days arrives next month. More recently, AL.com has released the SIDs predictions for the league’s first-team offense and first-team defense.

Alabama led the way in this poll with nine total first-team selections, while Georgia finished second with four selections on the list. Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Missouri, and Vanderbilt do not have a representative from either list.

Here’s the best crop of talent from the SEC, according to the league’s sports information directors:

First-team offense

QB – Jalen Hurts, Alabama

RB – Derrius Guice, LSU

RB – Nick Chubb, Georgia

WR – Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

WR – Calvin Ridley, Alabama

TE – Isaac Nauta, Georgia

OT – Jonah Williams, Alabama

OT – Martez Ivey, Florida

OG – Braden Smith, Auburn

OG – Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama

C – Frank Ragnow, Arkansas

K – Daniel Carlson, Auburn

First-team defense

DL – Trent Thompson, Georgia

DL – Da’Ron Payne, Alabama

DL – Arden Key, LSU

DL – Jabari Zuniga, Florida

LB – Jordan Jones, Kentucky

LB – Roquan Smith, Georgia

LB – Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama

CB – Carlton Davis, Auburn

CB – Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

S – Ronnie Harrison, Alabama

S – Armani Watts, Texas A&M

P – JK Scott, Alabama

Michael Wayne Bratton

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com