Tony's takes: My picks for preseason All-SEC

College football has finally arrived.

Alabama won’t begin its preseason camp until the end of the month, and the Crimson Tide doesn’t kick off against Western Kentucky for another 48 days. But just like the release of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Latte in the fall or Christmas carols on the radio after Thanksgiving, SEC Media Days signify the beginning of a new season.

Nothing says the start of college football like endless amounts of Dr. Pepper and hordes of sweaty sports writers crowding around college kids in front of a microphone. Right?

Seriously though, the finish line is in sight. With football news flowing, next week is set to fly by. From there, we’ll be just days away from Alabama hitting the field.

I’ll be covering SEC Media Days from home, as our publisher, Kelly Quinlan, takes my spot in Dallas this week. While I’ll miss out on the Dr. Pepper and a few cringe-worthy questions, Kelly’s graciously agreed to hand me his voting privileges, meaning I’ll have a say in determining this year’s preseason All-SEC team.

In today’s column, I’ll reveal my first-team selections. With that said, pour yourself a drink, and let's dive in.

The SEC’s annual media circus is coming to Texas, so naturally, tequila is on the menu.

With the addition of our new friends to the West, this year’s SEC Media Days will look a bit different. Time will tell whether or not Oklahoma and Texas will be able to match the toughness needed to withstand an SEC schedule. However, our newest neighbors certainly bring a bit more flash to the conference.

With that in mind, we’re pivoting from the classic margarita and opting for its prettier cousin.

The paloma is a sweeter alternative to the margarita, featuring grapefruit soda, lime and tequila. Its light pink color doesn’t exactly match the SEC’s blue-collar identity. However, with several trips to Austin Texas on the horizon, the conference is going to have to get used to breaking out of its comfort zone a bit.

Our friends at Session pride themselves in having the best paloma in town. Here’s how they stir it up.

Add 1.5 ounces of silver tequila, .5 ounces of aperol, .75 ounces of grapefruit juice, .75 ounces of lime juice and .5 ounces of cane syrup into a tin and strain into a glass with ice. From there, top the drink with grapefruit soda and garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Cheers!

(Commercial break: My drink of the week section is now sponsored by my friends at Session Cocktails in Tuscaloosa. Session has been a mainstay in Tuscaloosa’s cocktail scene since 2019 and offers some of the tastiest drinks in town. Stop by and tell them I said hi!)

QB

Tony’s pick: Carson Beck (Georgia)

Other considerations: Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Jackson Dart (Ole Miss), Quinn Ewers (Texas)

Reasoning: I think Milroe has the highest ceiling of this group, and Dart is a nice dark-horse pick for the Heisman Trophy award. However, I’m playing things safe here. Beck has the highest floor of any SEC quarterback. He should also have a solid offensive line blocking for him and enough weapons to replicate last year’s stellar numbers.

RB

Tony’s picks: Jarquez Hunter (Auburn), C.J. Baxter (Texas)

Other considerations: Trevor Etienne (Georgia), Montrell Johnson (Florida), Justice Haynes (Alabama)

Reasoning: After seeing Hunter run through Alabama’s defense the past two Iron Bowls, he’s by far my top choice at the running back position. I’m giving my second spot to Baxter, who figures to take over as Texas’ lead back following a promising freshman season. It was hard to leave off, Etienne and Johnson, but that’s life in the loaded SEC. In terms of talent, Haynes is near the top of this list. However, he’ll likely split too many carries to warrant first-team status this fall.

AP

Tony’s pick: Luther Burden III (Missouri)

Other considerations: Kendrick Law (Alabama), Dillon Bell (Georgia)

Reasoning: Burden would have been one of my two first-team wide receivers. But since I can use him as an all-purpose player, I’ll do so to make room for someone else. If you’re looking for a non-quarterback candidate for SEC Player of the Year, the Missouri playmaker is a good pick.

WR

Tony’s picks: Tre Harris (Ole Miss), Germie Bernard (Alabama)

Other considerations: Juice Wells (Ole Miss), Isaiah Bond (Texas), Deion Burks (Oklahoma), Kyren Lacy (LSU)

Reasoning: You’d think I would have learned a lesson about buying into the hype of incoming Alabama receivers. I was high on Jermaine Burton two years ago and predicted that Malik Benson would be one of the Tide’s most important players last season.

Do I dare take another bite of the apple this year? You bet.

Bernard put up solid numbers despite playing behind three NFL receivers at Washington last season. He knows DeBoer’s offense and was the Tide’s most dangerous weapon during the A-Day game this spring. Selecting him with one of my two first-team spots is bold, and I don’t have a good track record when it comes to projecting receivers. However, I’m confident the third time’s a charm.

As for Harris, I have him as the best receiver in the conference outside of Burden. Ole Miss’ addition of Juice Wells should only open things up more for him this fall.

TE

Tony’s pick: Caden Prieskorn (Ole Miss)

Other considerations: Oscar Delp (Georgia), Luke Hasz (Arkansas)

Reasoning: Brock Bowers has moved on to the NFL, which means I actually have to think about this selection. Still, the pick wasn’t too hard.

