Analyzing Phil Steele's 2025 Preseason All-SEC Offense

Nothing heralds the new season quite like the numerous college football season previews, which can, admittedly, range in scope, quality, and informational value. I’ve been making my own contribution in that space for 13 years now and it’s not an easy undertaking.

[Sign up for Inside Texas for $1 and get PLUS access up to the Ohio State game!]

Phil Steele has long been regarded as one of the smarter previews, but his loss of key staff over the years is, unfortunately, showing. The slide has not been as perceptible to normies, but I think they’re even starting to see it. For example, Steele has Xavier Filsaime starting at safety and Kaliq Lockett starting at wide receiver for the 2025 Longhorns. Depth chart errors are forgivable in isolation, but read on.

Let’s take a look at how he did evaluating the SEC more broadly. It’s a great vehicle for understanding the larger player landscape, who is good where, and how Texas fits in. I’ll be following up with the defense shortly, so let’s limit our comments to the offense here. 

**

Quarterback

First-Team QB: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Second-Team QB: Arch Manning, Texas
Third-Team QB: LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Fourth-Team QB: John Mateer, Oklahoma

This is a hard ranking. Are we judging team elevation, efficiency, stats volume, eyeball tests, NFL draft projection? The SEC has the best QBs of any conference and there are 7-8 legit candidates for four spots.

Omitting Diego Pavia entirely leads to a much larger debate about NFL projectable traits (Pavia has almost none) vs. college football efficacy: Pavia creates wins for a marginal program. Is this the college game? Or is this a Mel Kiper draft board? Or do we just not care if Vandy goes 3-5 in conference rather than 0-8 or 1-7 because of Pavia? That’s a legitimate conversation. We tend to reward QBs who bump up the 8-4 team to 10-2. Or the ones who are in the correct ecosystem and don’t elevate anything.

Conversely, how do we account for defenses adjusting to Vandy’s novel play style, thus limiting Pavia’s variance impact? I go in depth in my preview about all of that.

Props to Steele for having the balls to project on Manning, as the large majority of analysts are doing the “we simply don’t know what Arch Manning is, he could be family name hype” nonsense. Thank you for telling me you don’t understand traits. Noted.

However, if you are in the upside projection game, the omission of DJ Lagway is regrettable. He’s special.

Nussmeier can sling it, but he’s largely a volume play because LSU has great receivers and demonstrated almost no ability to run the ball. LaNorris Sellers’ is my dude, but his ultimate success largely hinges on the growth of track-dude-trying-to-play-football WR Nyck Harbor outside (6-5, 235, 10.11 100m). 

I have no problem with Mateer. He’s going to be a one-man gang and will put up stats. But to what effect? 

Austin Simmons and Jackson Arnold are fun wild cards.

Running Back

First Team RB: Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma; Quintrevion Wisner, Texas

Second-Team RB: Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M; Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
Third-Team RB: Nate Frazier, Georgia; Caden Durham, LSU
Fourth-Team RB: Davon Booth, Mississippi St; Jamarion Miller, Alabama

Yikes.

Florida’s Jadan Baugh didn’t make the top 8. He’s a top 3. His backup Ja’kobi Jackson could arguably be in the Top 8.

I appreciate Tre Wisner as much as the next guy, but this is a fundamental inability to separate ability from existence in an offense. Ott and Moss just need to be healthy.

Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop (not listed and that’s fine) is an interesting wildcard. He’s not Dylan Sampson, but that ecosystem creates yards and the Vols recruit this position very intelligently. They have a type.

Wide Receiver

First-Team WR: Ryan Williams, Alabama; Cam Coleman, Auburn; Aaron Anderson, LSU

Second-Team WR: Eric Singleton, Auburn; Kevin Coleman, Missouri; Ryan Wingo, Texas
Third-Team WR: Cayden Lee, Ole Miss; Eugene Wilson, Florida; Germie Bernard, Alabama
Fourth-Team WR: Deion Burks, Oklahoma; KC Concepcion, Texas A&M; Zachariah Branch, Georgia

Branch is an athlete playing WR until proven otherwise. USC shrugged at his departure. Concepcion was an amazing freshman and a horrific sophomore. I think A&M is getting the freshman version based on their Spring game, but I dunno. 

I like the inclusion of Auburn’s guys, but if they’ve got two of the top six receivers in the conference, didn’t Jackson Arnold just have a huge year? 

Cayden Green is a nice little slot receiver, but threats outside last year created opportunity, and Ole Miss will have a disseminated passing attack that includes Stribling (Okie St transfer) and two high quality tight ends.

Longhorn DeAndre Moore is in the top dozen. 

Be aware of freshman Gator receiver Dallas Wilson. He caught 10 balls for 195 yards in their Spring game. He reminds me of a young Rome Odunze. 

Tight End

First-Team TE: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Second-Team TE: Jack Endries, Texas
Third-Team TE: Dae’Quan Wright, Ole Miss
Fourth-Team TE: Miles Kitselman, Tennessee

Stowers is obvious. Endries makes sense from a volume and opportunity perspective. Ole Miss has two very good tight ends (Hasz from Arky) but they will split those targets. Georgia arguably has the best TE room in the conference and neither Delp or Luckie make the top four. Kitselman is a fine player, but I’ve never seen that system feed the TE 75 targets. 

Center

First-Team C: Parker Brailsford, Alabama

Second-Team C: Jake Slaughter, Florida
Third-Team C: Connor Lew, Auburn
Fourth-Team C: Connor Tollison, Missouri

Almost got the top three. Switch #1 and #2. Slaughter is the best C in the league. Brailsford (former UW guy) is really impressive for being undersized, but he does struggle to displace in the run game. Lew is the right call at #3. 4th team is maddening – Tollison is the classic long-time mediocre starter that media always reward. He’s been a pass blocking liability. 

Offensive Line

First-Team OL: Fernando Carmona, Arkansas; Cayden Green, Missouri; Kadyn Proctor, Alabama; Trey Zuhn, Texas A&M

Second-Team OL: Jaeden Roberts, Alabama; Chase Bisontis, Austin Barber, Florida; Xavier Chaplin, Auburn
Third-Team OL: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M; Joshua Braun, Kentucky; Corey Robinson, Arkansas; Alex Wollschlaeger, Kentucky
Fourth-Team OL: DJ Campbell, Texas; Jeremiah Wright, Auburn; Lance Heard, Tennessee; Earnest Greene, Georgia

Steele co-mingles guards and tackles while pulling out center? Because guards and tackles have more in common than guards and centers do? Alright.

Trevor Goosby isn’t in the Top 16 guards or tackles in the SEC? I can’t imagine a college preview less informed on Texas than Phil Steele, though admittedly I can’t bear to read the others much anymore so I have no comparator. Mailing it in. 

Fernando Carmona is an above replacement level SEC tackle, but he’s in the top five of SEC OL per Steele. Niiiiiice.

Reed-Adams is better than Bisontis for A&M. 

DJ Campbell should be higher than 4th team if you believe in the projection curve, but maybe Steele is in “prove it” mode. 

Be aware of Florida’s Damieon George. Omitted above. Big time upside at guard.

Grudging respect for recognizing some of Kentucky’s portal work. 

Please note the absence of OU OL and the presence of Auburn OL. 

[Want to be the most informed Texas Longhorns football fan? Order the 2025 edition of Thinking Texas Football today!]

Steele’s fastball is clocking 83 mph without much movement if you’re a Texas or SEC fan who is moderately knowledgeable about our roster or the league. 

We’ll see if he can do better on the defense. I’m hoping starting safety Xavier Filsaime has a big year.