Parity appears to be the operative word in the SEC this season, at least in terms of talent distribution.

Three teams placed a league-high four players each on the 79th annual preseason All-SEC team, published each year since 1947 by The Birmingham News and/or AL.com. Alabama, LSU and Texas share top honors with four All-SEC selections, while Auburn and Georgia had three each and Texas A&M two.

In all, 11 of 16 teams placed at least one player on the 25-man preseason All-SEC team. As with last year, voting was conducted by members of the AL.com sports staff.

Only one “team” of 25 players (11 offense, 11 defense, 3 specialists) was chosen, rather than first and second teams. Other players receiving votes are noted below.

Here’s a breakdown of AL.com’s choices for the preseason All-SEC team:

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

6-2, 200, Sr., Lake Charles, La.

Probably the most accomplished pure passer returning in the SEC this season, Nussmeier threw for 4,279 yards (second in the league) and 29 touchdowns (tied for second) a year ago. He led the SEC in attempts (525) and completions (337) in 2024.

Others receiving votes: Arch Manning, Texas; Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt; LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Running Back

Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M

6-0, 215, Sr., Walker, La.

Moss was well on his way to All-SEC recognition a year ago before going down with a season-ending knee injury in early November vs. South Carolina. He still managed 765 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing in just nine games, and has been pronounced “100% healthy” for 2025.

Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma

6-0, 210, Sr., Chino, Calif.

A transfer from Cal, Ott is expected to be a perfect fit for the Sooners’ revamped offense, which also imported highly productive quarterback John Mateer from Washington State over the offseason. Ott ran for 1,235 yards and 12 touchdowns two years ago before a down 2024 season with the Golden Bears, and also produces as a receiver (95 career catches).

Others receiving votes: Jadan Baugh, Florida; DeSean Bishop, Tennessee; Caden Durham, LSU; Nate Frazier, Georgia; Ahmad Hardy, Missouri; Tre Wisner, Texas

Wide receiver

Cam Coleman, Auburn

6-3, 195, So., Phenix City, Ala.

Coleman had an outstanding freshman year despite season-long quarterback issues at Auburn, catching 37 passes for 598 yards (16.7 yards per catch) and eight touchdowns. He’s expected to be even better in 2025 with Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold — a former 5-star recruit — now in the fold.

Ryan Williams, Alabama

6-0, 175, So., Saraland, Ala.

Williams was an electrifying playmaker as a freshman despite being just 17 years old, catching 48 passes for 865 yards (18 yards per catch) with eight touchdowns. He faded down the stretch along with quarterback Jalen Milroe, but could be the focal point of the Crimson Tide’s offense in 2025.

Others receiving votes: Aaron Anderson, LSU; Cayden Lee, Ole Miss; Eric Singleton, Auburn

Tight end

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

6-4, 235, Sr., Denton, Texas

A two-time transfer and a former high school quarterback, Stowers found a home in Nashville after following quarterback Diego Pavia from New Mexico State. He caught 49 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, tops among returning SEC tight ends in all three categories.

Others receiving votes: Oscar Delp, Georgia; Luke Hasz, Ole Miss

Center

Jake Slaughter, Florida

6-5, 294, Sr., Sparr, Fla.

A first-team All-SEC pick and first-team All-American last season, Slaughter is a candidate for numerous national individual awards in 2025. He has started 21 games in the middle of the offensive line for the Gators the last two years, including all 13 in 2024.

Others receiving votes: Connor Lew, Auburn; Parker Brailsford, Alabama

Offensive line

DJ Campbell, Texas

6-3, 314, Sr., Arlington, Texas

Campbell has started 30 consecutive games at right guard for the Longhorns, who reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last season. Texas was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award as college football’s top offensive line in 2024, and could be again this season.

Xavier Chaplin, Auburn

6-7, 338, Jr., Beaufort, S.C.

A transfer from Virginia Tech, Chaplin locked down a starting job for the Tigers at left tackle in the spring. He was a two-year starter for the Hokies, a third-team All-American in 2023 and an honorable mention All-ACC selection last year.

Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

6-7, 350, Jr., Des Moines, Iowa

A former five-star recruit, Proctor transferred to Iowa after starting at left tackle for the Crimson Tide in 2023 before transferring back last summer. He missed the first two games of 2024 due to injury, but started all 11 thereafter, earning second-team All-SEC honors from league coaches.

Trey Zuhn, Texas A&M

6-7, 315, Sr., Fort Collins, Colo.

Perhaps the most-experienced offensive lineman in the SEC, Zuhn has 37 career starts with the Aggies, including 26 straight at left tackle the last two seasons. He was a third-team All-SEC pick in 2024, and has won Texas A&M’s “Offensive Trenches Award” two consecutive years.

Others receiving votes: Austin Barber, Florida; Cayden Green, Missouri; Earnest Greene, Georgia; Ar’maj Reed Perkins, Texas A&M; Jaeden Roberts, Alabama

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DEFENSE

Defensive line

Keldric Faulk, Auburn

6-6, 270, Jr., Highland Home, Ala.

