SEC preseason poll and team: Alabama leads Georgia in vote for conference champion
Will Nick Saban finally be overtaken by a former assistant? The SEC media thinks not.
Alabama, Saban's defending national champion squad, is picked to repeat as SEC champion. Georgia, coached by former Saban assistant Kirby Smart, is predicted to win the SEC East but lose in the championship game.
Alabama received 84 votes as the SEC champion pick, while Georgia got 45 votes.
The Crimson Tide also had a league-high 16 players on the preseason all-SEC team. Georgia and Auburn had 10 players apiece on the list.
Here is the complete preseason SEC poll and preseason all-SEC team, as voted on by media members:
SEC preseason media poll
First place votes in parenthesis.
East Division
Georgia (124): 923 votes
Florida (7): 784
Kentucky (2): 624
Missouri: 555
Tennessee: 362
South Carolina (1): 355
Vanderbilt: 149
West Division
Alabama (130): 932 votes
Texas A&M (1): 760
LSU (1): 633
Mississippi (1): 529
Auburn: 440
Arkansas (1): 241
Mississippi State: 217
SEC champion
Alabama: 84 votes
Georgia: 45
Mississippi: 1
Texas A&M: 1
Florida: 1
Kentucky: 1
South Carolina: 1
2021 preseason all-SEC team
Offense
First team
QB – Matt Corral, Mississippi
RB - Tank Bigsby, Auburn
RB – Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
WR - John Metchie III, Alabama
WR - Treylon Burks, Arkansas
TE - Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
OL - Evan Neal, Alabama
OL - Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
OL - Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
OL - Cade Mays, Tennessee
C - Nick Brahms, Auburn
Second team
QB – JT Daniels, Georgia
RB - Kevin Harris, South Carolina
RB - Zamir White, Georgia
WR - Kayshon Boutte, LSU
WR - George Pickens, Georgia
TE - Jahleel Billingsley, Alabama
OL - Jamaree Salyer, Georgia
OL - Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
OL - Ed Ingram, LSU
OL - Austin Deculus, LSU
C - Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
Third team
QB – Bo Nix, Auburn
RB - Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama
RB - Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
WR - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR - Jacob Copeland, Florida
TE - Nick Muse, South Carolina
OL - Charles Cross, Mississippi State
OL - Nick Broeker, Mississippi
OL - Myron Cunningham, Arkansas
OL - Luke Fortner, Kentucky
*C - Michael Maietti, Missouri
*C - Ben Brown, Mississippi
Defense
First team
DL - Jordan Davis, Georgia
DL - Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
DL - Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina
*DL - Zachary Carter, Florida
*DL - DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M
LB - Henry To'o To'o, Alabama
LB - Christian Harris, Alabama
LB - Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
DB - Derek Stingley, LSU
DB - Josh Jobe, Alabama
DB - Malachi Moore, Alabama
DB - Kaiir Elam, Florida
Second team
DL - Josh Paschal, Kentucky
DL - LaBryan Ray, Alabama
DL - Ali Gaye, LSU
DL - Trajan Jeffcoat, Missouri
LB - Grant Morgan, Arkansas
LB - Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB - Zakoby McClain, Auburn
DB - Smoke Monday, Auburn
DB - Jordan Battle, Alabama
DB - Jalen Catalon, Arkansas
DB - Elias Ricks, LSU
Third team
DL - DJ Dale, Alabama
DL - Jayden Peevy, Texas A&M
DL - Travon Walker, Georgia
DL - Derick Hall, Auburn
LB - Owen Pappoe, Auburn
LB - Nakobe Dean, Georgia
LB - Christopher Allen, Alabama
DB - Roger McCreary, Auburn
DB - Lewis Cine, Georgia
DB - Alontae Taylor, Tennessee
DB - Yusuf Corker, Kentucky
Specialists
First team
P - Jake Camarda, Georgia
PK - Cade York, LSU
RS - Jerrion Ealy, Mississippi
AP - Jerrion Ealy, Mississippi
Second team
P - Paxton Brooks, Tennessee
PK - Will Reichard, Alabama
RS - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
AP - Tank Bigsby, Auburn
Third team
P - Mac Brown, Mississippi
PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia
AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
* - Indicates a tie
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: SEC football preseason poll and all-conference team