Preseason College Football 2023 All-SEC Team: Georgia reigns supreme again

Today, we’ll examine the SEC's best players by building three 2023 preseason All-Conference teams

The SEC is college football’s best conference, boasting the most future NFL talent. Today, we’ll take a look at that future pro talent by assembling three preseason All-SEC Teams. This exercise revealed the gap between Georgia and the conference’s other programs is growing as the Bulldogs fuel their dynastic aspirations.

Please note that these teams don’t reflect how I view players as NFL prospects. Talent plays a role in these evaluations, but projected on-field performance and production are more meaningful.

This is the fourth part of an offseason series where I cover all Power Five conferences. Subscribe for free with your email to receive updates on my latest posts and follow along as we cover the college football landscape.

All-ACC l All-Pac-12 l All-Big Ten

*Indicates new transfer

^Indicates Sam Teets 2022 preseason All-Conference selection

First Team Offense

Quarterback: KJ Jefferson, Arkansas

Running Back: Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss

Running Back: Raheim Sanders, Arkansas

Wide Receiver: Malik Nabers, LSU

Wide Receiver: Antwane Wells Jr., South Carolina

Wide Receiver: Zakhari Franklin, Ole Miss*

Tight End: Brock Bowers, Georgia^

All-Purpose: Jase McClellan, Alabama (RB)

Offensive Tackle: Amarius Mims, Georgia

Offensive Tackle: Will Campbell, LSU

Guard: Xavier Truss, Georgia

Guard: Tate Ratledge, Georgia

Center: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia^

First Team Defense

Defensive End/Edge: Dallas Turner, Alabama

Defensive End/Edge: Princely Umanmielen, Florida

Defensive Tackle: Maason Smith, LSU

Defensive Tackle: Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia

Linebacker: Harold Perkins Jr., LSU

Linebacker: Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia

Linebacker: Ty'Ron Hopper, Missouri

Cornerback: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

Cornerback: D.J. James, Auburn

Safety: Malaki Starks, Georgia

Safety: Alfahiym Walcott, Arkansas*

Georgia topped Alabama and LSU for the most selections on the First Team with eight. LSU (four), Alabama (three), Arkansas (three), and Ole Miss (two) were the only other programs with multiple players on the team. Kentucky, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt were shut out.

Georgia’s dominance is centered on its control of the trenches. The Bulldogs have a monopoly on the conference’s top offensive linemen, picking up four of the five offensive line spots. The defense isn’t as stacked as in past seasons, but players like Smael Mondon Jr. and Nazir Stackhouse are still receiving summer top 100 evaluations for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Only two of the players on the First Team join their current programs as transfers in the offseason. Zakhari Franklin arrives at Ole Miss after setting the career receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdown marks at UTSA. Al Walcott joins Arkansas after producing ten tackles for loss, an interception, and three forced fumbles in 2022.

Georgia’s Brock Bowers and Sedrick Van Pran are the only selections who earned preseason All-SEC honors in 2022. Will Campbell, Quinshon Judkins, Harold Perkins Jr., and Malaki Starks are not draft-eligible.

The wide receiver and running back trio represented on the SEC First Team are arguably the best across all conferences. Franklin and Nabers topped 1,000 receiving yards last season, while Wells finished with 928 yards after producing 1,250 with James Madison in 2021. Quinshon Judkins and Raheim Sanders combined for 3,413 yards from scrimmage and 29 total touchdowns in 2022. Jase McClellan scored ten touchdowns last year despite being part of a running back rotation.

Second Team Offense

Quarterback: Will Rogers, Mississippi State^

Running Back: Jarquez Hunter, Auburn^

Running Back: Ray Davis, Kentucky*

Wide Receiver: Dominic Lovett, Georgia*

Wide Receiver: Barion Brown, Kentucky

Wide Receiver: Evan Stewart, Texas A&M

Tight End: Mason Taylor, LSU

All-Purpose: Moose Muhammad III, Texas A&M (WR)

Offensive Tackle: JC Latham, Alabama

Offensive Tackle: Austin Barber, Florida

Guard: Brady Latham, Arkansas^

Guard: Micah Mazzccua, Florida*

Center: Beaux Limmer, Arkansas^

Second Team Defense

Defensive End/Edge: Jalen McLeod, Auburn*

Defensive End/Edge: Mykel Williams, Georgia

Defensive Tackle: Mekhi Wingo, LSU

Defensive Tackle: Deone Walker, Kentucky

Linebacker: Omar Speights, LSU*

Linebacker: Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State

Linebacker: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia^

Cornerback: Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

Cornerback: Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri^

Safety: Jaylon Carlies, Missouri

Safety: CJ Taylor, Vanderbilt

The player selections are more evenly distributed on the Second Team. Georgia still claims the top spot with four, but eight other programs had multiple players make the list, including LSU (three), Kentucky (three), Arkansas (two), Auburn (two), Florida (two), Missouri (two), Mississippi State (two), and Texas A&M (two). Ole Miss, Tennessee, and South Carolina were the only teams without selections.