A starter since early in his true freshman season for the Tigers, Faulk is expected to be among the team’s defensive leaders in 2025. He totaled 45 tackles in 2024, along with 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

Colin Simmons, Texas

6-3, 241, So., Dallas, Texas

The only unanimous selection on this year’s preseason All-SEC team, Simmons won the Shaun Alexander Award as national freshman of the year in 2024. The Freshman All-American totaled 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks last season, adding three forced fumbles, two pass breakups and an interception.

Dylan Stewart, South Carolina

6-5, 245, So., Washington, D.C.

Another dominant true freshman edge rusher in 2024, Stewart totaled 23 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for the Gamecocks in 2024. He was a unanimous Freshman All-American and a Shaun Alexander Award finalist.

Others receiving votes: Caleb Banks, Florida; Tim Keenan, Alabama; LT Overton, Alabama; Tyreak Sapp, Florida; R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

Linebacker

Anthony Hill, Texas

6-3, 239, Jr., Denton, Texas

A first-team All-SEC pick and a second-team All-American in 2024, Hill registered 113 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, four forced fumbles and added an interception and a fumble recovery. He was Big 12 co-Defensive Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American in 2023.

Deontae Lawson, Alabama

6-2, 230, Sr., Mobile, Ala.

Lawson totaled 76 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble in 11 games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. A third-team All-SEC pick and team captain last year, he started 11 games as a sophomore in 2023.

Harold Perkins, LSU

6-1, 220, Jr., New Orleans, La.

One of the most talented players in the SEC, Perkins had his 2024 season cut short by a knee injury in Week 4 against UCLA. In 32 career games at LSU, he has 28 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and seven forced fumbles.

Whit Weeks, LSU

6-2, 220, Jr., Watkinsville, Ga.

In his first full season as a starter, Weeks filled up the stat sheet with 125 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception in 2024. He was a first-team All-SEC pick and was twice named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

Others receiving votes: CJ Allen, Georgia; Kip Lewis, Oklahoma; Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss; Demarcus Riddick, Auburn; Xavian Sorey, Arkansas; Taurean York, Texas A&M

Defensive back

KJ Bolden, Georgia

6-0, 185, So., Buford, Ga.

Bolden appeared in 14 games and started in two at safety as a true freshman, but is expected to take over this season as the leader in the secondary following the departure of Malaki Starks to the NFL. Bolden totaled 59 tackles in 2024, with an interception, a sack and a forced fumble.

Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

6-0, 193, Jr., Whitehouse, Texas

McCoy earned first-team All-SEC honors and was a second-team All-American at cornerback in 2024, his first season after transferring in from Oregon State. He totaled 44 tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions last season, and has six INTs and 16 PBUs in his career.

Domani Jackson, Alabama

6-1, 195, Sr., San Diego, Calif.

Jackson started all 13 games at cornerback for the Crimson Tide after transferring in following two years at USC. He registered 52 tackles, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble and two interceptions, one of them a game-clincher on the final play vs. South Carolina.

Michael Taaffe, Texas

6-0, 190, Sr., Austin, Texas

A former walk-on, Taaffe was a second-team All-American in his first full season as a starter for the Longhorns. In 16 games in 2024, he totaled 78 tackles, 10 pass breakups, six tackles for loss and two interceptions and also forced a fumble.

Others receiving votes: Jaylen Everette, Georgia; Mansoor Delane, LSU; Bray Hubbard, Alabama; Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina; Kayin Lee, Auburn; Will Lee, Texas A&M; Malik Muhammad, Texas

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SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

Peyton Woodring, Georgia

5-10, 185, Jr., Lafayette, La.

Woodring was nearly perfect on placements as a sophomore, connecting on all 48 extra points and 21 of 23 (91.3%) on field goals, with a long of 55 yards. He was a second-team All-SEC selection as placekicker and a first-team pick as kickoff specialist, with 46 touchbacks in 81 attempts.

Others receiving votes: Randy Bond, Texas A&M

Punter

Brett Thorson, Georgia

6-2, 235, Sr., Melbourne, Australia

A second-team All-American, Thorson is entering his fourth season as the Bulldogs’ primary punter. He averaged 47.6 yards per punt with just five touchbacks, and placed 52.4% of his punts inside the opposing 20-yard line, with a long of 60 yards.

Others receiving votes: Aidan Laros, Kentucky

Return specialist

Barion Brown, LSU

5-11, 180, Sr., Nashville, Tenn.

A Kentucky transfer, Brown is one of the most prolific kickoff returners in SEC history. He has five career kickoff returns for touchdowns, was a first-team All-American in 2023 and averaged 24.9 yards — including a 99-yard score vs. Florida — for the Wildcats in 2024, earning first-team All-SEC recognition.

Others receiving votes: Kam Shanks, Arkansas; Zavion Thomas, LSU

COMING SUNDAY: Answering key questions about the SEC’s top teams and players in 2025.

Creg Stephenson is a sports writer for AL.com. He has covered college football for a variety of publications since 1994. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @CregStephenson.