UGA, Auburn split top awards on All-SEC team
ATLANTA — After meeting in the Southeastern Conference championship game, Georgia and Auburn split the top awards on The Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference team released Monday.
Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson was picked as the offensive player of the year, while Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith was selected as the top defensive player. Smith was MVP of the title game, coming up with two fumble recoveries in the Bulldogs’ 28-7 victory.
Georgia’s Kirby Smart got the nod as SEC coach of the year after leading his team to the College Football Playoff in just his second season between the hedges. Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, a transfer from Baylor,
and Georgia freshman quarterback Jake Fromm shared the award for newcomer of the year.
Alabama, which also claimed a spot in the four-team national playoff despite failing to win the SEC West, led the way with eight players voted to the first team: receiver Calvin Ridley, offensive tackle Jonah Williams, tackle Ross Pierschbacher, center Bradley Bozeman, defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne, linebacker Rashaan Evans and safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Harrison.
There were no unanimous selections to the team. Fitzpatrick and Auburn offensive guard Braden Smith came the closest to a sweep, each picked on all but one ballot.
FIRST TEAM Offense
WR — A.J. Brown, Ole Miss, 6-1, 225, So. WR — Calvin Ridley, Alabama, 6-1, 190. Jr. T — Jonah Williams, Alabama, 6-5, 301, So. T — Isaiah Wynn, Georgia, 6-2, 302, Sr. G — Braden Smith, Auburn, 6-6, 303, Sr. G — Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama, 6-4, 303, Jr. C — Bradley Bozeman, Alabama, 6-5, 314, Sr. C — Will Clapp, LSU, 6-5, 309, Jr. TE — Hayden Hurst, South Carolina, 6-5, 250, Jr. QB — Drew Lock, Missouri, 6-4, 225, Jr. RB — Kerryon Johnson, Auburn, 6-0, 212, Jr. RB — Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky, 5-11, 223, So. PK — Daniel Carlson, Auburn, 6-4, 223, Sr. All-Purpose — Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, Jr.
Defense
DE — Jeff Holland, Auburn, 6-2, 249, Jr. DE — Montez Sweat, Mississippi State, 6-6, 241, Jr. DT — Da’Ron Payne, Alabama, 6-2, 308, Jr. DT — Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State, 6-4, 307, So. LB — Roquan Smith, Georgia, 6-1, 225, Jr. LB — Devin White, LSU, 6-1, 255, So. LB — Rashaan Evans, Alabama, 6-3, 234, Sr. LB — Arden Key, LSU, 6-6, 255, Jr. CB — Andraez Williams, LSU, 6-2, 175, Fr. CB — Armani Watts, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, Sr. S — Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama, 6-1, 202, Jr. S — Ronnie Harrison, Alabama, 6-3, 214, Jr. P — Johnny Townsend, Florida, 6-1, 211, Sr.
SECOND TEAM Offense
WR — J’Mon Moore, Missouri, 6-3, 205, Sr. WR — Christian Kirk, Texas A&M, 5-11, 200, Jr. T — Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State, 6-5, 305, Sr. T — Martez Ivey, Florida, 6-5, 305, Jr. G — Trey Smith, Tennessee, 6-6, 320, Fr. G — Greg Little, Ole Miss, 6-6, 325, So. C — Frank Ragnow, Arkansas, 6-5, 317, Sr. TE — Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri, 6-5, 260, Fr. QB — Jarrett Stidham, Auburn, 6-3, 214, So. RB — Nick Chubb, Georgia, 5-10, 225, Sr. RB — Derrius Guice, LSU, 5-11, 212, Jr. PK — Eddy Pineiro, Florida, 6-0, 173, Jr. All-Purpose — Mecole Hardman, Georgia, 5-11, 183, So. All-Purpose — D.J. Chark, LSU, 6-3, 187, Sr.
Defense
DE — Marcell Frazier, Missouri, 6-5, 265, Sr. DE — Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss, 6-3, 230, Sr. DE — Dante Sawyer, South Carolina, 6-3, 275, Sr. DT — Taven Bryan, Florida, DT — Raekwon Davis, Alabama, 6-7, 306, So. DT — Breeland Speaks, Ole Miss, 6-3, 285, Jr. LB — Josh Allen, Kentucky, 6-5, 230, Jr. LB — Lorenzo Carter, Georgia, 6-6, 243, Sr. LB — De’Jon Harris, Arkansas, 6-0, 242, So. LB — Skai Moore, South Carolina, 6-2 218, Sr. LB — Charles Wright, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 240, Jr. CB — Duke Dawson, Florida, 5-10, 208, Sr. CB — Levi Wallace, Alabama, 6-0, 183, Sr. CB — Carlton Davis, Auburn, 6-1, 203, Jr. CB — CJ Henderson, Florida, 6-1, 182, Fr. S — J.R. Reed, Georgia, 6-1, 194, So. P — JK Scott, Alabama, 6-6, 204, Sr. Offensive Player of the Year — Kerryon Johnson, Auburn Defensive Player of the Year — Roquan Smith, Georgia Coach of the Year — Kirby Smart, Georgia Newcomers of the Year — Jake Fromm, Georgia, and
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
Voting Panel:
Robbie Andreu, The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun Jason Butt, The Macon (Ga.) Telegraph John Clay, Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader Dave Foster, Fox 17-WZTV, Nashville, Tennessee Garland Gillen, Fox 8-WVUE, New Orleans Daniel Jones, Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune Hugh Kellenberger, The (Jackson, Mississippi) ClarionLedger Logan Lowery, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Tom Murphy, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Lauren Shute, SEC Country Aaron Suttles, The Tuscaloosa News Blake Toppmeyer, Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel Brent Zwerneman, Houston Chronicle