Eight Gators Named to Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team

The SEC announced the 2020 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference announced the 2020 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team on Thursday, as tight end Kyle Pitts and quarterback Kyle Trask were named First Team Preseason All-SEC while defensive back Kaiir Elam, linebacker Ventrell Miller and defensive back Marco Wilson earned second team recognition.

Defensive lineman Zachary Carter, kicker Evan McPherson and wide receiver Kadarius Toney were recognized on the third team.

Trask is the first Gators quarterback since Tim Tebow in 2009 to be named to the first team in the Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team and this is the first time a Dan Mullen-coached signal caller earns the honor since Dak Prescott in 2015.

Alabama placed a league-leading 11 representatives on the 2020 Preseason Coaches All-Southeastern Conference Football Team, it was announced on Thursday. Georgia was second with 10 representatives, while Florida, LSU and Texas A&M each had eight.
Ten schools had at least one First-Team All-SEC representative, including a conference-best eight from Alabama.

Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.

Pitts appeared in all 13 games throughout the 2019 season for the Gators and is regarded as one of the top tight ends in college football after totaling 54 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns. The Philadelphia native led all tight ends in the SEC in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and finished third nationally amongst FBS tight ends in receptions. Pitts was named to the AP/Coaches’ All-SEC First Team.

Trask started in 10 games last season after stepping in to take over Florida’s offense at the start of the fourth quarter during the Gators’ victory over Kentucky. The following week, Trask made his first career start against Tennessee, throwing for 293 yards with two touchdowns. Trask threw for 2,941 yards with 25 touchdowns across 12 games played in 2019 and was named to the SEC All-Conference Third Team for his performances.

Elam appeared in all 13 games and made five starts in his first collegiate season where he totaled 11 tackles, three interceptions and four passes defended (tied for second-most on the team). Elam was named to the Coaches Freshman All-SEC Team and the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.

Miller finished second on the team in tackles with 55 and was one of eight Gators to finish with at least three sacks. Miller appeared in 12 games, starting in 11 at linebacker. The Lakeland, Florida native registered career-highs of eight tackles against Florida State and in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Virginia.

Wilson played and started in all 13 games, recording 36 total defensive stops (23 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two pass break-ups. Wilson recorded an interception against Tennessee, Auburn and Missouri and was one of four Florida defensive backs with at least three interceptions.

Carter appeared in all 13 games and made starts against Vanderbilt and Missouri on the defensive line. He helped make Florida the only team in the SEC with more than six players with at least three sacks. Carter tied for second on the squad with career-highs in sacks (4.5) and tackles-for-loss (7).

McPherson appeared in all 13 games and went 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) on field goals and finished 10th nationally in field goal percentage while leading the SEC. He nailed a career-long 50-yard field goal against Florida State. McPherson also served as Florida’s primary kickoff specialist, averaging 61.2 yards on 80 kickoffs with a 63.7 percent touchback rate. He was named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

Toney played in seven games, missing six due to injury, but made an impact with six explosive plays throughout his junior season in 2019. Toney’s 66-yard touchdown pass reception, the longest catch of his career, against Miami helped the Gators defeat the Hurricanes in the season opener. Other notable plays from last season include Toney’s 48-yard reception at Missouri and a 47-yard catch versus Florida State.

The SEC is scheduled to begin its 2020 season on Sept. 26, with Florida traveling to Ole Miss for a noon kickoff.

2020 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team (* – ties)

First Team Preseason All-SEC

OFFENSE
TE Kyle Pitts, Florida

OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
Trey Smith, Tennessee
Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
Landon Dickerson, Alabama

C Drake Jackson, Kentucky

WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

QB Kyle Trask, Florida

RB Najee Harris, Alabama
Kylin Hill, Mississippi State

AP Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

DEFENSE
DL Bobby Brown, Texas A&M
LaBryan Ray, Alabama
Big Kat Bryant, Auburn
Jordan Davis, Georgia

LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
K.J. Britt, Auburn
Nick Bolton, Missouri

DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
Derek Stingley, LSU
Richard LeCounte, Georgia
Jacoby Stevens, LSU

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Brent Cimaglia, Tennessee

P Max Duffy, Kentucky

RS Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Second Team Preseason All-SEC

OFFENSE
TE Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M

OL Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina
Deonte Brown, Alabama
Landon Young, Kentucky
Austin Deculus, LSU*
Brodarious Hamm, Auburn*
Wanya Morris, Tennessee*
Ed Ingram, LSU*

C Trey Hill, Georgia

WR George Pickens, Georgia
Terrace Marshall, LSU

QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

RB Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas
Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M

AP Derek Stingley, LSU

DEFENSE
DL Kobie Whiteside, Missouri
Malik Herring, Georgia
Aaron Sterling, South Carolina
Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt

LB Henry To’o To’o, Tennessee
Monty Rice, Georgia
Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State*
Nakobe Dean, Georgia*
Ventrell Miller, Florida*

DB Kaiir Elam, Florida
Eric Stokes, Georgia
Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
Tyree Gillespie, Missouri*
Marco Wilson, Florida*
Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina*

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Cade York, LSU

P Jake Camarda, Georgia

RS Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss

Third Team Preseason All-SEC

OFFENSE
TE Arik Gilbert, LSU

OL Carson Green, Texas A&M
Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
Evan Neal, Alabama
Dan Moore, Texas A&M

C Landon Dickerson, Alabama

WR Seth Williams, Auburn
Elijah Moore, Ole Miss

QB Bo Nix, Auburn

RB Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
Larry Rountree, Missouri

AP Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss*
Kadarius Toney, Florida*
Christian Tutt, Auburn*

DEFENSE
DL Zachary Carter, Florida
Josh Paschal, Kentucky
Kobe Jones, Mississippi State
Glen Logan, LSU