We continue to inch towards the season, with just 53 days left in the offseason. We are back to “Hot Take Tuesday” and today, we’ll play into the upcoming SEC Media Days. In Tampa, we will learn the preseason All-SEC teams, as voted on by the media members. It’s expected Texas will get their fair share of love, but today I want to focus on what the postseason votes will say.
I’m willing to bet that by the end of the season, there will be six Longhorns on the All-SEC First Team.
The Favorites
LT Trevor Goosby, LB Rasheem Biles, EDGE Colin Simmons, WR Cam Coleman
These are the four players I fully expect to be on the preseason All-SEC First Team. Goosby has asserted himself as a top lineman in the conference, Biles is coming off an All-American year at Pitt, Simmons could be a consensus first-teamer next week and Coleman might be not far behind him. This quartet are some of the best players at their position not only in the SEC, but the country.
By seasons’ end, I do not expect any of these players to fade from the spotlight. If Simmons, Biles and Goosby are healthy, there is no doubt to me they’ll be some of the best in the conference. For Coleman, he’ll need to up his production, but I consider that a “hot take”. I believe there’s little doubt these four players will make up the six Longhorns on the All-SEC First Team by seasons’ end.
In Contention
QB Arch Manning, S Jelani McDonald
These two, if they take that next step forward, could very well make this prediction easy. Arch Manning could very well be on the preseason All-SEC First Team next week, with Trinidad Chambliss as the other likely candidate. Despite that, I don’t see Arch as a shoe-in, considering some of his struggles last season and the QB talent in the SEC.
As for McDonald, he’s less likely to get this recognition in the preseason, simply because of the safety talent in the SEC. KJ Bolden(Georgia), Bray Hubbard, Keon Sabb(Alabama) and Ty Benefield(LSU) are all elite safeties and could very well fill the First Team roles. That being said, McDonald could be in-line for a special season that could land him next to one of the other elite safeties on the postseason First Team.
Wildcards
WR Ryan Wingo, RBs Hollywood Smothers & Raleek Brown, CBs Bo Mascoe & Graceson Littleton, DT Hero Kanu
Finally, here are the players I believe can make a run at the First Team, but are likely to be on the second or third teams next week. On offense, Ryan Wingo could explode this season next to Cam Coleman, landing the duo in the First Team. The RB duo are likely to keep each other from remarkable statistical seasons, but if one goes down with an injury, I could see either having an All-SEC season.
On the defensive side, Hero Kanu is someone to watch. The DT position is remarkably talented, with David Stone(Oklahoma), Elijah Griffin(Georgia), Will Echoles(Ole Miss) and more elite IDL in the conference. However, I do see a path where Hero Kanu joins those names and has a remarkable senior campaign. For Mascoe and Littleton, there is a ton of CB talent in the conference, but neither are capable of elevating to this level.
Final Word
This Texas team is as talented as any in the country. The preseason All-SEC teams will show that but I don’t expect there to be six Longhorns on there, yet. I do expect the postseason All-SEC First Team will be littered with Longhorns. To me, Simmons, Biles, Coleman and Goosby are shoe-ins if they can stay healthy throughout the season. Manning and McDonald have clear paths to the First Team, but have tons of other SEC talent to contend with. Finally, Wingo, the duos of RBs and CBs and Kanu all have that top-end ability that could land them on the First-Team.
Of my predictions thus far, this is not one I believe is excessively hot. If Texas is competing for an SEC and national title this season, I believe Arch Manning, Jelani McDonald, Ryan Wingo or another starter will emerge as an elite talent. By the end of the season, I expect Longhorns to inhabit over a quarter of the All-SEC First Team.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: How many Longhorns will be All-SEC First Team?
Reporting by Tommy Bresee, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
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By Tommy Bresee, Longhorns Wire | USA TODAY Network
