Preseason All-SEC Projection: Defense

There is just one more day of content remaining at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. After the good sportswriters of America spent some time in the hotel bar on Wednesday night, more than a few could be running on fumes at this point. The talking season is almost over and that means it’s time for some football.

Before we get into roster breakdown season, it’s time to reflect on a week at the College Football Hall of Fame. After sharing what the All-SEC offense should look like, we’re switching to the defensive side where Alabama could give the conference its second consecutive super unit.

Defensive Line

• First Team: Jalen Carter (Georgia), Gervon Dexter (Florida), Byron Young (Alabama)

• Second Team: Isaiah McGuire (Missouri), Jaquelin Roy (LSU), Cameron Young (Mississippi State)

Recruiting rankings may matter the most along the defensive front. Most of the players here were former top-100 recruits. Jalen Carter returns for his junior season at Georgia and the Apopka (Fla.) High product was the best defensive player on that unit at times last season and will be a preseason All-American. Gervon Dexter and Byron Young were also top-100 recruits who should be positioned to have big seasons.

Missouri had a lot of issues last year, but Isaiah McGuire is a playmaker (14 tackles for loss). The senior can play multiple spots for new defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Jaquelin Roy will be a bright spot at LSU for new defensive coordinator Matt House and redshirt senior Cameron Young will pace Mississippi State’s three-down front.

EDGE

• First Team: Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama), Nolan Smith (Georgia)
• Second Team: Brenton Cox Jr. (Florida), Dallas Turner (Alabama)

Perhaps no position in the league is deeper than edge pass rusher, and this is another spot where recruiting really matters. All four players here are former five-star prospects. Will Anderson Jr. headlines the group and is a legit Heisman Trophy contender.

Nolan Smith surprised some returning to school, and the former No. 1 overall recruit is a no doubt first-round talent. Georgia transfer Brenton Cox Jr. has turned into a star at Florida, and Dallas Turner could be the next star pass rusher at Alabama.

Alabama’s *other* outside linebacker, Dallas Turner, gets overshadowed by Will Anderson but the five-star freshman is one of the top young players in college football.

Now has 7.5 sacks in Alabama’s last seven games.
pic.twitter.com/bvC30mEZcR

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 11, 2022

Expect many sack artists to emerge in the SEC this season. Tyler Baron (Tennessee), Derick Hall (Auburn), BJ Ojulari (LSU), Byron Young (Tennessee), J.J. Weaver (Kentucky), and Tyrus Wheat (Mississippi State) are other good players that could easily put together all-conference seasons.

Linebacker

• First Team: Jett Johnson (Mississippi State), Bumper Pool (Arkansas)
• Second Team: Troy Brown (Ole Miss), Henry To’o To’o (Alabama)

At off-ball linebacker, Jett Johnson was one of the biggest surprises in the SEC last season as the redshirt senior logged 87 tackles. The former three-star recruit has a chance to be a star this fall. Over at Arkansas, Bumper Pool is back for his super senior season and has played in 44 career games. With 349 career tackles, Pool is now a big name in the conference.

Central Michigan transfer Troy Brown was yet another big transfer portal recruiting win for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. The multi-positional talent has recorded 26 non-sack tackles for loss over the last three years and could give the Rebels some havoc playmaking. In Tuscaloosa, Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o had an up-and-down first season at Alabama but is the best draft prospect at the position in the conference.

Cornerback

• First Team: Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State), Cam Smith (South Carolina)
• Second Team: Eli Ricks (Alabama), Kelee Ringo (Georgia)

There are some dudes on defense in Starkville this season, and former top-200 recruit Emmanuel Forbes might be the best of the bunch. The Mississippi native will be a star at cornerback. Over in Columbia, Cam Smith might be the best pro prospect in the conference at the position.

Both Eli Ricks and Kelee Ringo were five-star recruits in the class of 2020 whose careers have been up-and-down to this point. However, the ceiling is high for both, and each could turn into lockdown corners who can thrive in man coverage this season.

Safety

• First Team: Jordan Battle (Alabama), Antonio Johnson (Texas A&M)
• Second Team: A.J. Finley (Ole Miss), Christopher Smith (Georgia)

Jordan Battle has started 15 games over the last two seasons, and the former top-50 recruit had 85 tackles and three interceptions last season. This could be the top safety in college football. Antonio Johnson has played both safety and nickel for Texas A&M. The junior logged 7.5 tackles for loss last year and should be the top playmaker for the Aggies.

In Oxford, A.J. Finley headlines the three-safety defense used in Oxford and recorded 90 tackles last season as the unit needs heavy production from the senior. At Georgia, Christopher Smith gives Kirby Smart a security blanket at safety with 16 starts over the last two seasons.

Nickel

• First Team: Kris Abrams-Draine (Missouri)
• Second Team: Brian Branch (Alabama)

Eliah Drinkwitz stated that Kris Abrams-Draine could play some more traditional outside cornerback this season, but the Tigers should not experiment with that too much. The Alabama native is an excellent cover guy in the slot with an NFL future.

Brian Branch is yet another Alabama star this season as the Crimson Tide are deep in the secondary. Scoring touchdowns against them will not be easy this season.