USA TODAY Sports Network All-SEC football team 2023: Jayden Daniels named Player of the Year
Zac Al-KhateebNo. 8 Alabama (11-1, 8-0 in SEC play) leads all teams with seven players selected to the 2023 all-SEC team, as determined by the beat writers who cover the league for the USA TODAY Sports Network.
Trailing closely behind the Crimson Tide is No. 9 Missouri (10-2, 6-2) with five player selections, three of whom come on the offensive side of the ball. Following the Tigers is top-ranked Georgia (12-0, 8-0), with four selections. LSU is next with three total selections, followed by Texas A&M have two selections apiece, while each of Tennessee, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt have one.
HOW DID WE DO?USA TODAY Sports Network Preseason All-SEC football team for 2023
Then there's the matter of the SEC's player, coach and newcomer of the year: LSU quarterback and Heisman front runner Jayden Daniels was a unanimous selection not only at QB, but also for SEC Player of the Year. Missouri's Eliah Drinkwitz was also a runaway for the SEC Coach of the Year, while Alabama freshman safety Caleb Downs was voted Newcomer of the Year in a down-to-the-wire split.
In all, 11 of the league's 14 teams have representation on the all-SEC team for 2023. Here is the team, as voted by the 13 beat writers who cover the conference:
OFFENSE
- Quarterback: Jayden Daniels, LSU*
- Running back: Cody Schrader, Missouri
- Running back: Ray Davis, Kentucky
- Wide receiver: Malik Nabers, LSU*
- Wide receiver: Luther Burden III, Missouri
- Tight end: Brock Bowers, Georgia*
- Offensive line: Javon Foster, Missouri
- Offensive line: JC Latham, Alabama
- Offensive line: Tate Ratledge, Georgia
- Offensive line: Tyler Booker, Alabama
- Offensive line: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
DEFENSE
- Defensive line: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
- Defensive line: Darius Robinson, Missouri
- Defensive line: Marcus Harris, Auburn
- Defensive line: Princely Umanmielen, Florida
- Linebacker: Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
- Linebacker: Dallas Turner, Alabama
- Linebacker: Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
- Defensive back: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
- Defensive back: Malaki Starks, Georgia
- Defensive back: Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
- Defensive back: Terrion Arnold, Alabama
SEC POWER RANKINGSIron Bowl madness, Jayden Daniels' Heisman, free vetoes at Texas A&M
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Kicker: Will Reichard, Alabama
- Punter: Matthew Hayball, Vanderbilt
- All-purpose: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AWARDS
- Coach of the Year: Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri
- Player of the Year: Jayden Daniels, LSU*
- Newcomer of the Year: Caleb Downs, Alabama
* Indicates unanimous selection