SEC media makes their season predictions

As expected, the press who attended SEC Media Days this week in Hoover expected Georgia to have a very good year.

In the annual vote, the Bulldogs were selected to win the SEC East easily, finishing with 124 first-place votes out of 134 total votes cast, followed by Florida with seven and Kentucky with two.

Alabama was again the pick to win the West, garnering 130 first-place votes, with Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, and Arkansas getting one each.

Not surprisingly, the Crimson Tide was also picked to win the SEC Championship with 84 votes, but Georgia earned 45, suggesting the Bulldogs might have a better shot than some might believe.

Head coach Kirby Smart addressed his team’s expectations during Media Days on Tuesday.

“I've got a quote for you here that really drives home what we think about expectations at University of Georgia. Success comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. Say that again. Success comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it,” Smart said. “That's Henry David Thoreau. For me, that's it. I'm too busy working. I'm too busy trying to do the next thing. I'm too busy trying to take the next step to give our team a competitive advantage to really worry about expectations. That's you guys' question today; that's usually what people want to know about. But for me, I'm too busy working to worry about that.”

The Preseason All-SEC teams were also announced with 10 Bulldogs making the squad.

Georgia placed two members on the first team, nose guard Jordan Davis and punter Jake Camarda.

Four players earned second-team honors: quarterback JT Daniels, offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer, running back Zamir White and wide receiver George Pickens.

The choice of Pickens was curious, considering the junior is recovering from his spring ACL injury and Smart has not placed a timetable for his return.

Smart did say Tuesday that Pickens is doing straight-line running but is still a long way from seeing the field.

Kearis Jackson, Travon Walker and Lewis Cine earned spots on the third team.

The Bulldogs are scheduled to begin fall camp on Aug. 6.

Smart cannot wait to begin.

“We need to be better everywhere. It starts with what we do. But the introspection was for us to find maybe a different way to do things and hear a different voice, and we've done that,” he said. “We've tried to make that more difficult through our introspection and through our meetings and through our growth as a team. I'm just excited to see the dividends of that in fall camp of where we can go and where we can get better.

2021 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM

OFFENSE

First-Team

QB – Matt Corral, Ole Miss

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, Ole Miss

OL - Myron Cunningham, Arkansas

OL - Luke Fortner, Kentucky

*C - Michael Maietti, Missouri

*C - Ben Brown, Ole Miss

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, Ole Miss

AP - Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss

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, Ole Miss

PK - Anders Carlson, Auburn

RS - Kearis Jackson, Georgia

AP - Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

* - Indicates a tie