Five Gamecocks Named to Coaches' Preseason All-SEC Teams
Five University of South Carolina players dot the 2020 Coaches' Preseason All-SEC teams, the Southeastern Conference office announced on Thursday.
The Gamecocks were represented by Sadarius Hutcherson, Israel Mukuamu and Aaron Sterling on the second team unit, and Jaycee Horn and Ernest Jones on the third-team squad.
Hutcherson, a 6-4, 320-pound fifth-year senior offensive lineman from Huntingdon, Tenn., is the most experienced player on the roster, having appeared in 35 games, including 29 starts. A returning starter at left tackle, Hutcherson, who is on the preseason Outland Trophy Watch List, is slated to be the Gamecocks' starter at left guard, a position he has played extensively in his career.
Mukuamu, a 6-4, 205-pound defensive back from Bossier City, La., was an AP second-team All-SEC selection a year ago. He led the team with four interceptions, including three in the upset win over third-ranked Georgia. A starter in 14-consecutive games, Mukuamu was named to the 2020 Lott IMPACT Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch lists.
Sterling, a 6-1, 245-pound senior defensive end from Atlanta, is coming off his best season as a Gamecock. He registered 40 tackles in 2019, including a team-high 10.0 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks, tying for 10th in the SEC. Over the last three seasons he has appeared in 33 games, making 15 starts, with 16.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks.
Horn, a 6-1, 205-pound junior cornerback from Alpharetta, Ga., has collected 85 tackles and 17 pass breakups over the past two seasons. He was a member of the 2018 SEC All-Freshman team and was considered the team's Most Productive Player on defense as a true freshman.
Jones, a 6-2, 230-pound junior from Waycross, Ga., is the vocal leader of the Gamecock defense. He posted a team-high 97 tackles a season ago, 20 more than any other player on the squad, while ranking fourth in the SEC with 8.1 tackles per game from his MIKE linebacker position.
The Gamecocks will open the 2020 season on Saturday, Sept. 26, when they host the Tennessee Volunteers at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Game time is set for 7:30 pm ET and the contest will be televised on SEC Network.
2020 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team (* - ties)
First Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE Kyle Pitts, Florida
OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
Trey Smith, Tennessee
Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
Landon Dickerson, Alabama
C Drake Jackson, Kentucky
WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
QB Kyle Trask, Florida
RB Najee Harris, Alabama
Kylin Hill, Mississippi State
AP Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
DEFENSE
DL Bobby Brown, Texas A&M
LaBryan Ray, Alabama
Big Kat Bryant, Auburn
Jordan Davis, Georgia
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
K.J. Britt, Auburn
Nick Bolton, Missouri
DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
Derek Stingley, LSU
Richard LeCounte, Georgia
Jacoby Stevens, LSU
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Brent Cimaglia, Tennessee
P Max Duffy, Kentucky
RS Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
OL Sadarius Hutcherson, South Carolina
Deonte Brown, Alabama
Landon Young, Kentucky
Austin Deculus, LSU*
Brodarious Hamm, Auburn*
Wanya Morris, Tennessee*
Ed Ingram, LSU*
C Trey Hill, Georgia
WR George Pickens, Georgia
Terrace Marshall, LSU
QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
RB Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas
Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
AP Derek Stingley, LSU
DEFENSE
DL Kobie Whiteside, Missouri
Malik Herring, Georgia
Aaron Sterling, South Carolina
Dayo Odeyingbo, Vanderbilt
LB Henry To'o To'o, Tennessee
Monty Rice, Georgia
Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State*
Nakobe Dean, Georgia*
Ventrell Miller, Florida*
DB Kaiir Elam, Florida
Eric Stokes, Georgia
Demani Richardson, Texas A&M
Tyree Gillespie, Missouri*
Marco Wilson, Florida*
Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Cade York, LSU
P Jake Camarda, Georgia
RS Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
Third Team Preseason All-SEC
OFFENSE
TE Arik Gilbert, LSU
OL Carson Green, Texas A&M
Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
Evan Neal, Alabama
Dan Moore, Texas A&M
C Landon Dickerson, Alabama
WR Seth Williams, Auburn
Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
QB Bo Nix, Auburn
RB Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss
Larry Rountree, Missouri
AP Jerrion Ealy, Ole Miss*
Kadarius Toney, Florida*
Christian Tutt, Auburn*
DEFENSE
DL Zachary Carter, Florida
Josh Paschal, Kentucky
Kobe Jones, Mississippi State
Glen Logan, LSU
LB Boogie Watson, Kentucky
Dimitri Moore, Vanderbilt
Nolan Smith, Georgia*
Ernest Jones, South Carolina*
Andre Mintze, Vanderbilt*
DB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Bryce Thompson, Tennessee
Yusuf Corker, Kentucky
Christian Tutt, Auburn*
Josh Jobe, Alabama*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Evan McPherson, Florida
P Mac Brown, Ole Miss
RS Christian Tutt, Auburn