Florida football 2023 preseason awards tracker: DE Princely Umanmielen, CB Jason Marshall Jr., RB Trevor Etienne make All-SEC

Florida football had three players named to the coaches All-SEC team on Thursday.

Sophomore running back Trevor Etienne, junior edge rusher Princely Umanmielen and junior cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. earned All-SEC third team honors for the Florida Gators.

Etienne rushed for 719 yards and 6 TDs on 6.1 yards per carry last season, the fourth-most yards gained on the ground by a freshman in school history.

Marshall has played in 26 games with 19 starts in his UF career. Last season, he led Florida with 8 pass breakups and didn't allow a touchdown pass in 300-plus coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Bold predictions: Five bold predictions for Florida football for the 2023 season

Stock risers: Five Florida football players who raised their stock in fall camp

Umanmielen had a breakout season for the Gators in 2022, leading UF in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (4.5) while ranking second in quarterback hurries (5).

Florida football DE Princely Umanmielen named to Bednarik, Lombardi Award lists

Umanmielen has been named to both the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List and Lombardi Award Watch List.

Umanmielen finished as UF's leader in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (9.5) in 2022 (9.5). Playing in 13 games and starting in 11, Umanmielen also posted 39 total tackles and two forced fumbles for the Florida Gators.

The 6-foot-5, 254-pound Umanmielen came on strong in the second half of last season with 17 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. As a result, Umanmielen also earned preseason All-SEC third team honors from Athlon and the preseason media poll.

The Bednarik Award, named for Pro Football Hall of Fame two-way standout Chuck Bednarik, is presented by the Maxwell Club each year to the best defensive player in college football. The Lombardi Award, in its 50th year, is presented annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman, who in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi.

Family Ties: Why tears filled R.J. Moten's eyes when he got a scholarship offer from Florida football

Starter named: Florida Gators football goes with Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz as starting QB

Florida football C Kingsley Eguakun named to Rimington Award Watch List

Florida football offensive lineman Kingsely Eguakun was named to the Rimington Award Watch List on Friday, given to the best center in the country.

Last season, Eguakun started all 13 games at center for the Florida Gators and helped the offense average 5.5 yards per carry, which ranked fourth in program history and sixth in the FBS. Florida's 17 sacks allowed in 2022 tied for the 27th-fewest in the Power Five and was fourth fewest in the SEC.

A Jacksonville native, Eguakun has never allowed a sack in 40 games played and has only allowed three QB hits in 26 straight starts at center, according to Pro Football Focus.

Florida has produced one winner of the award, Maurkice Pouncey in 2009. Mike Degory was a finalist in 2005.

Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only two-time winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.

UF football RB Trevor Etienne named to Hornung Award Watch List

Florida football sophomore running back Trevor Etienne was named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List, given annually to the most versatile player in college football.

Etienne led the Florida Gators in all-purpose yards last season with 1,206, with 719 coming on rushing yards, 66 coming on receiving yards and 421 coming on kickoff returns, with his longest kickoff return at 48 yards. In addition, Etienne ranked fourth in the FBS among true freshman running backs last season in yards per-carry with 6.1 YPC.

This season, Etienne will return kickoffs again and form a one-two tandem with UF running back Montrell Johnson Jr. that will look to eclipse 1,500 rushing yards for the second straight year.

The award is given annually in honor of Hornung, who is considered by many the most versatile player in the history of college and pro football. He won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame and was the number one pick in the 1957 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. He went on to a successful career in Green Bay, winning three NFL championships under Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi.

Hornung played every position in the backfield during his career with the Irish, where he also punted, kicked, returned kicks, and played defensive back.

Florida Gators wide receiver Ricky Pearsall on Maxwell Award List

Florida football wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was named as one of 85 players to the preseason Maxwell Award watch list on Monday.

The award is given to the most outstanding player in college football. Pearsall finished with 33 catches for 661 yards and five touchdowns in his first season as a Gator in 2022. Of Pearsall's 33 catches last season, 27 went for first downs and 28 went for 10 yards or more.

Pearsall also was one of just six FBS wide receivers with 110-plus rushing yards and 650-plus receiving yards.

A transfer from Arizona State, Pearsall is looking forward to playing his second season under head coach Billy Napier.

"I think I’m going to make a huge impact," Pearsall said. "Anywhere I can help my team out. I trust Coach Napier to put me in the right spots. When those opportunities come, execute.”

Other SEC receivers on the list include LSU's Malik Nabers, South Carolina's Juice Wells and Vanderbilt's Will Sheppard.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937. Florida has had three award winners, including quarterback Tim Tebow, who won in back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009. Quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the award in 1996.

UF football punter Jeremy Crawshaw on Ray Guy Award List

Florida punter Jeremy Crawshaw was named to the Ray Guy Award list this week, given annually to the best punter in college football.

Crawshaw averaged 47.9 yards per punt, with a season-long of 67 yards last season. A New South Wales, Australia, native, Crawshaw boomed 13 punts of 50 yards or longer and had 15 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

UF linebacker Derek Wingo on Wuerffel Award List

Florida linebacker Derek Wingo was named to the Wuerffel Award watch list on Thursday.

A junior from Fort Lauderdale, Wingo played in 12 games and rounded out last season with back-to-back starts at linebacker. He achieved single-season career highs last season with two sacks, eight solo tackles and 24 total tackles, including a career-high eight tackles in a start in the Las Vegas Bowl against Oregon State.

Off the field, Wingo is a two-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll member who served as a UF representative in the SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council. The Council engages with campus leaders and conference office staff to discuss issues pertaining to the student-athlete experience, student-athlete wellness and playing rules.

The Wuerffel Award, established by former Florida Heisman winning quarterback Danny Wuerrfel, is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: 2023 preseason awards for Florida Gators football