The SEC released its preseason all-SEC team on Friday, and it creates a picture of the teams that are considered contenders ahead of the 2026 season.
Georgia and Texas were picked at the top of the SEC rankings -- based on the votes of 164 media members -- and those two account for eight of the 23 first-team selections on offense and defense.
There were a few surprises on the list, too, including the absence of a notable name at quarterback.
This is what you need to know from the SEC's preseason all-SEC teams.
Georgia and Texas dominate
It wasn't just the first team where Georgia and Texas cleaned up. They accounted for seven players on the second and third teams, too.
In total, eight of Texas' offensive starters and three of its defensive starters were preseason all-conference selections. Georgia, for its part, had six selections on offense and six on defense.
That means both teams had at least half of their starting lineups accounted for in the preseason all-conference selections.
There's a reason why those two are projected to sit atop the SEC.
LSU followed the Bulldogs and Longhorns with eight total offensive and defensive selections, while Oklahoma (7), Alabama (6) and Ole Miss (6) each had more than five.
Arch Manning didn't get the first-team QB nod
And that's totally fair.
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss got the nod instead. It's well earned. He dragged the Rebels to the playoffs a season ago, emerging as one of the most dynamic players in the sport despite playing Division II football just one year prior.
Frankly, it's not close between Chambliss and Manning. Look at a 2025 stats comparison between the two passers:
- Chambliss: 3,937 yards, 22 TDs, 3 INTs, 66.1 CMP%, 8.8 YPA | 527 yards rushing, 8 TDs
- Manning: 3,163 yards, 26 TDs, 7 INT, 61.4 CMP%, 7.8 YPA | 399 yards rushing, 10 TDs
Manning was good. Chambliss was a program-changing presence and led his team to the CFB Playoff.
Do I expect Manning to be better in 2026? Yes. I think he'll emerge as the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft after a full year as the starter and with a much more talented group around him in Austin.
But Chambliss earned the right to be the SEC's top QB entering this season based on his production from a year ago.
A Questionable Ryan Coleman-Williams Selection
Sometimes, media votes can be a bit more about reputation than production. That seems to be the case with Coleman-Williams, who is coming off a disappointing drop-filled 2025 campaign that saw him finish with 689 yards and four touchdowns.
He regressed from his standout true freshman campaign (885 yards, 8 TDs) and only had one touchdown across Alabama's final nine games.
Coleman-Williams could rediscover his 2024 form. He's a first-round talent.
But picking him over Mario Craver (917 yards, 4 TDs) or Isaiah Sategna (965 yards, 8 TDs) seems to be voting more based on name recognition than actual production.
The year of the RB?
The SEC is loaded at running back.
Florida's Jadan Baugh would be a first-team preseason selection in any other league. He's not in the SEC, however, because of Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy and Missouri's Ahmad Hardy.
You could realistically argue that the SEC has the nation's top three running backs entering 2026. Those are certainly the trio of backs getting the most first-round hype, peeking ahead to the 2027 draft.
I haven't even mentioned second-team selection Nate Frazier (947 yards, 6 TDs in 2025) or third-team backs DeSean Bishop (1,076 yards, 16 TDs) and Hollywood Smothers (939 yards, 6 TDs).
And only one of Texas' two backs made the preseason list. The other, Raleek Brown, was a first-team all-Big 12 selection just last year.
There's a real argument to be made that more than half of the nation's top 10 running backs call the SEC home.
Quarterbacks are getting all of the attention entering the year in the SEC. But given the talent at the running back position, this could be the year of the running back.
