UGA picked first in SEC East, places nine on 2022 Preseason All-SEC Team

The Georgia Bulldogs have been picked to finish first in the SEC East and had nine players named to the 2022 Preseason All-SEC Team, the SEC announced on Friday.

The poll and the Preseason All-SEC team are both selected by members of the media covering SEC football.

Georgia received 172 first-place votes and 1254 votes overall for the SEC East. Kentucky was picked second with Tennessee in third.

The Bulldogs received the second most votes, 18, for the SEC champion, which is a vote conducted separate from the division vote. Alabama was again selected to win the SEC Championship with 158 votes.

Five Bulldogs were named Preseason All-SEC First Team by the media — sophomore tight end Brock Bowers, junior offensive tackle Warren McClendon, junior defensive lineman Jalen Carter, senior linebacker Nolan Smith, and redshirt sophomore defensive back Kelee Ringo. Redshirt sophomore Sedrick Van Pran and senior safety Christopher Smith were each named to the Second Team, while senior tailback Kenny McIntosh was voted to the Third Team.

Below is the complete 2022 Preseason Media Days Poll and All-SEC Team:

SEC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL

First place votes in ()

EAST

1. Georgia (172)  — 1254

2. Kentucky (4) — 932

3. Tennessee (1) — 929

4. Florida — 712

5. South Carolina (3) — 662

6. Missouri — 383

7. Vanderbilt (1) — 196

WEST

1. Alabama (177) — 1262

2. Texas A&M (3) — 968

3. Arkansas (1) — 844

4. Ole Miss — 675

5. LSU — 591

6. Mississippi State — 390

7. Auburn — 338

SEC CHAMPION

Alabama — 158

Georgia — 18

South Carolina — 3

Vanderbilt — 1

Texas A&M — 1

2022 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM

OFFENSE

First-Team

QB – Bryce Young, Alabama

RB – Tank Bigsby, Auburn

RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

WR – Kayshon Boutte, LSU

WR – Jermaine Burton, Alabama

TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia

OL – Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama

OL – Warren McClendon, Georgia

OL – O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida

OL – Nick Broeker, Ole Miss

C – Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas

Second-Team

QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee

RB – Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky

RB – Devon Achane, Texas A&M

WR – Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

WR – Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss

TE – Cameron Latu, Alabama

OL – Layden Robinson, Texas A&M

OL – Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky

OL – Darnell Wright, Tennessee

OL – Javion Cohen, Alabama

C – Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia

Third-Team

QB – Will Levis, Kentucky

RB – Zach Evans, Ole Miss

RB – Kenny McIntosh, Georgia

WR – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

WR – Josh Vann, South Carolina

TE – Jaheim Bell, South Carolina

OL – Brady Latham, Arkansas

OL – Tyler Steen, Alabama

OL – Javon Foster, Missouri

*OL – Jeremy James, Ole Miss

*OL – Kendall Randolph, Alabama

C – Cooper Mays, Tennessee

DEFENSE

First-Team

DL – Jalen Carter, Georgia

DL – BJ Ojulari, LSU

DL – Derick Hall, Auburn

DL – Byron Young, Tennessee

LB – Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

LB – Nolan Smith, Georgia

LB – Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama

DB – Jordan Battle, Alabama

DB – Kelee Ringo, Georgia

DB – Eli Ricks, Alabama

DB – Jalen Catalon, Arkansas

Second-Team

DL – Zacch Pickens, South Carolina

DL – D.J. Dale, Alabama

DL – Ali Gaye, LSU

DL – Colby Wooden, Auburn

LB – Bumper Pool, Arkansas

LB – Dallas Turner, Alabama

LB – Brenton Cox Jr., Florida

DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina

DB – Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M

DB – Christopher Smith, Georgia

DB – Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State

Third-Team

DL – Gervon Dexter, Florida

DL – Justin Eboigbe, Alabama

DL – Maason Smith, LSU

DL – McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M

LB – Owen Pappoe, Auburn

LB – Ventrell Miller, Florida

LB – Jeremy Banks, Tennessee

DB – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

DB – Trey Dean III, Florida

DB – Trevon Flowers, Tennessee

DB – Malachi Moore, Alabama

SPECIALISTS

First-Team

P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M

PK – Will Reichard, Alabama

RS – Kearis Jackson, Georgia

AP – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Second-Team

P – Oscar Chapman, Auburn

PK – Anders Carlson, Auburn

RS – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

AP – Devon Achane, Texas A&M

Third-Team

P – Paxton Brooks, Tennessee

PK – Harrison Mevis, Missouri

RS – JoJo Earle, Alabama

AP – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

* – Indicates a tie

The Georgia Bulldogs are scheduled to open the 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 3 against the Oregon Ducks in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

2022 UGA Football Schedule