Eight LSU Football Players Named to the All-SEC Team for 2020 Season

Despite a .500 finish to the 2020 regular season, the Tigers had many standout performances throughout the year. On Tuesday, eight members of the team were named to All-SEC teams.

Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and kicker Cade York earned first-team All-SEC honors while defensive end Ali Gaye and punter Zach Von Rosenberg were named to the second-team. Freshman tight end Arik Gilbert, receiver Kayshon Boutte, defensive lineman BJ Ojulari and cornerback Elias Ricks all made the freshman SEC team.

Stingley had an injury riddled season that started with an illness and forced him to miss the Mississippi State game. From there, nagging injuries to his ankle kept him hampered most of 2020 and out of the rotation the final two games of the year.

But in his seven appearances for the purple and gold, he still had a fantastic season. He allowed just one catch of 20+ yards on a defense that made surrendering explosive plays its calling card in 2020. Stingley recorded 27 tackles and forced one fumble in his sophomore season.

As for York, the sophomore kicker established himself as one of college football's very best this season, going 18-for-21 on his field goals including a program record 57-yarder that won the Tigers the Florida game. On field goals of 50+ yards, York was 10-of-12 which was by far the best showing across the country.

"The biggest difference in this year and last year is I'm a lot more confident in myself," York said. "Basically every kick they throw me out for I know I can make it."

The senior Von Rosenberg was one of the best in the country, averaging nearly 44 yards on 59 punts and pinning opponents inside the 20-yard line 27 times. Not many NFL teams might be willing to take a chance on a 30-year-old punter but if they are, Von Rosenberg would be the one.

As for the JUCO transfer Gaye, he started all 10 games for the defense and recorded 9.5 tackles for a loss and six passes defended which both ranked in the top 10 in the SEC.

"I know it wasn't going to be given to me so I know I had to work to earn my position," Gaye said earlier this season. "There were a lot of guys ahead of me and I had to look up to those guys and see how things work in order for me to earn the position I'm in right now. I can only get better. I'm not really focused on personal stats, I'm just having fun."

LSU saw its true freshmen really come on late in the season and it gives the program a lot to look forward to in the coming years. Boutte established himself as the team's true No. 1 receiver after his SEC record breaking 308-yard game while cornerback Elias Ricks week in and week out showed why he has the playmaking ability to be an impact, shutdown cornerback.

Ojulari is a player Orgeron has been on since the offseason, hyping him up as a future All-American with the program. His 16 tackle season included four tackles for a loss and five sacks.

"I'm excited about it. Obviously, I'm excited about the guys that stayed with us. I'm excited about the guys coming back," Orgeron said. "I think that we're going to have a little bit more of the guys staying than have left before. I'm going to talk to a lot of guys that has an opportunity with the extra year to come back, especially on the offensive line. Hopefully, I can get most of those guys back."

First-team:

DB Derek Stingley

K Cade York

Second-team:

DL Ali Gaye

P Zach Von Rosenberg

Freshman:

TE Arik Gilbert

WR/RS Kayshon Boutte

DL BJ Ojulari

DB Eli Ricks