Kinlaw and Edwards Earn Preseason All-SEC Accolades
Gamecocks Pegged for Fourth in East at SEC Media Days
University of South Carolina seniors Javon Kinlaw and Bryan Edwards were selected to the 2019 Preseason Media Days All-SEC teams, the Southeastern Conference announced today. In addition, the Gamecocks were pegged for a fourth-place finish in the East, according to the media that attended the four-day event in Birmingham.
Kinlaw, a member of the preseason Chuck Bednarik Watch List which recognizes college football’s defensive player of the year, was named to the second-team All-SEC unit. A 6-6, 310-pound senior from Charleston, S.C., Kinlaw has appeared in 25 games over the past two seasons, making 22 starts. He owns 12 tackles for loss among his 58 total stops, including 4.5 sacks, while deflecting eight passes, forcing three fumbles, recovering two fumbles, tallying three quarterback hurries and a pair of blocked kicks.
Edwards, who was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List on Thursday, was named to the preseason All-SEC third-team unit. A 6-3, 215-pound senior from Conway, S.C., could finish his career at the top of all of the career receiving charts at South Carolina. He enters his final campaign ranked fifth in receptions (163), sixth in receiving yards (2,229) and tied for ninth in receiving touchdowns (16). A big target who possesses excellent size and hands, Edwards has appeared in 38 games, making 37 starts. He has a catch in every game in which he has appeared and has five 100-yard receiving games.
SEC Football Media Days concluded on Thursday with media in attendance predicting Alabama to win the 2019 SEC Championship over Georgia in a rematch of last season’s dramatic SEC Championship Game.
Alabama received 203 votes to be crowned SEC Champion on December 7 in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while Georgia was second with 49 votes.
Georgia was selected to win the SEC Eastern Division with 1,789 points, including 233 first-place votes, while Florida was second with 1,499 points and 21 votes to win the division. Missouri was third with 1,149 total points, while the Gamecocks were fourth with 883 points, ahead of Tennessee (804), Kentucky (798) and Vanderbilt (358). Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.
Alabama was picked to win the SEC Western Division with 1,813 total points, while LSU was second with 1,493. Alabama received 253 first-place votes in the SEC West. Texas A&M was third with 1,268 points.
Alabama set a new record with 12 members selected to the First Team. The previous record was 10 by Alabama in 2017.
Only seven times since 1992 has the predicted champion at SEC Media Days proceeded to win the SEC Championship Game, including last season’s thrilling classic. The game was the most-watched and highest-rated regular-season college football game on any network in seven years with a 10.1 rating and 17.5 million viewers. It also marked the second most-watched SEC Championship ever in 26 years since the game debuted in 1992.
EASTERN DIVISION (1st Place votes in parenthesis)
Georgia (233) | 1789 |
Florida (21) | 1499 |
Missouri (3) | 1149 |
South Carolina (1) | 883 |
Tennessee (1) | 804 |
Kentucky (1) | 798 |
Vanderbilt | 358 |
WESTERN DIVISION (1st Place votes in parenthesis)
Alabama (253) | 1813 |
LSU (5) | 1493 |
Texas A&M | 1268 |
Auburn (1) | 1090 |
Mississippi State (1) | 769 |
Ole Miss | 504 |
Arkansas | 343 |
SEC CHAMPION
Alabama | 203 |
Georgia | 49 |
LSU | 3 |
Mississippi State | 1 |
Tennessee | 1 |
Florida | 1 |
South Carolina | 1 |
Auburn | 1 |
2019 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB D’Andre Swift, Georgia
RB Najee Harris, Alabama
WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia
OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
OL Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
OL Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
C Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
Second-Team
QB Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
RB Lamical Perine, Florida
WR Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt
WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
TE Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
OL Solomon Kindley, Georgia
OL Damien Lewis, LSU
OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms, Missouri
OL Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
C Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
Third-Team
QB Joe Burrow, LSU
RB Larry Rountree, Missouri
RB JaTarvious Whitlow, Auburn
WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
WR Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
TE *Miller Forristall, Alabama
TE *Charlie Woerner, Georgia
OL Deonte Brown, Alabama
OL Ben Cleveland, Georgia
OL Logan Stenberg, Kentucky
OL Matt Womack, Alabama
C Drake Jackson, Kentucky
DEFENSE
First-Team
DL Raekwon Davis, Alabama
DL Derrick Brown, Auburn
DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU
DL Jabari Zuniga, Florida
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
LB Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
DB Grant Delpit, LSU
DB J.R. Reed, Georgia
DB Trevon Diggs, Alabama
DB C.J. Henderson, Florida
Second-Team
DL Nick Coe, Auburn
DL Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn
DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
LB Cale Garrett, Missouri
LB De’Jon Harris, Arkansas
LB David Reese II, Florida
DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
DB Xavier McKinney, Alabama
DB Kristian Fulton, LSU
DB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State
Third-Team
DL LaBryan Ray, Alabama
DL McTelvin Agim, Arkansas
DL Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State
DL Tyler Clark, Georgia
LB Terrell Lewis, Alabama
LB Jacob Phillips, LSU
LB Kash Daniel, Kentucky
DB DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
DB Shyheim Carter, Alabama
DB Richard LeCounte, Georgia
DB Daniel Thomas, Auburn
SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P Braden Mann, Texas A&M
PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
RS Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
AP Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second-Team
P Tommy Townsend, Florida
PK Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS Marquez Callaway, Tennessee
AP Kadarius Toney, Florida
Third-Team
P Arryn Siposs, Auburn
PK Evan McPherson, Florida
RS Jashaun Corbin, Texas A&M
AP Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
* – Indicates a tie