Alabama transfers received benefit of the doubt in All-SEC selections

The preseason selections at SEC Media Days can be an inexact science. Some positions are not fairly separated, and sometimes players aren’t properly listed. That means the preseason All-SEC teams can be hard to select.

However, this is still a major part of the offseason. With college football being firmly entrenched in the transfer portal era, that can make these selections even more difficult for those who participate.

LSU, Ole Miss, and Missouri were three schools who hammered the transfer portal looking for upgrades to their roster. Each program brought in at least 15 players. Zach Evans (RB, Ole Miss) was the only first-year transfer from that group present on an All-SEC team. Meanwhile, Nick Saban also used the portal to upgrade his roster.

Every player brought in by the Crimson Tide outside of Louisville wide receiver Tyler Harrell showed up on an All-SEC team on Friday.

— First Team: Jermaine Burton (WR, Georgia), Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Georgia Tech), Eli Ricks (CB, LSU)

— Third Team: Tyler Steen (T, Vanderbilt)

Alabama saw an astounding 20 players named preseason All-SEC by the media headlined by Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and stud outside linebacker Will Anderson. The Tide even had a second-year transfer on the first-team defense as former Tennessee linebacker Henry To’o To’o is entering year two in Tuscaloosa.

When the AP preseason poll is released next week, it is very likely that Alabama will be the preseason No. 1 team again. There are a lot of reasons for that. Saban is the best to ever do it, the Tide have won three national championships since 2015, and Young and Anderson might be the best two players in college football.

This is a program that deserves some benefit of the doubt, and that was given in Atlanta. Burton did not reach 30 receptions in a season after two years at Georgia. Gibbs did not reach 800 yards rushing in a season after two years at Georgia Tech. Ricks missed a bunch of games last year at LSU. Steen did not receive any All-SEC looks while at Vanderbilt.

However, these players are all at Alabama now which means people just look at them differently. Prognosticators prefer to default to Saban.

It’s good to be king.