Football . August 23, 2022

Gamecocks Place Five on Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC Teams

Five Gamecocks earned spots on the preseason All-SEC teams as selected by the league’s 14 head coaches, the conference office announced today.

Redshirt junior defensive back Cam Smith led the way as the Gamecocks’ lone first team selection. The 6-0, 188-pounder from Blythewood, S.C., earned second-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press a year ago after leading the team with 14 passes defended, including three interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He allowed multiple catches in just two of 11 games played and only 15 catches on 32 targets throughout the season. He has been listed on multiple pre-season All-SEC and All-America teams and numerous watch lists this summer, including A.P. second-team All-America, the Jim Thorpe Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik watch lists.

Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens was named to the second-team unit. The 6-4, 305-pound senior from Anderson, S.C., has appeared in 35 games over the past three seasons with 20 starts. He logged 38 tackles including four sacks a year ago. A member of the 2019 SEC Coaches’ All-Freshman team and a regular on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Pickens shared 2022 Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring honors with defensive back Cam Smith.

Wide receiver Josh Vann, tight end Jaheim Bell and defensive lineman Jordan Burch earned spots on the third-team unit.

Vann, a 5-11, 192-pound “Super Senior” from Tucker, Ga., was the Steve Spurrier Award winner as the team’s offensive MVP in 2021. He caught 43 passes for 679 yards with five touchdowns. He enters the 2022 season with 90 career receptions, tying for 25th on the school’s all-time list.

Bell, a 6-3, 232-pound junior from Lake City, Fla., burst onto the national scene with a record-setting Duke’s Mayo bowl performance against North Carolina when he caught five passes for a career-high 159 yards and two touchdowns, earning a spot on the Associated Press’ All-Bowl Team. He finished the 2021 season with 30 receptions for 497 yards and five scores.

Burch, a 6-6, 275-pounder from Columbia, S.C., has appeared in 21 games over the past two seasons. The former five-star prospect logged 26 tackles a season ago and returned an interception 61-yards for a touchdown.

The Gamecocks open the 2022 season at home on Saturday, Sept. 3, when they host Georgia State at 7:30 pm at Williams-Brice Stadium.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB – Bryce Young, Alabama
RB – Tank Bigsby, Auburn
RB – Chris Rodriguez Jr., Kentucky
WR – Kayshon Boutte, LSU
WR – Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL – Warren McClendon, Georgia
OL – Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama
OL – O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
OL – Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C – Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas
AP – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

Defense
DL – Jalen Carter, Georgia
DL – Derick Hall, Auburn
DL – BJ Ojulari, LSU
DL – Byron Young, Tennessee
LB – Bumper Pool, Arkansas
LB – Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
LB – Henry To’oTo’o, Alabama
DB – Jordan Battle, Alabama
DB – Eli Ricks, Alabama
DB – Kelee Ringo, Georgia*
DB – Cam Smith, South Carolina*
DB – Jalen Catalon, Arkansas*

Special Teams
PK – Harrison Mevis, Missouri
P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M
RS – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB – Hendon Hooker, Tennessee*
QB – Stetson Bennett, Georgia*
RB – Devon Achane, Texas A&M
RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
WR – Jermaine Burton, Alabama
WR – Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
TE – Cameron Latu, Alabama
OL – Kenneth Horsey, Kentucky
OL – Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
OL – Darnell Wright, Tennessee
OL – Javon Foster, Missouri
C – Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
AP – Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama

Defense
DL – Colby Wooden, Auburn
DL – Zacch Pickens, South Carolina
DL – Ali Gaye, LSU
DL – Gervon Dexter, Florida*
DL – McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M*
LB – Nolan Smith, Georgia
LB – Brenton Cox Jr., Florida
LB – Dallas Turner, Alabama
DB – Christopher Smith, Georgia
DB – Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
DB – Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
DB – Malachi Moore, Alabama

Special Teams
PK – Will Reichard, Alabama
P – Oscar Chapman, Auburn
RS – Kearis Jackson, Georgia

THIRD TEAM
Offense
QB – Will Levis, Kentucky*
RB – Jabari Small, Tennessee
RB – Zach Evans, Ole Miss
WR – Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
WR – Ladd McConkey, Georgia*
WR – Josh Vann, South Carolina*
WR – Jaden Walley, Mississippi State*
WR – Tayvion Robinson, Kentucky*
TE – Jaheim Bell, South Carolina
OL – Brady Latham, Arkansas
OL – Javion Cohen, Alabama
OL – Jeremy James, Ole Miss
OL – Tyler Steen, Alabama*
OL – Reuben Fatheree II, Texas A&M*
C – Bryce Foster, Texas A&M
AP – Devon Achane, Texas A&M

Defense
DL – Jordan Davis, Mississippi State
DL – D.J. Dale, Alabama
DL – Justin Eboigbe, Alabama*
DL – Jordan Burch, South Carolina*
DL – Jaquelin Roy, LSU*
DL – Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss*
DL – Cameron Young, Mississippi State*
LB – Ventrell Miller, Florida
LB – Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
LB – Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt*
LB – Jacquez Jones, Kentucky*
LB – Tyrus Wheat, Mississippi State*
LB – DeAndre Square, Kentucky*
DB – Trevon Flowers, Tennessee
DB – AJ Finley, Ole Miss
DB – Brian Branch, Alabama
DB – Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama*
DB – Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri*
DB – Trey Dean III, Florida*