SEC announces media's preseason picks

Following the conclusion of the SEC Media Days, the conference gathers up all the ballots cast in the past week to reach a conclusion of the official SEC preseason rankings, projected finishes and team placements. Below are the trio of All-SEC teams voted on.

2017 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM

*( ) = Total points

OFFENSE

First-Team

QB Jalen Hurts, Alabama (196)

RB Derrius Guice, LSU (223)

RB Nick Chubb, Georgia (211)

WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama (232)

WR Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (197)

TE Isaac Nauta, Georgia (134)

OL Braden Smith, Auburn (201)

OL Martez Ivey, Florida (198)

OL Jonah Williams, Alabama (187)

OL Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama (174)

C Frank Ragnow, Arkansas (174)

Second-Team

QB Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State (121)

RB Bo Scarbrough, Alabama (151)

RB Kamryn Pettway, Auburn (141)

WR Antonio Callaway, Florida (152)

WR J'Mon Moore, Missouri (91)

TE Hayden Hurst, South Carolina (115)

OL Isaiah Wynn, Georgia (116)

OL Jashon Robertson, Tennessee (108)

OL K.J. Malone, LSU (101)

OL Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State (101)

C Bradley Bozeman, Alabama (155)

Third-Team

QB Austin Allen, Arkansas (102)

RB Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt (105)

RB Sony Michel, Georgia (30)

WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina (64)

WR Jauan Jennings, Tennessee (42)

TE DeAndre Goolsby, Florida (76)

OL Lester Cotton, Alabama (96)

OL Greg Little, Ole Miss (94)

OL Javon Patterson, Ole Miss (87)

OL Koda Martin, Texas A&M (69)

C Will Clapp, LSU (66)

DEFENSE

First-Team

DL Da'Ron Payne, Alabama (196)

DL Da'Shawn Hand, Alabama (180)

DL Trenton Thompson, Georgia (172)

DL Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss (159)

LB Arden Key, LSU (191)

LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama (180)

LB Roquan Smith, Georgia (157)

DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (232)

DB Ronnie Harrison, Alabama (156)

DB Armani Watts, Texas A&M (137)

DB Duke Dawson, Florida (137)

Second-Team

DL Cece Jefferson, Florida (151)

DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn (120)

DL Christian LaCouture, LSU (107)

DL Denzil Ware, Kentucky (78)

LB Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama (156)

LB Skai Moore, South Carolina (128)

LB Tre' Williams, Auburn (103)

DB Tray Matthews, Auburn (126)

DB Donte Jackson, LSU (123)

DB Carlton Davis, Auburn (109)

DB Dominick Sanders, Georgia (109)

Third-Team

DL Marcell Frazier, Missouri (77)

DL Jabari Zuniga, Florida (76)

DL Dontavius Russell, Auburn (70)

DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU (54)

LB Jordan Jones, Kentucky (91)

LB Lorenzo Carter, Georgia (82)

LB Oren Burks, Vanderbilt (58)

DB Anthony Averett, Alabama (104)

DB Marcell Harris, Florida (83)

DB Mike Edwards, Kentucky (71)

DB Tony Brown, Alabama (62)

SPECIALISTS

First-Team

P JK Scott, Alabama (222)

PK Daniel Carlson, Auburn (218)

RS Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (176)

AP Christian Kirk, Texas A&M (161)

Second-Team

P Johnny Townsend, Florida (99)

PK Eddy Piniero, Florida (106)

RS Evan Berry, Tennssee (117)

AP Derrius Guice, LSU (133)

Third-Team

P Trevor Daniel, Tennessee (58)

PK Gary Wunderlich, Ole Miss (94)

RS Antonio Callaway, Florida (84)

AP Kerryon Johnson, Auburn (66)

The Auburn Tigers boast nine total players across the three teams, including senior offensive lineman Braden Smith and senior kicker Daniel Carlson serving as the only Tigers on the first team. Kamryn Pettway, Marlon Davidson, Tre’ Williams, Trey Matthews and Carlton Davis all found themselves amongst the second teamers, while Dontavius Russell and Kerryon Johnson were selected for the third team.

The biggest surprise for Auburn fans might be the absence of Jarrett Stidham on any team, however the sophomore Baylor transfer was not an option at the quarterback spot on the ballot.

Below is the media’s projection of how things will play out by December, and who will be crowned the 2017 SEC Champion.

PROJECTED FINISH

*( ) = First place votes

East:

• 1. Georgia (138)
• 2. Florida (96)
• 3. Tennessee (3)
• 4. South Carolina (5)
• 5. Kentucky
• 6. Vanderbilt
• 7. Missouri

West:

• 1. Alabama (225)
• 2. Auburn (13)
• 3. LSU (4)
• 4. Arkansas (1)
• 5. Texas A&M
• 6. Mississippi State
• 7. Ole Miss

SEC CHAMPION:

*( ) = Total points

• 1. Alabama (217)
• 2. Auburn (11)
• 3. Georgia (6)
• 4. LSU (3)
• 5. Florida (3)
• 6. South Carolina (1)
• 7. Vanderbilt (1)
• 8. Arkansas (1)

This is the third time in the last four years that Auburn has been selected to finish second in the conference behind the Crimson Tide. Alabama took the SEC Champion projection by a landslide, besting both Auburn and Georgia combined by 200 points.

In the East, Georgia edged out the Gators by a larger margin than most expected, as the 2017 version of Georgia-Florida in Jacksonville appears, as of now, to have no shortage of postseason implications. South Carolina received more first-place votes than the Volunteers, however the Gamecocks’ shortage of total points dropped them to the No. 4 spot. 

---