2023 Preseason All-SEC Teams revealed following SEC Media Days
As the 2023 SEC Media Days come to an end in Nashville, the conference is now turning its attention to Fall camp and the upcoming season. With that, the 2023 Preseason All-SEC teams were revealed to get prepared for the year.
The assembled media in Nashville voted on this particular preseason All-SEC team, which serves to create an excellent look at which players to keep an eye on throughout the season.
So, here are the Preseason All-SEC teams, starting with the Preseason All-SEC First Team:
QB: Jayden Daniels, LSU
LSU returns starting quarterback Jayden Daniels. Last season, he saw rapid improvement throughout the season as he got more comfortable. Daniels set a career-high mark for completion percentage, connecting on 68.3% of his passes and tied his career-high with 17 passing touchdowns.
In 2023, LSU will be relying on him to get back to the SEC Championship Game. With even more time to have learned Brian Kelly’s offense, there is a lot of excitement about Daniels and LSU.
RB: Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
As a freshman, Quinshon Judkins burst onto the scene as one of the SEC’s best running backs. In 2022, he rushed 1567 yards at a 5.7 yards per carry clip. That’s great for anyone, let alone a first year player.
In 2023, he will be the star of the show and dominate carries for Ole Miss. The big question is whether or not 2,000 yards is reasonable.
RB: Raheim Sanders, Arkansas
One of the most productive running backs in 2022 is back for more in the run-happy Arkansas offense. Playing alongside dual-threat quarterback KJ Jefferson, Sanders has a chance to be one of the most punishing, effective backs in the country in 2023.
Sanders rushed for 1443 yards and 10 scores in 2022 at a 6.5 yards per carry clip. He also caught 28 passes for nearly 300 yards and two more touchdowns. And at 6-foot-2 and around 220 pounds, Sanders brings a blend of speed and power that punishes opponents as much as they punish him.
WR: Malik Nabers, LSU
The favorite target of Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers is going to be a key piece to LSU’s success in 2023. He jumped from 28 receptions in 2021 to 72 in 2022 while going for 1017 yards and three touchdowns.
Nabers also had a massive game against Georgia in the SEC Championship. He’ll hope to carry over that momentum into 2023 and leave his mark as one of the SEC’s top playmakers.
WR: Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Perhaps overshadowed by tight end Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey gives the Bulldogs a major threat on the outside who should be able to help a new quarterback. Last season, he had 58 receptions for 762 yards.
McConkey, who made the decision to stay in school for at least another year and forego the NFL Draft. However, evaluators have their eyes on him for next spring’s selection process.
TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Brock Bowers has been one of the best tight ends in college football from the moment he stepped on the field in Athens. Now, entering what will likely be his final college season before entering the NFL Draft, there isn’t any debate about who the best tight end is in college football. It’s Bowers.
The Napa native was a First-Team All-American and won the Mackey Award last season. He’s versatile and can be a threat for Georgia in both the Bulldogs’ passing and running games.
OL: JC Latham, Alabama
Latham made the right tackle job at Alabama his in 2022, taking hold of the job and starting all 13 games. And following a few seasons where Alabama hasn’t exactly been the punishing force on the offensive line, he’s got a chance to anchor a group that can restore some of the shine.
A true junior, 2022 was Latham’s first real sustained period of play at the college level, suggesting he’s still got some room to improve both in terms of technique and, at just 20-years-old, physically.
OL: Amarius Mims, Georgia
Georgia is expected to have one of the top offensive lines in the country this coming season. That’s in large part because of the three returning starters on the interior, but also because of what is left in the cupboard to fill the shoes at the tackle spots.
Amarius Mims is one of those guys, but he’s far from a new name. Mims played in all 14 of 15 games last season, starting each of the last two in the College Football Playoffs. He played over 30% of the overall offensive snaps, one of seven Bulldog offensive linemen to do so.
OL: Tate Ratledge, Georgia
Ratledge’s career at Georgia took a while to get off the ground, but once it did he established himself as one of the premier interior linemen in the sport. He played sparingly as a true freshman in 2020 before being slotted in as a starter ahead of 2021. An injury in the opener kept him out the rest of the way.
In 2022, Ratledge was back and started 14 of 15 games for the Bulldogs as they won a second-straight national title. A former Top 100 recruit, the talent and physical ability were never in doubt. Now that he’s healthy, Ratledge is likely to be one of the best linemen in the conference, well deserving of his All-SEC status.
