Auburn picked to finish sixth in the west, six players named to All-SEC teams

After the conclusion of the 2023 SEC Media Days, the conference announced the projected order of finish in the east and west divisions, the projected conference champion and preseason All-SEC teams which were voted by media members.

Media members projected Auburn to finish sixth in the west in the first season under head coach Hugh Freeze and placed six Tigers on All-SEC teams. Alabama was picked to win the SEC West while Georgia was picked to win the SEC East. The Bulldogs also received the most votes to be conference champions, with 181.

Auburn gathered four first-place votes to win the western division and two votes as conference champion. The Tigers’ total point tally (685) is higher than their point tally from the 2022 preseason (338) as Auburn was picked to finish last in the western division a season ago and received zero votes to win the conference or its division.

Additionally, running back Jarquez Hunter, cornerbacks D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett, punter Oscar Chapman and kicker Alex McPherson were all selected to the preseason All-SEC third team while South Florida transfer Brian Battie was named to the All-SEC first team as a kick returner.

Auburn’s mark of six players selected to All-SEC teams in the 2023 preseason poll equals the number of players selected in the 2022 media poll.

Full preseason football media poll

SEC West

Alabama (62 votes to win the SEC)

LSU (31)

Texas A&M (1)

Ole Miss

Arkansas (2)

Auburn (2)

Mississippi State (1)

SEC East

Georgia (181)

Tennessee (5)

South Carolina (1)

Kentucky

Florida

Vanderbilt (5)

OFFENSE

First-Team
QB - Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB - Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
RB - Raheim Sanders, Arkansas
WR - Malik Nabers, LSU
WR - Ladd McConkey, Georgia
TE - Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL - JC Latham, Alabama
OL - Amarius Mims, Georgia
OL - Tate Ratledge, Georgia
OL - Will Campbell, LSU
C - Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

Second-Team
QB - KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
RB - Jase McClellan, Alabama
RB - Kendall Milton, Georgia
WR - Antwane Wells, South Carolina
*WR - Bru McCoy, Tennessee
*WR - Ja'Corey Brooks, Alabama
TE - Mason Taylor, LSU
OL - Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL - Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL - Javon Foster, Missouri
OL - Xavier Truss, Georgia
C - Seth McLaughlin, Alabama

Third-Team
*QB - Joe Milton III, Tennessee
*QB - Will Rogers, Mississippi State
RB - Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
RB - Trevor Etienne, Florida
WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR - Jermaine Burton, Alabama
TE - Trey Knox, South Carolina
OL - Emery Jones, LSU
OL - Eli Cox, Kentucky
OL - Javontez Spraggins, Tennessee
OL - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C - Cooper Mays, Tennessee

DEFENSE

First-Team
DL - Mekhi Wingo, LSU
DL - Mykel Williams, Georgia
DL - Maason Smith, LSU
DL - Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
LB - Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB - Harold Perkins, LSU
LB - Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
DB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB - Malaki Starks, Georgia
DB - Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
DB - Javon Bullard, Georgia

Second-Team
DL - Jaheim Oatis, Alabama
DL - McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
DL - Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL - Deone Walker, Kentucky
LB - Smael Mondon, Georgia
LB - Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
LB - Ty'Ron Hopper, Missouri
DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB - Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
DB - Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
DB - Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri

Third-Team
DL - Princely Umanmielen, Florida
DL - Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
DL - Tim Smith, Alabama
DL - Darius Robinson, Missouri
LB - Chris Braswell, Alabama
LB - Jalon Walker, Georgia
LB - JJ Weaver, Kentucky
DB - Major Burns, LSU
DB - D.J. James, Auburn
DB - Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
DB - Jason Marshall Jr., Florida

SPECIALISTS

First-Team
P - Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
PK - Will Reichard, Alabama
LS - Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama
KS - Brian Battie, Auburn
RS - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

Second-Team
P - Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
PK - Harrison Mevis, Missouri
LS - Slade Roy, LSU
KS - Barion Brown, Kentucky
RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP - Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State

Third-Team
P - Oscar Chapman, Auburn
PK - Alex McPherson, Auburn
LS - William Mote, Georgia
KS - Mitch Jeter, South Carolina
RS - Tulu Griffin, Mississippi State
AP - Dakereon Joyner, South Carolina