Despite missing three games due to injury, Prieskorn still managed to record 30 receptions for 449 yards and four touchdowns last season. He is one of many weapons Ole Miss will have to work with this fall.

C

Tony’s pick: Parker Brailsford (Alabama)

Other considerations: Cooper Mays (Tennessee), Jake Majors (Texas)

Reasoning: I’m wary of this pick due to Brailsford missing most of spring camp due to non-football-related issues. However, DeBoer and other members of Alabama’s staff insist there’s nothing to worry about regarding the Washington transfer.

If Brailsford can carry over last season’s success to Alabama, he’s a safe bet to earn All-SEC honors this fall. According to Pro Football Focus, the redshirt sophomore is the top returning interior offensive lineman in all of college football.

OL

Tony’s picks: Will Campbell (LSU), Tyler Booker (Alabama), Tate Ratledge (Georgia), Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas)

Other considerations: Marques Cox (Kentucky), Josh Braun (Arkansas), Jaeden Roberts (Alabama), Emery Jones (LSU)

Reasoning: I’ve always found it weird that the All-SEC list sets the center position aside but lumps the rest of the offensive line into one category. I made sure to include both guards and tackles in my selections to make for a truer first-team unit.

If I were building a starting offensive line for the SEC it would consist of Campbell, Booker, Brailsford, Ratledge and Banks from left to right. My second-team unit would consist of Cox, Braun, Mays, Roberts and Jones.

While Alabama might have the best interior offensive line in the nation, LSU has one of the top tackle combos in Campbell and Jones.

DL

Tony’s picks: James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee), Princely Umanmielen (Ole Miss), Deone Walker (Kentucky), Trey Moore (Texas)

Other considerations: Walter Nolan (Ole Miss), Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), Nazir Stackhouse (Georgia), Shemar Turner (Texas A&M)

Reasoning: Once again, it would help if the SEC was more position-specific here. Edge rushers put up the biggest numbers, but defensive tackles shouldn’t be overlooked.

Pearce might be the first pick in next year’s NFL draft, while Walker has freakish athleticism for someone who stands in at 6-foot-6, 348 pounds. Moore recorded 14 sacks for UTSA last year and should provide a serious threat to Texas’ defense. Meanwhile transfers Umanmielen (Florida) and Nolan (Texas A&M) should wreak havoc on Ole Miss’s rebuilt defensive front.

LB

Tony’s picks: Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma), Harold Perkins (LSU), Deontae Lawson (Alabama)

Other considerations: Jihaad Campbell (Alabama), Scooby Williams (Texas A&M), Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas)

Reasoning: This trio basically picks itself Stutsman and Perkins were both included on the Walter Camp preseason All-America teams released earlier this month. Meanwhile, Lawson is a potential first-round pick who figures to be the heartbeat of what should be a solid Alabama defense.

DB

Tony’s picks: Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky), Jason Marshall Jr. (Florida), Malachi Moore (Alabama), Malachi Starks (Georgia)

Other considerations: Gentry Williams (Oklahoma), Malik Muhammad (Texas), Billy Bowman (Oklahoma), Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)

Reasoning: As was the case with the offensive and defensive lines, I made sure to split up the secondary to account for different positions.

Hairston is easily the best cornerback in the conference. During his sophomore campaign last year, he led Kentucky with six pass deflections and five interceptions, returning two of his picks for touchdowns. He also registered an 85.3 coverage grade from PFF, holding opposing passers to a 67.5 quarterback rating on balls thrown his way. Marshall was also solid, leading Florida with 11 pass deflections.

The SEC is loaded with talent at the safety position. It was hard to leave Bowman and Emmanwori off the first team, but the two Malachis are tough to beat.

K

Tony’s pick: Graham Nicholson (Alabama)

Other considerations: Bert Auburn (Texas), Trey Smack (Florida)

Reasoning: This was the easiest selection on the list, so I won’t waste much time on it. Nicholson is the reigning Lou Groza Award winner and joins Alabama as the best kicker in the nation.

P

Tony’s pick: James Burnip (Alabama)

Other considerations: Jeremy Crawshaw (Florida), Brett Thorson (Georgia)

Reasoning: Burnip has made significant strides during his three seasons at Alabama, improving his average from 39.13 yards per punt in 2021 to 47.56 yards per boot last year. Not bad for someone who didn’t play a game of American football before joining the Tide.

KR

Tony’s pick: Barion Brown (Kentucky)

Other considerations: Elijhah Badger (Florida), Kendrick Law (Alabama)

Reasoning: This is another easy pick. Last year, Brown led the nation averaging 36 yards per kickoff return. That was nearly 6 yards better than Marshall’s Jayden Harrison, who ranked second nationally. Brown also led the nation with three kickoffs returned for touchdowns.

PR

Tony’s pick: Kionte Scott (Auburn)

Other considerations: Isaiah Sategna (Arkansas), Zavion Thomas (LSU)

Reasoning: Scott finished fourth nationally, averaging 14.8 yards per punt return last season. That included a 74-yard return for a score against Arkansas.

Speaking of the Hogs, Sategna is also one of the nation’s top special teams players. During his redshirt freshman season last year, he tied for 11th nationally with 12 yards per return, including an 88-yard score against BYU.