OL: Will Campbell, LSU
A four-star recruit in the 2022 class, Campbell made an immediate impact as a true freshman. He was named the Day 1 starter at left tackle and held on to that role all season on his way to earning Freshman All-American honors.
He returns to anchor an LSU offensive line that returns all five starters and will again handle the all-important task of protecting Daniels’ blindside. Now with a year of experience, Campbell figures to make a case as one of the top offensive tackles in the conference.
OL: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
Georgia hasn’t won back-to-back national titles without dominant trench play. A number of recent and former Bulldogs dot NFL offensive lines and Van Pran is on track to follow their footsteps. The fourth-year center has been a stalwart for Georgia after playing a reserve role as a freshman.
Van Pran has started all 30 games for Georgia the past two seasons, heading up an offensive line that helped the likes of Bowers and others pour on points. He was on the watchlist for the Rimington Trophy in 2022, given annually to the best center in college football, and should be back in the running in 2023.
DL: Mekhi Wingo, LSU
After playing 11 games as a true freshman in 2021 at Missouri, Wingo transferred to LSU and joined the Tigers during the first year under Kelly. He immediately established himself as a presence on the defensive interior for LSU, particularly in the absence of Maason Smith for most of the season.
Wingo made 13 starts in 2022 and recorded six tackles for loss, three sacks and batted down four passes. He’s a disruptive playmaker in the middle and should form a fearsome tandem alongside Smith as LSU features a number of All-SEC defenders.
DL: Mykel Williams, Georgia
Williams will step in to follow the many Bulldogs edge rushers who have harassed and sacked SEC quarterbacks. As a true freshman in 2022, he didn’t start much but played in all 15 games as a rotational pass rusher, mostly.
Williams produced promising results — enough to earn him a nod as likely one of the best pass rushers in the SEC this season. One of the top recruits in the entire country in the 2022 signing class, Williams is likely just scratching the surface of his ultimate abilities.
DL: Maason Smith, LSU
Smith started four games as a true freshman in 2021 and entered 2022 with high expectations of emerging as a star. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of Week 1 against Florida State.
Now the 6-foot-6, 310-pound defensive tackle is back healthy and looking to show why he was a five-star recruit. LSU fans got a sample of what he could bring to the table during his freshman year, when he finished with 19 tackles (five for loss) and four sacks. He’ll fittingly make his return to the field against the Seminoles on Sept. 3.
DL: Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
Another dominant defensive lineman for Georgia, Nazir Stackhouse should be a dominant force for the Bulldogs up the middle. If 2022 is the launching point for Stackhouse, look for an even more stingy run defense for Georgia in 2023
Stackhouse finished in the top five for highest-graded Georgia defensive players according to Pro Football Focus, starting every game at nose tackle. Stackhouse had 33 tackles including three for loss as a junior.
LB: Dallas Turner, Alabama
Listed as a linebacker but truly an edge rusher, Turner will be following in the footsteps of No. 3 overall draft pick Will Anderson. And he’s got the tools to live up to the legacy left by one of Alabama’s best-ever pass rushers.
In two seasons so far at Alabama, Turner has played in all 28 games while recording 18 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. He’ll be getting more attention from the opposition in 2023, but he could be a double-digit sack candidate this season.
LB: Harold Perkins, LSU
Harold Perkins broke onto the scene in 2022 for LSU, announcing himself as an elite edge-rushing talent. With his 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, Perkins was named a First-Team All-SEC selection last season.
In 2023, there is going to be a lot more stacked on Perkins’ plate. So, part of his ability to repeat that massive first season is going to come down to his ability to handle what’s being thrown at him by the LSU coaching staff.
LB: Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
Dumas-Johnson spent his true freshman season in a reserve role moved into the starting lineup for all 15 games in 2022. He made the transition seamlessly to earn second-team All-SEC honors in addition to being named a finalist for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s top linebacker.
In 15 games in 2022, Dumas-Johnson had 70 total tackles, including nine for a loss, plus four sacks, three passes defensed and a forced fumble. He’s can be the next elite sideline-to-sideline Georgia linebacker, playing something of an eraser role in the middle of the defense.
