Texas A&M returning All-Americans Johnny Manziel and Jake Matthews headline a large group of Aggies on the preseason All-Southeastern Conference team selected by Athlon Sports.
Ten Aggies earned spots on the prestigious squad with 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Manziel taking first-team quarterback honors and 2012 Football Writers Association All-America Matthews being named first-team offensive tackle. Only defending national champion Alabama had more selections with 14.
With Manziel and Matthews leading the way, the Aggie offense became the first SEC team ever to gain more than 7,000 yards in a season, and led the conference in rushing, passing, scoring and total offense.
Making Athlon’s second-team unit were sophomore wide receiver Mike Evans and junior cornerback Deshazor Everett. Evans ranked No. 3 in the SEC with 82 catches for 1,105 yards, and set Texas A&M freshman records in both categories. Everett made starts at cornerback and safety and thwarted a late Alabama rally with a goal line interception in the Aggies’ 29-24 win over the top-ranked Crimson Tide.
A trio of Aggies were on the third-team offense with junior guard Jarvis Harrison, junior tackle Cedric Ogbuehi and senior running back Ben Malena making the cut. Sophomore running back Trey Williams was named to the third team as a kickoff return specialist, while linebacker Steven Jenkins and placekicker Taylor Bertolet were named to the fourth team.
Athlon Sports SEC Football 2013 All-Conference Team
First-Team Offense
QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M RB Todd Gurley, Georgia RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama WR Amari Cooper, Alabama WR Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt TE Arthur Lynch, Georgia C Travis Swanson, Arkansas OG Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State OG Anthony Steen, Alabama OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M
First-Team Defense DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina DE Chris Smith, Arkansas DT Dominique Easley, Florida DT Anthony Johnson, LSU LB Jordan Jenkins, Georgia LB A.J. Johnson, Tennessee LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama CB Andre Hal, Vanderbilt CB Loucheiz Purifoy, Florida S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama S Craig Loston, LSU
First-Team Specialists K Carey Spear, Vanderbilt P Kyle Christy, Florida KR Andre Debose, Florida PR Marcus Murphy, Missouri
Second-Team Offense
QB AJ McCarron, Alabama RB Keith Marshall, Georgia RB LaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M WR Donte Moncrief, Ole Miss TE Rory Anderson, South Carolina C James Stone, Tennessee OG Chris Burnette, Georgia OG Aaron Morris, Ole Miss OT Wesley Johnson, Vanderbilt OT Antonio Richardson, Tennessee
Second-Team Defense DE Bud Dupree, Kentucky DE C.J. Johnson, Ole Miss DT Byran Jones, Arkansas DT Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina LB Lamin Barrow, LSU LB Adrian Hubbard, Alabama LB Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss CB Deshazor Everett, Texas A&M CB Marcus Roberson, Florida
S Kenny Ladler, Vanderbilt S Nickoe Whitley, Mississippi State
Second-Team Specialists
K Cody Parkey, Auburn P Steven Clark, Auburn KR Marcus Murphy, Missouri PR Jonathan Krause, Vanderbilt
Third-Team Offense
QB Aaron Murray, Georgia RB Ben Malena, Texas A&M RB Tre Mason, Auburn WR Odell Beckham Jr., LSU WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia TE Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State C Ryan Kelly, Alabama OG Jon Halapio, Florida OG Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M OT Ja’Waun James, Tennessee OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M
Third-Team Defense
DE Denico Autry, Mississippi State DE Walker May, Vanderbilt DT Daniel McCullers, Tennessee DT Donte Rumph, Kentucky LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State
LB Antonio Morrison, Florida LB Avery Williamson, Kentucky CB E.J. Gaines, Missouri CB Damian Swann, Georgia S Eric Bennett, Arkansas S Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss
Third-Team Specialists
K Zach Hocker, Arkansas P Tyler Campbell, Ole Miss KR Trey Williams, Texas A&M PR Odell Beckham Jr., LSU
Fourth-Team Offense
QB Connor Shaw, South Carolina RB Jeremy Hill, LSU RB Jeff Scott, Ole Miss WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri WR Bruce Ellington, South Carolina TE OJ Howard, Alabama C Jonotthan Harrison, Florida OG A.J. Cann, South Carolina OG Zach Fulton, Tennessee OT La’El Collins, LSU OT John Theus, Georgia
Fourth-Team Defense DE Dee Ford, Auburn DE Dante Fowler, Florida DT Isaac Gross, Ole Miss DT Brandon Ivory, Alabama LB Trey DePriest, Alabama LB Chase Garnham, Vanderbilt LB Steven Jenkins, Texas A&M CB Jalen Mills, LSU
CB Charles Sawyer, Ole Miss S Demetruce McNeal, Auburn S Jaylen Watkins, Florida
Fourth-Team Specialists K Taylor Bertolet, Texas A&M P Cody Mandell, Alabama KR Bruce Ellington, South Carolina PR Christion Jones, Alabama