Three Gamecocks Named to Coaches' Preseason All-SEC Squads

The University of South Carolina football team placed three players on the 2018 preseason All-SEC squads as selected by the 14 league coaches, it was announced today. Deebo Samuel was selected to the first-team unit at three positions, while Joseph Charlton was a second-team choice and Zack Bailey earned a spot on the third team.
 
Samuel, a 6-0, 210-pound senior from Inman, S.C., was named to the first team as a wide receiver, an all-purpose back and as a return specialist. The standout performer scored six touchdowns – three receiving, two kickoff returns and one rushing – in just three games a year ago before suffering a season-ending injury. In 2016, he logged 1,320 all-purpose yards in 10 contests.
 
Punter Joseph Charlton earned a spot on the second-team squad after averaging 43.5 yards on 55 punts with a long of 73 yards in 2017. The 6-5, 188-pound junior from A.C. Flora High School in Columbia had just four touchbacks, logged 15 punts inside the 20 and boomed 17 punts of 50 yards or more in his first season as the Carolina punter. The Gamecocks ranked 19th in the nation in net punting with a 40.5-yard average.
 
Senior offensive lineman Zack Bailey was selected to the third-team unit. The 6-6, 314-pounder from Summerville, S.C., has moved back to left guard this season after spending the 2017 season at right tackle. He is the leader on the squad in career starts with 26 entering the 2018 campaign.
 
Defending SEC champion Georgia placed a league-leading 12 representatives on the Coaches’ All-SEC teams. Defending National Champion Alabama was second with 10 representatives, while Auburn had nine.
 
This marks the 16^th-consecutive year of the SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team. All 14 SEC schools were represented on the All-SEC team, including seven schools with six or more selections. Ten schools had at least one first-team All-SEC selection, including a conference-best five from Alabama.
 
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
South Carolina will get its season underway on Saturday, Sept. 1, when the Gamecocks host Coastal Carolina in a noon kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. SEC Network will televise the game with Taylor Zarzour and Matt Stinchcomb in the booth and Kris Budden working the sidelines.

2018 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team (* – ties)
 
First Team Preseason All-SEC 
 
OFFENSE
TE           Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
 
OL           Jonah Williams, Alabama
                Greg Little, Ole Miss
                Martez Ivey, Florida
                Trey Smith, Tennessee
 
C             Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama
 
WR         A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
                Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
 
QB          Drew Lock, Missouri
 
RB           Damien Harris, Alabama
                Benny Snell, Kentucky
        
AP          Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
 
DEFENSE
DL           Raekwon Davis, Alabama
                Cece Jefferson, Florida
                Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
                Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
 
LB           Devin White, LSU
                Mack Wilson, Alabama
                Josh Allen, Kentucky
 
DB          Deandre Baker, Georgia
                Greedy Williams, LSU
                Mike Edwards, Kentucky
                Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Florida*
                J.R. Reed, Georgia*
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK           Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
     
P             Corey Fatony, Missouri
 
RS           Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
  
Second Team Preseason All-SEC 
 
OFFENSE
TE           Isaac Nauta, Georgia
 
OL           Hjalte Froholdt, Arkansas
                Andrew Thomas, Georgia
                Garrett Brumfield, LSU
                Lester Cotton, Alabama 
 
C             Lamont Gaillard, Georgia
 
WR         Ryan Davis, Auburn
                Terry Godwin, Georgia
 
QB          Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
 
RB           Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
                D’Andre Swift, Georgia
 
AP          Trevon Diggs, Alabama
 
DEFENSE
DL           Terry Beckner, Missouri
                Derrick Brown, Auburn
                Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia
                Isaiah Buggs, Alabama
 
LB           Deshaun Davis, Auburn
                Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
                D’Andre Walker, Georgia
 
DB          Jamel Dean, Auburn
                CJ Henderson, Florida
                Deionte Thompson, Alabama
                Mark McLaurin, Mississippi State
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK           Daniel LaCamera, Texas A&M
 
P             Joseph Charlton, South Carolina
 
RS           Mecole Hardman, Georgia
 
Third Team Preseason All-SEC 
 
OFFENSE
TE           C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
 
OL           Zack Bailey, South Carolina
                Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
                Marquel Harrell, Auburn
                Deion Calhoun, Mississippi State*
                Brian Wallace, Arkansas*
                Javon Patterson, Ole Miss*
        
C             Erik McCoy, Texas A&M
 
WR         Emanuel Hall, Missouri
                D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss
 
QB          Jake Fromm, Georgia
 
RB           Aeris Williams, Mississippi State
                Jordan Scarlett, Florida
      
AP          Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
  
DEFENSE
DL           Rashard Lawrence, LSU
                Marlon Davidson, Auburn
                Landis Durham, Texas A&M
                Dontavius Russell, Auburn
 
LB           De’Jon Harris, Arkansas
                Charles Wright, Vanderbilt*
                David Reese, Florida*
                Leo Lewis, Mississippi State*
 
DB          Grant Delpit, LSU
                Javaris Davis, Auburn
                Marco Wilson, Florida
                Jamal Peters, Mississippi State*
                Zedrick Woods, Ole Miss*
                Santos Ramirez, Arkansas*
                LaDarius Wiley, Vanderbilt*
                DeMarkus Acy, Missouri*
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK           Tucker McCann, Missouri
 
P             Braden Mann, Texas A&M
 
RS           Lynn Bowden, Kentucky*
                De’Vion Warren, Arkansas*