Auburn is well represented in terms of all-conference talent, but the Tigers are still expected to face an uphill battle in their quest for an SEC title this season.
Eight Auburn players were tabbed preseason All-SEC, and Gus Malzahn's squad was picked to finish fourth in its division, the Southeastern Conference announced Friday morning. Both categories were voted on by media members who covered the 2019 SEC Media Days earlier this week.
Senior defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who likely could have been a first-round pick had he left school early, unsurprisingly makes an appearance on the first team as the No. 2 defensive lineman behind Alabama's Raekwon Davis.
Senior left tackle Prince Tega Wanogho Jr. joins Brown on the first team. Like Brown, Wanogho Jr. was graded highly by scouts prior to the 2019 NFL draft before he, too, announced he would return to the Plains for his final season.
"I saw the seniors coming back, and I didn't want to be left out of a great season," Wanogho Jr. said Thursday of his rationale for returning. "I mean, we actually have a real chance."
Buck end Nick Coe is joined by defensive end Marlon Davidson and kicker Anders Carlson on the second team. The 6-foot-5 Coe — who is expected to start at buck but possesses the versatility to put his hand in the dirt as a defensive end or even move inside to tackle — ranks second in returning SEC defenders in 2018 sacks (7.0) and tackles for loss (13.5).
Davidson will enter 2019 as a four-year starter for the Tigers on the end of the defensive line. Redshirt sophomore kicker Anders Carlson converted 15 of 25 kicks last year with a long of 53.
Running back JaTarvious Whitlow, punter Arryn Siposs and safety Daniel Thomas represent the Tigers on the third team. "Boobee" Whitlow led Auburn in rushing last season with 787 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, and his 11.5 yards per reception ranks first among returning SEC backs.
Siposs ranked second in the conference in net punting average at 41.9, while Thomas averaged 5.7 tackles per game to go along with four forced turnovers as Auburn's "heat-seeking missile" in the secondary.
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FULL ALL-SEC TEAMS, PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
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
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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)
School
Points
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