The SEC is deep at wide receiver but only has a handful of true superstars. Players like Barion Brown, Dominic Lovett, and Moose Muhammad III have great potential, but they’re at the mercy of their quarterback situations. Very few receivers in the conference transcend who is throwing them the ball.

Five of the 24 players recently transferred to their current programs. This includes All-Pac-12 linebacker Omar Speights and Re'Mahn “Ray” Davis, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards at Vanderbilt last season. Six Second Team selections made the 2022 preseason All-SEC teams.

Barion Brown, Evan Stewart, Mason Taylor, and Deone Walker are the only members of the Second Team who aren’t eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft. Among players on this team, only Kris Abrams-Draine, Kamari Lassiter, and JC Latham have received summer top-60 hype as potential draft picks.

Third Team Offense

Quarterback: Devin Leary, Kentucky*^

Running Back: Daijun Edwards, RB Georgia

Running Back: Trevor Etienne, Florida

Wide Receiver: Ladd McConkey, Georgia

Wide Receiver: Malik Benson, Alabama*

Wide Receiver: Bru McCoy, Tennessee

Tight End: Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss*

All-Purpose: Jo'quavious Marks, RB Mississippi State (RB)

Offensive Tackle: Javon Foster, Missouri^

Offensive Tackle: Reuben Fatheree II, Texas A&M

Guard: Layden Robinson, Texas A&M^

Guard: Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky^

Center: Seth McLaughlin, Alabama

Third Team Defense

Defensive End/Edge: Chris Braswell, Alabama

Defensive End/Edge: Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina

Defensive Tackle: Jaheim Oatis, Alabama

Defensive Tackle: McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M

Linebacker: Jett Johnson, Mississippi State^

Linebacker: Deontae Lawson, Alabama

Linebacker: Chad Bailey, Missouri

Cornerback: Deantre Prince, CB Ole Miss^

Cornerback: Jason Marshall Jr., Florida

Safety: Javon Bullard, Georgia

Safety: Demani Richardson, Texas A&M

Alabama made a final push to tie or top Georgia for the total number of selections thanks to a strong showing on the Third Team. The Crimson Tide’s five selections were the most among all teams, followed by Texas A&M (four), Georgia (three), Florida (two), Kentucky (two), Missouri (two), Mississippi State (two), and Ole Miss (two).

Many members of the Third Team are projections who haven’t put together All-SEC-caliber seasons yet. This includes players like Alabama’s Deontae Lawson, Florida’s Trevor Etienne, and Georgia’s Daijun Edwards. These selections are betting on upside or expected volume.

Six members of the Third Team earned 2022 preseason All-SEC honors. Three of the players are recent transfers. All three are on the offensive side of the ball and could play massive roles for their teams. Devin Leary passed for 35 touchdowns and just four interceptions in 2021 with North Carolina State. An injury shortened his season late year, but he should provide Kentucky’s offense with a steady hand.

Junior college product Malik Benson produced 2,152 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in two seasons at the JUCO level. He will provide a mundane Crimson Tide wide receiver room with some much-needed firepower. Memphis transfer Caden Prieskorn will compete with Michael Trigg for snaps at tight end, but the former All-American Athletic Conference selection has the inside track for the starting job.

Javon Bullard and Jason Marshall Jr. are the two members of the Third Team who have received top 60 evaluations for the 2024 NFL Draft. Trevor Etienne and Jaheim Oatis are the team’s only members who aren’t eligible for the upcoming draft.

Final Outcome and Recap

It’s not surprising that Alabama and Georgia produced the most selections across the three preseason All-SEC Teams. Although, fans might be surprised by how large the gap was between first and second place. Georgia earned 15 selections, while Alabama finished with nine. For comparison, the Big Ten and ACC leaders had 14 selections. The top Pac-12 teams had 12.

That means Georgia has the most selections in this series among all Power Five programs so far. The Bulldogs continue to replace high-level NFL prospects with worthy successors. Coach Kirby Smart’s recruiting and next-man-up mentality is serving the program well.

