10:03 pm | August 15, 2019 | Go to Source | Author: gatorsports
Special to Gatorsports.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —Cornerback CJ Henderson is the only Florida player on the 2019 Preseason Coaches All-Southeastern Conference Football First-Team.
Making the second team were running back Lamical Perine, defensive end Jabari Zuniga, linebacker David Reese II and specialists Evan McPherson (kicker) and Tommy Townsend (punter).
Alabama placed a league-leading 16 representatives, the SEC announced Thursday. Georgia was second with 10 representatives, while Auburn and LSU each had nine.
This marks the 17th consecutive year of the SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team. Nine schools had at least one First Team All-SEC representative, including a conference-best nine from Alabama.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Henderson appeared in and started all 13 games throughout the season for the Gators, regarded as one of the top cornerbacks in the entire country after totaling 38 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, three sacks, and two interceptions. The Miami, Fla. native also tallied a team-high seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles en route to garnering Coaches All-SEC Second Team accolades following the season.
Perine appeared in all 13 contests and recorded one start last season, leading the team with 134 carries, 826 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He additionally caught 13 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown, as he ranked first on the Gators in total yards (996) and second in scoring (48). Perine, a native of Mobile, Ala., was one of three players (Jordan Scarlett, Feleipe Franks) who scored at least five rushing touchdowns in 2018, marking the first time Florida has accomplished the feat since 2010.
Zuniga appeared in and started all 13 games a season ago for the Gators as he totaled 45 total tackles, 11.0 tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. The Marietta, Ga. native earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors last fall following Florida’s win vs. Colorado State after he posted a career-best 2.5 sacks, five tackles and a QB hurry.
Reese II, despite missing the first three games of the season due to an ankle injury he sustained during fall camp, finished second on the team in tackles (77) and also recorded 2.5 tackles-for-loss and one fumble recovery in 2018. The senior linebacker led the Gators with 11 tackles in their win over LSU and was named to the Bednarik Award & Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch lists during the season for his efforts.
Townsend finished the 2018 season averaging 45.4 yards per punt, as he totaled 2,315 yards on 51 punts. The Orlando, Fla. native booted 14 punts of over 50 yards and registered 24 punts inside of the 20-yard line. Against LSU, he recorded a career-long 71-yard punt, which was the seventh-longest punt in Florida football history. The redshirt senior also recorded an 18-yard gain on a fake punt in Florida’s comeback win over Vanderbilt en route to being named Second Team All-SEC by Athlon Sports and being a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award. Townsend was also named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
McPherson went 17-for-19 (89.5%) on field goals and ranked tied for sixth nationally and led all freshmen in field goal percentage in 2018. Among kickers with at least 15 attempts, he ranked tied for fifth nationally and went a perfect 3-for-4 on kicks 40 yards or longer and a perfect 11-for-11 on kicks between 20 and 29 yards. McPherson was the Gators’ primary kickoff specialist, netting 64.1 yards per kickoff and had a touchback percentage of 55%, while leading the Gators in scoring with 101 points. One of the 20 Lou Groza Award semifinalists, the Fort Payne, Ala. native was also named a True Freshman All-American by 247Sports.
The SEC begins its 2019 season Saturday, Aug. 24 when Florida takes on Miami at 7 p.m. ET in Orlando.
2019 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team (* – ties)
First Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE
Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
OL
Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama*
Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms, Missouri*
Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn*
C
Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
WR
Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt
QB
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB
D’Andre Swift, Georgia
Najee Harris, Alabama AP
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
DEFENSE
DL
Raekwon Davis, Alabama
Derrick Brown, Auburn
Rashard Lawrence, LSU
Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
LB
Dylan Moses, Alabama
Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
Cale Garrett, Missouri
DB
CJ Henderson, Florida
Grant Delpit, LSU
J.R. Reed, Georgia
Trevon Diggs, Alabama*
Kristian Fulton, LSU*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia P
Braden Mann, Texas A&M
RS
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE
Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
OL
Damien Lewis, LSU
Logan Stenberg, Kentucky
Solomon Kindley, Georgia
Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
C
Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
WR
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
QB
Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB
Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
Lamical Perine, Florida
AP
Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
DEFENSE
DL
Jabari Zuniga, Florida
Marlon Davidson, Auburn
Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
Nick Coe, Auburn
LB
Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
De’Jon Harris, Arkansas
David Reese II, Florida
DB
Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Evan McPherson, Florida
P
Tommy Townsend, Florida
RS
Jashaun Corbin, Texas A&M*
Marquez Callaway, Tennessee*
Third Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE
Charlie Woerner, Georgia
OL
Yasir Durant, Missouri
Ben Cleveland, Georgia
Matt Womack, Alabama
Marquel Harrell, Auburn*
Mike Horton, Auburn* C
Drake Jackson, Kentucky
WR
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Lynn Bowden, Kentucky*
Justin Jefferson, LSU*
QB
Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
RB
Larry Rountree, Missouri
Kylin Hill, Mississippi State AP
Jashaun Corbin, Texas A&M
DEFENSE
DL
McTelvin Agim, Arkansas
Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State
Tyler Clark, Georgia
LaBryan Ray, Alabama*
Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt*
Jordan Elliott, Missouri*
LB
Michael Divinity, LSU
T.J. Brunson, South Carolina*
Darrell Taylor, Tennessee*
Jacob Phillips, LSU*
DB
Daniel Thomas, Auburn
Nigel Warrior, Tennessee
Shyheim Carter, Alabama
Kamren Curl, Arkansas*
Jaycee Horn, South Carolina*
Javaris Davis, Auburn*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK
Tucker McCann, Missouri*
Anders Carlson, Auburn*
P
Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU
RS
Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
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