Coaches preseason All-SEC Team recognizes 8 Gators

Eight Florida Gators have been named to the Coaches Preseason All-SEC Teams, including quarterback DJ Lagway. UF had two first-team selections—offensive linemen Jake Slaughter and Austin Barber. Slaughter is a returning consensus All-American.

Here is a look at the Gators recognized by the league coaches:

FIRST-TEAM ALL-SEC SELECTIONS FROM FLORIDA

Jake Slaughter, C, senior: Slaughter started all 13 games at center last season and led the Gators offensive line in snaps with 800. He was a consensus First-Team All-American in 2024.
Austin Barber, OT, senior: Barber started all 13 games at left tackle in 2024. He has made 26 career starts for the Gators

SECOND-TEAM ALL-SEC SELECTIONS FROM FLORIDA

Caleb Banks, DL, senior: —Banks finished 2024 with 10 starts, 21 tackles (10 solo), including seven tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a recovered fumble.
Trey Smack, PK & Kickoff specialist, senior: Smack made 18 out of 21 field goal attempts (with a long of 55 yards) and all 44 extra point attempts last year. He was a Lou Groza Semifinalist in 2023.
Rocco Underwood, LS, senior: Underwood was a second-team All-SEC pick after the 2024 season.

THIRD-TEAM ALL-SEC SELECTIONS FROM FLORIDA

DJ Lagway, QB, sophomore: As a true freshman last season, he threw for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, starting seven games after veteran Graham Mertz went down with a torn ACL. The Gators went 6–1 with Lagway starting.
Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, senior: Sapp led the Gators with seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss last season.
Eugene Wilson, WR, redshirt-sophomore: Wilson had 19 receptions for 266 yards before an injury ended his season in 2024. He hauled in 61 catches for 538 yards the previous year as a true freshman.

Of note, Lagway was not a preseason all-conference pick by the media. Meanwhile, running back Jadan Baugh, who was a media pick (third team), was not recognized by the coaches.

FIRST-TEAM COACHES PRESEASON All-SEC

• QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
• RB Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
• RB Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
• WR Ryan Williams, Alabama
• WR Cam Coleman, Auburn
• TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
• OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
• OL Cayden Green, Missouri
• OL Austin Barber, Florida
• OL DJ Campbell, Texas*
• OL Fernando Carmona Jr., Arkansas*
• C Jake Slaughter, Florida
• DL Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
• DL Colin Simmons, Texas
• DL Keldric Faulk, Auburn
• DL Christian Miller, Georgia
• LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
• LB Whit Weeks, LSU
• LB CJ Allen, Georgia
• DB KJ Bolden, Georgia
• DB Daylen Everette, Georgia
• DB Michael Taaffe, Texas
• DB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
• PK Peyton Woodring, Georgia
• P Brett Thorson, Georgia
• RS Barion Brown, LSU
• KOS Peyton Woodring, Georgia
• LS Beau Gardner, Georgia
• AP Zachariah Branch, Georgia

SECOND-TEAM COACHES PRESEASON All-SEC

• QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
• RB Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
• RB Caden Durham, LSU
• WR Aaron Anderson, LSU
• WR Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri*
• WR Eric Singleton, Auburn*
• TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
• OL Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
• OL Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
• OL Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M
• OL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
• C Parker Brailsford, Alabama
• DL Caleb Banks, Florida
• DL Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
• DL Tim Keenan III, Alabama
• DL LT Overton, Alabama
• LB Deontae Lawson, Alabama
• LB Harold Perkins, LSU
• LB Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
• DB Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
• DB Will Lee III, Texas A&M
• DB Malik Muhammad, Texas
• DB Domani Jackson, Alabama*
• DB Keon Sabb, Alabama*
• PK Trey Smack, Florida
• P Jack Bouwmeester, Texas
• RS Zachariah Branch, Georgia
• KOS Trey Smack, Florida
• LS Rocco Underwood, Florida
• AP Zavion Thomas, LSU

THIRD-TEAM COACHES PRESEASON All-SEC

• QB DJ Lagway, Florida
• RB Nate Frazier, Georgia
• RB Jam Miller, Alabama
• WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
• WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee*
• WR Eugene Wilson III, Florida*
• TE Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
• OL Earnest Greene III, Georgia
• OL Xavier Chaplin, Auburn
• OL Lance Heard, Tennessee
• OL Joshua Braun, Kentucky*
• OLTrevor Goosby, Texas*
• C Connor Lew, Auburn
• DL Cam Ball, Arkansas
• DL Tyreak Sapp, Florida
• DL Trey Moore, Texas
• DL Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss
• LB Taurean York, Texas A&M
• LB Arion Carter, Tennessee
• LB Princewill Umanmielen, Ole Miss
• DB Boo Carter, Tennessee
• DB Isaac Smith, Mississippi State
• DB Jalen Catalon, Missouri
• DB Bray Hubbard, Alabama
• PK Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss*
• PK Alex McPherson, Auburn*
• P Aidan Laros, Kentucky
• RS Zavion Thomas, LSU
• KOS Will Stone, Texas
• LS Ben Anderson, Oklahoma
• AP Martel Hight, Vanderbilt