​We are ten days away from SEC Media Days kicking off in Tampa, Florida, the unofficial season opener before football returns to the field this fall. The event will feature media projections of preseason All-SEC teams and predictions for the order of finish for each program. With that in mind, I wanted to share my own All-SEC selections as if I had a vote, focusing on the offensive side, which is stacked with talent at every position and even includes a few Kentucky Wildcats.
At quarterback, Arch Manning leads the list for Texas. For the halfbacks, Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss and Jadan Baugh of Florida stand out. The wide receivers feature Cam Coleman from Texas and Ryan Coleman-Williams from Alabama. At tight end, Trey’Dez Green of LSU makes the cut. The offensive line includes Cayden Green from Missouri on the left side, followed by Trevor Goosby of Texas, Jordan Seaton from LSU, and Wendell Moe Jr. from Tennessee. At center, Drew Bobo from Georgia anchors the line.
Notably, no Kentucky players make the first team, though I believe center Coleton Price and tight end Willie Rodriguez have a legitimate shot to enter the mix this season. Texas is brimming with offensive talent, and Arch Manning is poised to live up to the hype, especially with Cam Coleman transferring from Auburn to team with him. I also expect Ryan Coleman-Williams to rebound after a sophomore slump a year ago, becoming a frequent target when Alabama visits Lexington in week two. Cayden Green at Missouri is the standout interior blocker in the conference, and the Tigers could be a dangerous team if superstar running back Ahmad Hardy stays healthy.
Moving to the second-team selections, the quarterback is Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss. The halfbacks are DeSean Bishop of Tennessee and Nate Frazier of Georgia. The wide receivers are Isaiah Sategna of Oklahoma and Mario Craver of Texas A&M. At tight end, Willie Rodriguez from Kentucky earns a seat. The offensive line features Earnest Greene from Georgia, Dontrell Glover from Georgia, Michael Carroll from Alabama, and Lance Heard from Kentucky at the inputs on the line. Coleton Price of Kentucky is at center. Kentucky thus places three players on the second team: Rodriguez at tight end and Heard and Price on the line. Kentucky’s trio projects to have a strong impact, with Rodriguez poised for a breakout season and Price and Heard bringing extensive game experience to anchor the line. Kentucky will also face two highly skilled wide receivers this season on the road: Isaiah Sategna at Oklahoma and Mario Craver at Texas A&M, both among the most dynamic receivers in the conference for this season.
Central to the third team is quarterback John Mateer of Oklahoma. Running backs include Ahmad Hardy of Missouri and Jeremiah Cobb of Auburn. The wide receivers are Braylon Staley of Tennessee and Ryan Wingo of Texas. Lawson Luckie of Georgia earns tight end honors. The offensive line features David Sanders Jr. of Tennessee, Jacarrius Peak of South Carolina, Patrick Kutas of Ole Miss, and Michael Fasusi of Oklahoma. At center, Mark Nabou from Texas A&M completes the list.
John Mateer highlights the third team again, having been playing at a high level before his hand injury last season. This is a tough call to place due to the depth of quarterback talent in the conference; for example, Sam Leavitt could also merit consideration, but his Lisfranc injury was severe enough to cast doubt on how quickly he can return to peak form. Kentucky will be mentioned often in SEO conversations this season, given the presence of several notable players and the potential impact of this offense.