SEC names Football Players of the Week after Week 1

The SEC had a wild Week 1 slate of games. While some players floundered under the spotlight, others shined. On Monday, the SEC released its player of the week honors.

The storied conference left no stone unturned, awarding awards for offense, defense, special teams and even to a standout freshman. However, it’s worth noting the SEC only rewarded players who were on teams that won their Week 1 showdowns.

Of course, there will be plenty of time for other stars to emerge this season, but these players have an early lead. To check out the full list of selections, look below.

Offensive

• Jackson Arnold, QB, Auburn
• Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Quarterbacks stole the show in Week 1. Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold made himself at home in his debut for the Tigers, racking up a career-high 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. In the Tigers’ 38-24 win over Baylor, Arnold became the first Auburn QB since Cam Newton (2010) to rush and pass for 100+ yards in their Auburn debut.

Not to be outdone, Nussmeier was fantastic as well this weekend. In LSU’s 17-10 upset win over Clemson, Nussmeier completed 28-of-his-38 pass attempts for 232 yards and a touchdown, without throwing an interception.

Defensive

• Colton Hood, DB, Tennessee
• Fred Johnson, LB, South Carolina

Colton Hood transferred to Tennessee this offseason after spending the 2024 campaign. He was an immediate contributor for the Volunteers on Saturday, logging four tackles, a fumble recovery touchdown and three pass breakups in Tennessee’s 45-26 win over Syracuse.

Fred Johnson’s Week 1 performance was equally impressive. The South Carolina linebacker tallied 10 tackles, a pass breakup and an interception in the Gamecocks’ 24-11 triumph over Virginia Tech.

Special Teams

• Rayshawn Pleasant, DB/KR, Auburn
• Vicari Swain, DB/PR, South Carolina

The SEC is one of the most athletic conferences in the country, and it reminded college football fans how it gained its reputations this weekend. Auburn’s Rayshawn Pleasant returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in Auburn’s 38-24 win over Baylor.

Meanwhile, Vicari Swain gave South Carolina’s lead against Virginia Tech some cushion when he took a punt return 80 yards to the house on Sunday. The punt return touchdown was South Carolina’s first since 2013.

Offensive Line

• Braelin Moore, C, LSU

Braelin Moore’s performance in the trenches was so impressive this weekend that he is the SEC’s lone Offensive Lineman of the Week. In LSU’s convincing victory, Moore played all 70 of the Tigers’ offensive snaps and helped the line only give up one sack.

It was a fantastic performance for LSU’s front five, which didn’t return a single starter from last season. LSU not only pass blocked well, but create holes for its run game as well. The Tigers rushed for 108 yards in the win.

Defensive Line

• Zxavian Harris, DT, Ole Miss
• Will Whitson, DT, Mississippi State

Of course, not every offensive lineman can be as stellar as Moore — especially when they’re facing players like Zxavian Harris and Will Whitson. Harris recorded five tackles, 1.5 TFLs, one sack, two QB hurries and the first interception of his career in Ole Miss’ 63-7 win over Georgia State.

For Mississippi State, Whitson posted a league-high 2.5 tackles for loss along with four tackles and a sack. Mississippi State’s 34-17 win over Southern Miss was Whitson’s debut for the Bulldogs. He’d spent the previous two seasons at Coastal Carolina.

Freshman

• Braylon Staley, WR, Tennessee

Braylon Staley didn’t waste anytime introducing himself to Tennessee fans. In the Volunteers’ 45-26 win over Syracuse, Staley notched a game-high 95 receiving yards and a touchdown on four receptions.

The redshirt freshman’s biggest play of the day was a 73-yard touchdown catch. He was the only player in the SEC with a 70-plus yard catch in Week 1 and one of only two in the Power Four.