Alabama built a decent lead over third place LSU (seven), fourth place Texas A&M (six), and fifth place, which was a tie between Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri at five selections each. However, many of the Crimson Tide’s selections are projections. In comparison, most of Georgia’s players are already established producers.

Mississippi State (four), Ole Miss (four), Auburn (three), and South Carolina (two) also earned multiple nominations. Despite their success last year, the Tennessee Volunteers only received one selection. Vanderbilt also had one player appear, meaning no SEC team was shut out.

Only ten of the 72 players on the three teams were recent transfers, which sets a new low for this series. The Big Ten held the previous lowest mark at 12. Kentucky and Ole Miss are the only programs with multiple transfers on the teams (two each).

Five Additional Breakout Candidates

1. Zy Alexander, CB LSU*

2. Terrion Arnold, CB Alabama

3. Var'Keyes Gumms, TE Arkansas*

4. Gunner Britton, OT Auburn*

5. Luther Burden, WR Missouri

Honorable Mentions Offense

Jayden Daniels, QB LSU

Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss

Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama

Joe Milton, QB Tennessee

Spencer Rattler, QB South Carolina

Spencer Sanders, QB Ole Miss*

Mario Anderson, RB South Carolina*

Ulysses Bentley IV, RB Ole Miss

Montrell Johnson, RB Florida

Kendall Milton, RB Georgia

Jabari Small, RB Tennessee

Jaylen Wright, RB Tennessee

Andrew Armstrong, WR Arkansas*

Ja'Corey Brooks, WR Alabama^

Luther Burden, WR Missouri

Jermaine Burton, WR Alabama^

Caleb Burton III, WR Auburn*

Tre Harris, WR Ole Miss*

Dane Key, WR Kentucky

Will Sheppard, WR Vanderbilt

Ainias Smith, WR Texas A&M^

Jyaire Shorter, WR Auburn*

Isaac TeSlaa, WR Arkansas*

Rara Thomas, WR Georgia*

Theo Wease Jr., WR Missouri*

CJ Dippre, TE Alabama*

Rivaldo Fairweather, TE Auburn*

Var'Keyes Gumms, TE Arkansas*

Gunner Britton, OT Auburn*

John Campbell Jr., OT Tennessee*

Earnest Greene III, OT Georgia

Marcellus Johnson, OT Missouri*

Garrett Dellinger, G LSU

Nick Gargiulo, C South Carolina*

Avery Jones, C Auburn*

Cole Smith, C Mississippi State

Honorable Mentions Defense

Cam'Ron Jackson, IDL Florida*

Darius Robinson, IDL Missouri

Justin Rogers, IDL Auburn*^

Tyler Baron, Edge Tennessee

Jared Ivey, Edge Ole Miss

Trajan Jeffcoat, Edge Arkansas*

Cedric Johnson, Edge Ole Miss

Sai'vion Jones, Edge LSU

John Morgan III, Edge Arkansas*

Ovie Oghoufo, Edge LSU*

Jordan Strachan, Edge South Carolina

Bradyn Swinson, Edge LSU*

J.J. Weaver, Edge Kentucky

Jihaad Campbell, LB Alabama

Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, LB Ole Miss*

Monty Montgomery, LB Ole Miss*

Triston Newson, LB Missouri*

Larry Nixon III, LB Auburn*

Chris Paul Jr., LB Arkansas

Trevin Wallace, LB Kentucky

Zy Alexander, CB LSU*

Terrion Arnold, CB Alabama

Tyreek Chappell, CB Texas A&M

Darian Chestnut, CB LSU*

Marcellas Dial, CB South Carolina

Daylen Everette, CB Georgia

DeShawn Gaddie, CB Ole Miss*

Tony Grimes, CB Texas A&M*

Gabe Jeudy-Lally, CB Tennessee*

Dwight McGlothern, CB Arkansas

Andru Phillips, CB Kentucky

Nehemiah Pritchett, CB Auburn

Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB Missouri

Decamerion Richardson, CB Mississippi State

John Saunders Jr., CB Ole Miss*

Doneiko Slaughter, CB Tennessee

Zamari Walton, CB Ole Miss*

Greg Brooks Jr., S LSU

Major Burns, S LSU

Daylan Carnell, DB Missouri

Hudson Clark, S Arkansas

Caleb Downs, S Alabama

Nick Emmanwori, S South Carolina

Lorando Johnson, DB Arkansas*

Malachi Moore, DB Alabama

R.J. Moten, S Florida*

Tykee Smith, DB Georgia^

Ladarius Tennison, S Ole Miss

De'Rickey Wright, S Vanderbilt

Isheem Young, S Ole Miss