SEC preseason poll takeaways: Georgia picked to win league, Ole Miss overrated in media rankings Cody Nagel
2026 preseason All-SEC selections
First Team Offense
PositionPlayerSchoolQuarterbackTrinidad ChamblissOle MissRunning BackKewan LacyOle MissRunning BackAhmad HardyMissouriWide ReceiverCam ColemanTexasWide ReceiverRyan Coleman-WilliamsAlabamaTight EndTrey'Dez GreenLSUOffensive LineTrevor GoosbyTexasOffensive LineCayden GreenMissouriOffensive LineJordan SeatonLSUOffensive LineEarnest Greene IIIGeorgiaCenterDrew BoboGeorgiaAll-PurposeMario CraverTexas A&MFirst Team Defense
PositionPlayerSchoolDefensive LineColin SimmonsTexasDefensive LineWill EcholesOle MissDefensive LineDylan StewartSouth CarolinaDefensive LinePrincewill UmanmielenLSULinebackerWhit WeeksLSULinebackerXavier AtkinsAuburnLinebackerRasheem BilesTexasDefensive BackKJ BoldenGeorgiaDefensive BackZabien BrownAlabamaDefensive BackBray HubbardAlabamaDefensive BackEllis Robinson IVGeorgiaFirst Team Special Teams
PositionPlayerSchoolPlacekickerTate SandellOklahomaPunterGrant ChadwickLSUReturn SpecialistRyan NiblettTexasKickoff SpecialistTate SandellOklahomaLong SnapperBen AndersonOklahomaSecond Team Offense
PositionPlayerSchoolQuarterbackArch ManningTexasRunning BackJadan BaughFloridaRunning BackNate FrazierGeorgiaWide ReceiverMario CraverTexas A&MWide ReceiverIsaiah Sategna IIIOklahomaTight EndLawson LuckieGeorgiaOffensive LineDontrell GloverGeorgiaOffensive LineMichael FasusiOklahomaOffensive LineMichael CarrollAlabamaOffensive LineLance HeardKentuckyCenterMark Nabou Jr.Texas A&MAll-PurposeRyan NiblettTexasSecond Team Defense
PositionPlayerSchoolDefensive LineDavid StoneOklahomaDefensive LineElijah GriffinGeorgiaDefensive LineTaylor WeinOklahomaDefensive LineQuincy Rhodes Jr.ArkansasLinebackerRaylen WilsonGeorgiaLinebackerSuntarine PerkinsOle MissLinebackerKip LewisOklahomaDefensive BackKelley JonesMississippi StateDefensive BackDJ PickettLSUDefensive BackTy BenefieldLSUDefensive BackEli Bowen*OklahomaDefensive BackPeyton Bowen*OklahomaSecond Team Special Teams
PositionPlayerSchoolPlacekickerLucas CarneiroOle MissPunterGrayson MillerOklahomaReturn SpecialistIsaiah Sategna IIIOklahomaKickoff SpecialistLucas CarneiroOle MissLong SnapperTrey DubucTexasThird Team Offense
PositionPlayerSchoolQuarterbackGunner StocktonGeorgiaRunning BackDeSean BishopTennesseeRunning BackHollywood SmothersTexasWide ReceiverRyan WingoTexasWide ReceiverNyck HarborSouth CarolinaTight EndWillie RodriguezKentuckyOffensive LineDavid Sanders Jr.TennesseeOffensive LinePatrick KutasOle MissOffensive LineBrandon BakerTexasOffensive LineWendell Moe Jr.TennesseeCenterBraelin MooreLSUAll-PurposeJadan BaughFloridaThird Team Defense
PositionPlayerSchoolDefensive LineKam FranklinOle MissDefensive LineDJ HicksTexas A&MDefensive LineGabe HarrisGeorgiaDefensive LineJayden WoodsFloridaLinebackerArion CarterTennesseeLinebackerTJ DotteryLSULinebackerYhonzae PierreAlabamaDefensive BackKeon SabbAlabamaDefensive BackChamp AnthonyAuburnDefensive BackKhalil BarnesGeorgiaDefensive BackJelani McDonaldTexasThird Team Special Teams
PositionPlayerSchoolPlacekickerAlex McPhersonAuburnPunterEthan PulliamMississippi StateReturn SpecialistVernell Brown IIIFloridaKickoff SpecialistTerry BusseyTexas A&MLong SnapperBrett Le BlancMissouri* Indicates a tie.
Add CBS Sports on Google Join the Conversation comments