DB: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
Arguably the best cover corner in college football, McKinstry is entering his third and likely final year in Tuscaloosa. Since arriving as a true freshman in 2021, he’s been a constant in the Crimson Tide secondary. He was All-SEC caliber in 2022 and should be again in 2023.
His interception numbers aren’t as high as desired — just two in 28 games — but he stepped up his ball production big time in 2022. After defending two passes in 2021, McKinstry defended 16 in 2022, leading the conference. Trying to throw it his way was not likely to end well for the offense. He’ll be one of the top corners in the 2024 NFL Draft class.
DB: Malaki Starks, Georgia
Starks is the first of a pair of Georgia safeties to round out the On3 2023 All-SEC preseason team. A true freshman this past season, he was thrown into the mix right away to start 14 of 15 games for the Bulldogs.
Starks finished the year with a pair of interceptions and a team-high seven pass breakups while ranking third with 68 tackles. As he enters his second year of college football, he’ll have plenty of opportunity to build on that performance.
DB: Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
Lassiter goes into his second season as a starter with high hopes. Many believe he could end up being three-and-out from Georgia with two seasons of starting experience in the SEC under his belt.
A starter of all 15 games in 2022, the Savannah, Ga. native ended with 38 stops including five tackles for loss. Lassiter had a career-high five stops in Georgia’s big win over then-No. 1-ranked Tennessee before following it up with a pair of strong performances on the road against Mississippi State and Kentucky. In the two games, Lassiter totaled 3.0 tackles for loss. He also had one in the National Championship Game win over TCU.
DB: Javon Bullard, Georgia
The first of two safeties to round out the defense, Bullard has played in 28 games the last two seasons for Georgia. He eventually moved into a starting role as a sophomore, starting 10 games.
After a bit of a sluggish start to the season, Bullard started to turn it up down the stretch. He finished the season with 58 total tackles and a handful of passes defended. He capped it all off with a pair of interceptions in the national championship. Carrying that form over into 2023 will be key.
Special Teams
P: Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
PK: Will Reichard, Alabama
LS: Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama
KS: Brian Battie, Auburn
RS: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
AP: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
Second Team
Offense
QB: KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
RB: Jase McClellan, Alabama
RB: Kendall Milton, Georgia
WR: Antwane Wells, South Carolina
*WR: Bru McCoy, Tennessee
*WR: Ja’Corey Brooks, Alabama
TE: Mason Taylor, LSU
OL: Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL: Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL: Javon Foster, Missouri
OL: Xavier Truss, Georgia
OL: Seth McLaughlin, Alabama
Defense
DL: Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
DL: McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
DL: Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL: Deone Walker, Kentucky
LB: Smael Mondon, Georgia
LB: Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
LB: Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
DB: Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB: Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
DB: Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
DB: Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
Special Teams
P: Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK: Harrison Mevis, Missouri
LS: Slade Roy, LSU
KS: Barion Brown, Kentucky
RS: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP: Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
Third Team
Offense
*QB: Joe Milton III, Tennessee
*QB: Will Rogers, Mississippi State
RB: Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
RB: Trevor Etienne, Florida
WR: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR: Jermaine Burton, Alabama
TE: Trey Knox, South Carolina
OL: Emery Jones, LSU
OL: Eli Cox, Kentucky
OL: Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee
OL: Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C: Cooper Mays, Tennessee
Defense
DL: Princely Umanmielen, Florida
DL: Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
DL: Tim Smith, Alabama
DL: Darius Robinson, Missouri
LB: Chris Braswell, Alabama
LB: Jalon Walker, Georgia
LB: JJ Weaver, Kentucky
DB: Major Burns, LSU
DB: D.J. James, Auburn
DB: Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
DB: Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
Special Teams
P: Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK: Alex McPherson, Auburn
LS: William Mote, Georgia
KS: Mitch Jeter, South Carolina
RS: Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
AP: Dakereon Joyner, South Carolina
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Georgia led the way in First-Team selections. The Bulldogs had 11 players selected, including three out of four defensive backs and three out of five offensive linemen. Alabama and LSU both had six players selected, with three of the Crimson Tide’s selections coming on special teams.
This Preseason All-SEC Team is one of several preseason all-conference teams that is going to be released for the SEC. Phil Steele has already released his preseason conference team. On3 has also released its own All-SEC Team, featuring key players like Jayden Daniels and Quinshon Judkins.
Notably, an asterisk indicated a tie in the voting.