Georgia lands 5 on Athlon preseason first-team, but noteworthy names overlooked

ATHENS — Georgia football got its fair share of recognition on the Athlon Magazine preseason All-SEC teams, even after losing 15 players in the NFL Draft.

The Bulldogs, ranked No. 3 in Athlon’s Preseason Top 25 poll behind No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State, had five first-team All-SEC selections, a mark bettered only by the Tide (seven).

Of course, Georgia knows better than anyone how little preseason teams mean and how wrong some groups can be.

The USA Today panel famously didn’t have any Georgia offensive or defensive players on its preseason All-SEC team last year leading into a season the Bulldogs had 15 players and a record-five first-round picks on defensive alone!

Departed defensive tackle Jordan Davis not only earned All-American honors, but he also became the first SEC player in history to win the Outland Trophy and Bednarik Award in the same season.

Linebacker Nakobe Dean, meanwhile, won the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in the nation and was drafted in the third round by the Philadelphia Eagles on account of injury questions.

Here’s a look at how the Athlon panel voted:

FIRST TEAM

• Brock Bowers, the offensive MVP of UGA’s championship season with his record-breaking 13 TD grabs and countless clutch grabs, was a shoo-in for first-team honors after earning All-American honors last season as well as FWAA Freshman of the Year.

• Left tackle Broderick Jones got the benefit of the doubt from voters despite starting just four games last season. Jones did come off the bench if the CFP Championship Game and look good.

• Defensive tackle Jalen Carter started in only two games last season but people saw how Carter made game-changing plays, blocking a field goal in the CFP Championship Game as the UGA defense kept the team in the game until the offense got going in the third quarter.

• Outside linebacker Nolan Smith, the former No. 1 overall recruit in the country, was also a first-team pick by Athlon. Smith is one of four game captains from a year ago who returned, along with Christopher Smith, Kearis Jackson and Warren Ericson.

• The voters will clearly influenced by Kelee Ringo’s game-sealing Pick-6 in the national title game, as he was a first-team pick despite occasional struggles his redshirt freshman season.

The preseason All-SEC teams will be noted as much for who is not on it, as UGA quarterback Stetson Bennett continues to be overlooked by many despite Kirby Smart heaping praise on him.

Bennett, Ericson, receiver Ladd McConkey and kicker Jack Podlesny were the only returning starters not recognized by Athlon on its first, second, third or fourth-team preseason All-SEC teams.

McConkey is explosive enough to have warranted some consideration and could have an all-conference year, and Podlesny being left off was a clear oversight by the voters.

The UGA players who were recognized on Athlon’s preseason All-SEC teams:

SECOND TEAM

RB Kenny McIntosh

OC Sedrick VanPran

FS Christopher Smith

PR Kearis Jackson

THIRD TEAM

OT Warren McClendon

LB Robert Beal

FOURTH TEAM

WR Adonai Mitchell

TE Arik Gilbert

UGA players not mentioned who could have All-SEC seasons:

• RB Kendall Milton (will split part of the load with McIntosh)

• LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson (could lead the team in tackles)

• DB Tykee Smith (former All-American at West Virginia)

• TE Darnell Washington (one more year and then NFL)

• DT Zion Logue (Compares to Devonte Wyatt)

• WR Dominick Blaylock (If healthy will post numbers)