Two Florida Gators on FanNation's 2022 Preseason All-SEC Team

FanNation-Sports Illustrated's team of SEC publishers compile their 2022 Preseason All-SEC team and predictions for players of the year, order of finish and conference champion.

Photos: O'Cyrus Torrence (left) and Trey Dean III; Credit: Alex Shepherd and Zach Goodall

For the third year in a row, FanNation-Sports Illustrated's team of SEC publishers has grouped together to compile our version of the Preseason All-SEC team, as well as share our projections for the conference's 2022 players of the year, the order of finish in each division and the eventual SEC champion.

A couple of notable items about this year's selections:

• Instead of two running backs, three wide receivers were selected.
• Defensively, a 3-3-4 formation was used, but the 11th player was the one who received the most votes among the remaining players. The idea was to reward the player most deserving and reflect that the majority of teams will be in the nickel package more than their base defense this season.
• Ties were not broken. When one occurred on the first team an additional player was not added to the second team. 
• Only one return specialist was named for first and second-team status. 
• Every school in the SEC had at least one player receive votes. 

We'll note that AllGators' ballot included a few more Gators than the two that made the final cut. 

We included wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (second-team), offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence (first-team), defensive lineman Gervon Dexter (second-team), cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (second-team) and safety Rashad Torrence II (second-team) in our vote, but only the former Torrence (first-team) and safety Trey Dean III (second-team) were named to the Preseason All-SEC team.

Players from Florida on the All-SEC list are in bold.

All-SEC Offense

Position, First-team player, school; Second-team player, School

QB: Bryce Young, Alabama; Will Rogers, Mississippi State

RB: Tank Bigsby, Auburn; Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky

WR: Cedric Tillman, Tennessee; Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss

WR: Jermaine Burton, Alabama; Josh Vann, South Carolina

WR: Kayshon Boutte, LSU; Tyler Harrell, Alabama

TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia; Jaheim Bell, South Carolina

OL: Layden Robinson, Texas A&M; Nick Broeker, Ole Miss

OL: Broderick Jones, Georgia; Warren Ericson, Georgia

OL: Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama; Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky/Dylan Wonnum, South Carolina (tie for second-team)

OL: Javon Foster, Missouri/O’Cryus Torrence, Florida (tie for first-team)

C: Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas; Bryce Foster, Texas A&M/Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia (tie for second-team) 

All-SEC Defense

DL: Derick Hall, Auburn; Justin Eboigbe, Alabama

DL: Byron Young, Alabama; Maason Smith, LSU

DL: Jalen Carter, Georgia/Colby Wooden, Auburn (tie for first-team)

LB: Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama; Tryus Wheat, Mississippi State

LB: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama; Drew Sanders, Arkansas

LB: Bumper Pool, Arkansas; Nolan Smith, Georgia

DB: Cam Smith South Carolina; Trey Dean, Florida

DB: Eli Ricks, Alabama; Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

DB: Jordan Battle, Alabama; Christopher Smith, Georgia

DB: Kelee Ringo, Georgia; Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

Nickel/LB/DL: Jalen Catalon, Arkansas; BJ Ojulari/Ali Gaye LSU (tie second-team)

All-SEC Special teams

K: Harrison Mevis, Missouri; Will Reichard, Alabama/Cam Little, Arkansas (tie second-team)

P: Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M; Oscar Chapman, Auburn

PR/KR: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M; Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Predicted Players of the Year

Offensive: Bryce Young, Alabama

Defensive: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

Special teams: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

Predicted Order of Finish

East

1. Georgia
2. Tennessee
3. Florida/
4. Kentucky (tied for third)
5. South Carolina
6. Missouri
7. Vanderbilt

West

1. Alabama
2. Texas A&M
3. Ole Miss/
4. Arkansas (tied for third)
5. LSU
6. Mississippi State
7. Auburn

Predicted SEC Champion

Alabama Crimson Tide

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