BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Alabama football teams placed 22 players on the Preseason Coaches All-Southeastern Conference Team, the league office announced Thursday morning.
MSU senior wide receiver Fred Ross was named to the second team, while senior Brandon Holloway, senior defensive end A.J. Jefferson, and senior linebacker Richie Brown were named to the third team. Holloway made the team as a running back and as a return specialist.
Ole Miss senior quarterback Chad Kelly earned first-team honors. Classmates Evan Engram and Tony Conner made the second team, while juniors Marquis Haynes and Gary Wunderlich landed on the third team.
Alabama had 13 players on the teams, which matched LSU for the most players selected from one team on the 2016 squads.
The Crimson Tide had a league-best seven players earn first-team honors: Jonathan Allen (DL), Reuben Foster (LB), Eddie Jackson (DB), O.J. Howard (TE), Cam Robinson (OL), Calvin Ridley (WR), and JK Scott (P). The second-team selections were: Alphonse Taylor (OL), Tim Williams (LB), Minkah Fitzpatrick (DB), and Adam Griffith (PK). Ross Pierschbacher (center) and Marlon Humphrey (defensive back) garnered third-team mention.
The preseason honor from the league’s coaches is the third for Howard during his career – and his second consecutive first-team selection. Allen, Jackson, Scott, and Robinson were honored for the second time.
All 14 SEC schools were represented by at least one player, including eight schools with six or more selections each. Nine SEC schools had at least one first team All-SEC selection, including a conference-best seven for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama returns 14 starters from a season ago when the team finished 14-1 and won the school’s 16th national championship. The Crimson Tide has claimed four of the last seven national championships and owns a 98-12 record across the last eight seasons under head coach Nick Saban.
Tailback Leonard Fournette, center Ethan Pocic, linebacker Kendell Beckwith, and defensive back Tre’Davious White made the team for LSU
Texas A&M’s Christian Kirk made the first-team as a wide receiver, all-purpose player, and return specialist.
Tennessee had four first-teamers: linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, defensive back Cameron Sutton, defensive end Derek Barnett, and return specialist Evan Berry.
Coaches weren’t allowed to vote for their players.
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