If we’re being completely honest, there weren’t too many head-scratchers on the media’s preseason All-SEC teams. Some, yes, but not too many.

Of my Top 25 SEC players, 24 earned a spot on one of the preseason teams. And the one who didn’t — I’ll get to him later — was a quarterback, so that’s pretty understandable.

Preseason media ballots are tough because they’re part previous season, part projection and part name recognition. Like, Najee Harris didn’t make the first-team because of what he did in 2018. It’s because without Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs, the expectation is that the former 5-star back will thrive with a bigger workload.

Fair or not, that’s usually the way these things are weighted. So because of that, I thought I’d come up with 5 guys who didn’t make one of the preseason All-SEC teams who could earn a selection by season’s end.

Some are snubs, some aren’t. Some are me believing in a player’s ability, and whether it was because of a middle-of-the-road season they’re coming off of or just inexperience, they didn’t get that preseason love. But as any coach will say, it’s the year-end stuff that counts.

Here are those 5 guys:

1. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M QB

No, I don’t agree with Mond that he’s the best quarterback in the SEC. At least not yet.

But I think Mond is the third-best quarterback in the SEC, so yes, he was my pick for third-team All-SEC slightly ahead of Joe Burrow. What we saw from the Aggie sophomore in Jimbo Fisher’s system was impressive. The decision-making improved and it looked like the game slowed down for him. He’s the top true dual-threat guy in the conference with the ability to turn man coverage into a 75-yard touchdown scramble.

The reason I’m even higher on Mond’s passing ability is because he returns a wealth of options at receiver. We saw down the stretch how he was able to get on the same page with them — that LSU game was when it culminated — and pick apart defenses. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mond throws for 35 touchdowns, hits 4,000 yards and improves to 60% accuracy en route to an All-SEC honor.

2. Kylin Hill, Mississippi State RB

Let me repeat. Kylin Hill being really, really good is the hill I’m dying on this offseason. I thought when healthy, Hill was good last year. He lost weight and he’s absolutely at full strength. I’m not just saying that because a video surfaced of him squat repping a metric ton (with actual good form).

Hill is a do-it-all guy who will have a heavy workload in Joe Moorhead’s system, which saw the lead back have a minimum of 268 touches and 1,738 yards from scrimmage in the 6 seasons before 2018. Even if Hill doesn’t hit those insane numbers, there’s plenty of belief that in an MSU offense that should stretch the field better than it did last year, those opportunities will be plentiful.

The only challenge facing Hill is the same one that he faced in the preseason — the SEC is loaded with quality backs this year.

3. Scottie Phillips, Ole Miss RB

Speaking of that loaded group of SEC backs, Phillips is sort of the forgotten guy. It’s easy to forget that in an offense with explosive NFL wideouts that passed a ton last year, Phillips had:

  • A) More than 1,000 yards from scrimmage
  • B) Double-digit touchdowns
  • C) 6.1 yards per carry
  • D) All the above

The answer is “D.” The answer is always “D.”

That was basically in 9 games for a team that spent most of SEC play trailing. I’m not necessarily saying that’ll change a ton this year, but in Rich Rodriguez’s run-heavy system, I have to think Phillips is going to be called upon a lot to try and make things easier for Matt Corral. Phillips will do everything in his power to hold off the promising Jerrion Ealy.

4. Darrell Taylor, Tennessee LB

Fun fact: Did you know that Taylor had more sacks than any returning SEC player? I didn’t until I was compiling my list of Top 25 SEC players. Or rather, I didn’t realize that until after I compiled my list and someone pointed that out to me on Twitter.

Fair enough. Taylor is better at getting to the quarterback than I am at coming up with lists.

This year, he’ll be doing that from the outside linebacker position in Jeremy Pruitt’s defense. The hope is that’ll lead to more games like we saw against Kentucky when he completely took over. For a unit that was in desperate need of some playmakers last year, Taylor showed some nice flashes, and not just an Edge rusher.

This year, the consistency should improve. I think he and teammate Alontae Taylor could both take major steps into becoming all-conference players in Year 2 of Pruitt’s system.

5. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU CB

Wait … a freshman?! Yes, a freshman. That’s how good I believe Stingley will be from the jump. Playing alongside Kristian Fulton, I expect teams to want to attack the true freshman. Let them. Stingley can handle himself just fine on the outside.

That’s why Ed Orgeron named him a starter in July. That doesn’t happen very often. Stingley is going to be a lockdown corner in this league from Day 1. He has the physicality needed at this position, he’s not going to get pushed around and he has tremendous recovery speed already.

Will there be some teachable moments from Stingley? Probably. It’d be sort of strange if there weren’t. But I think more times than not, we’ll watch Stingley do something in 2019 and we’ll have to be reminded that he’s only a freshman.

Don’t be surprised if and when he’s the lone Class of 2019 representative on an All-SEC team at season’s end.