Gators picked to finish 6th in the SEC; 8 players named all-conference

Coming off a strong close to the 2024 season, the Florida Gators have been predicted to place sixth in the SEC, according to a preseason poll of media covering SEC Football Media Days. Texas was selected as the favorite to win the conference. The Gators got two first-place votes. The Longhorns had 96.

Meanwhile, eight Florida players were named preseason All-SEC, but prized quarterback DJ Lagway was not one of them. Center Jake Slaughter, a returning All-American, and offensive tackle Austin Barber were UF’s first-team selections.

The Florida Gators, who finished 8-5 in 2024 and ended the season with a four-game winning streak, return more than a dozen starters this year, including eight on offense.

Florida was predicted to finish 12th in the SEC last year, but placed 10th in the league standings after going 4-4 in conference play. The Gators won their final two SEC games in 2024, over ranked opponents LSU and Ole Miss at home.

The Florida Gators were well-represented on the All-SEC teams

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC SELECTIONS FROM FLORIDA

Jake Slaughter, C, senior
Austin Barber, OT, senior

—Slaughter started all 13 games at center last season and led the Gators offensive line in snaps with 800. He was a consensus First-Team All-American in 2024.

—Barber started all 13 games at left tackle in 2024. He has made 26 career starts for the Gators.

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC SELECTIONS FROM FLORIDA

Caleb Banks, DL, senior
Trey Smack, PK & Kickoff specialist, senior
Rocco Underwood, LS, senior

—Banks finished 2024 with 10 starts, 21 tackles (10 solo), including seven tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a recovered fumble.

—Smack made 18 out of 21 field goal attempts (with a long of 55 yards) and all 44 extra point attempts last year. He was a Lou Groza Semifinalist in 2023.

—Underwood was a second-team All-SEC pick after the 2024 season.

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC SELECTIONS FROM FLORIDA

Jadan Baugh, RB, sophomore
Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, senior
Eugene Wilson, WR, redshirt-sophomore

—Baugh was a freshman All-SEC choice in 2024 after leading the team in rushing yards (673) and total touchdowns (eight) while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.

—Sapp led the Gators with seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss last season.

—Wilson had 19 receptions for 266 yards before an injury ended his season in 2024. He hauled in 61 catches for 538 yards the previous year as a true freshman.

SEC predicted order of finish

Texas	3060 (votes)
Georgia	2957
Alabama	2783
LSU	2668
South Carolina	2109
Florida	1986
Ole Miss	1979
Texas A&M	1892
Tennessee	1700
Oklahoma	1613
Auburn	1272
Missouri	1170
Vanderbilt	936
Arkansas	764
Kentucky	512
Mississippi State	343

Complete preseason All-SEC teams

OFFENSE

First-Team

QB – LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
RB – Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
RB –  Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M 
WR – Ryan Williams, Alabama    
WR – Cam Coleman, Auburn
TE – Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
OL – Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
OL – Cayden Green, Missouri
OL – DJ Campbell, Texas 
OL – Austin Barber, Florida
C – Jake Slaughter, Florida  

Second-Team

QB –Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
RB – Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
RB – Caden Durham, LSU
WR – Aaron Anderson, LSU
WR – Ryan Wingo, Texas
TE – Oscar Delp, Georgia
OL – Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
OL – Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M    
OL – Jaeden Roberts, Alabama   
OL – Fernando Carmona Jr., Arkansas
C –  Parker Brailsford, Alabama

Third-Team

QB – Arch Manning, Texas 
RB – Nate Frazier, Georgia 
RB – Jam Miller, Alabama
WR – Eric Singleton, Auburn
WR – Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri
TE – Jack Endries, Texas     
OL – Earnest Greene III, Georgia 
OL – Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
OL –  Xavier Chaplin, Auburn
OL – Trevor Goosby, Texas
C – Connor Lew, Auburn   

DEFENSE

First-Team

DL – Keldric Faulk, Auburn 
DL – Dylan Stewart, South Carolina    
DL – Colin Simmons, Texas
DL – Christian Miller, Georgia 
LB – Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
LB – Whit Weeks, LSU    
LB – CJ Allen, Georgia 
DB – KJ Bolden, Georgia 
DB – Michael Taaffe, Texas    
DB – Daylen Everette, Georgia    
DB – Jermod McCoy, Tennessee     

Second-Team

DL – Caleb Banks, Florida
DL – Tim Keenan III, Alabama 
DL – LT Overton, Alabama
DL – R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
LB – Deontae Lawson, Alabama
LB – Harold Perkins, LSU    
LB – Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss    
DB – Malik Muhammad, Texas    
DB – Domani Jackson, Alabama    
DB – Will Lee III, Texas A&M  
DB –  Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina  

Third-Team

DL – Tyreak Sapp, Florida
DL – Trey Moore, Texas
DL – Cam Ball, Arkansas
DL – Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss  
LB – Taurean York, Texas A&M   
LB – Arion Carter, Tennessee    
LB – Princewill Umanmielen, Ole Miss 
DB – Keon Sabb, Alabama  
DB – Boo Carter, Tennessee  
DB – Bray Hubbard, Alabama
DB – Isaac Smith, Mississippi State

SPECIALISTS

First-Team

P – Brett Thorson, Georgia  
PK – Peyton Woodring, Georgia   
LS – Beau Gardner, Georgia 
KS – Peyton Woodring, Georgia 
RS – Zachariah Branch, Georgia     
AP – Zachariah Branch, Georgia  

Second-Team

P – Jack Bouwmeester, Texas
*PK – Trey Smack, Florida  
*PK – Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss
LS – Rocco Underwood, Florida
KS – Trey Smack, Florida
RS – Barion Brown, LSU    
AP –  Zavion Thomas, LSU

Third-Team

*P – Devin Bale, Arkansas
*P – Aidan Laros, Kentucky  
PK – Alex McPherson, Auburn  
LS – Ben Anderson, Oklahoma
KS – Will Stone, Texas
RS – Zavion Thomas, LSU 
*AP – Eugene Wilson III, Florida
*AP – Jadan Baugh, Florida