Alabama QB Young, LB Anderson Named SEC Player of the Year

Alabama once again won a Southeast Championship and two major individual awards throughout the tournament.

Midfielder Bryce Young was the SEC’s offensive player of the year and full-back Will Anderson Jr was the top defensive player, as voted for by a panel of the league’s sports writers and broadcasters. The vote was released on Wednesday.

Georgia’s Kirby Smart was selected as Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to the 12-0 regular season and reaching the College Football Knockout Qualifiers. Tight Bulldogs freshman Brock Bowers was chosen as the top newcomer after leading the receiving team.

Missouri tailback Tyler Badie, Anderson and Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams were the only unanimous picks. Anderson, the Bronco Nagurski winner as the nation’s top defensive player, was named on several ballots as a linebacker/defensive linebacker.

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He’s leading the nation in bag and loss settlement. Young is Heisman Trophy’s Favorite after leading a 41-24 wins beat Smart’s Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game.

This is the second year in a row Alabama has had offensive and defensive players of the year, with DeVonta Smith, the Heisman-winning fullback, and full-back Patrick Surtain winning the award in 2020.

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The 2021 AP All-SEC team, selected by a panel of 14 sports writers and sports broadcasters who regularly cover the tournament, with name, school, height, weight, class and hometown. (“U-” denotes unanimous choice):

FIRST TEAM

Offense

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QB – Bryce Young, Alabama, 6-0, 194, So., Pasadena, California

RB – u-Tyler Badie, Missouri, 5-8, 194, Sr., New Orleans

RB – Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky, 5-11, 224, Jr., McDonough, Georgia

T – Darian Kinnard, Kentucky, 6-5, 345, Sr., Knoxville, Tennessee

T— Charles Cross, Mississippi St., 6-5, 310, R-So., Laurel, Mississippi

C – Michael Maietti, Missouri, 6-1, 290, Grad., West Orange, NJ

G – Kenyon Green, Texas A&M, 6-4, 325, Jr., Humble, Texas

G – Justin Shaffer, Georgia, 6-4, 330, Sr., Ellenwood, Georgia

TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia, 6-4, 230, Fr., Napa, California.

WR – Jameson Williams, Alabama, 6-1, 175, Jr., St. Louis, Missouri

WR – Treylon Burks, Arkansas, 6-3, 225, Jr., Warren, Arkansas

K – Harrison Mevis, Missouri, 5-11, 236, So., Warsaw, Indiana

AP – Velus Jones, Tennessee, 6-0, 200, Sr., Saraland, Alabama.

Defense

DE – Sam Williams, Mississippi, 6-4, 265, Sr., Montgomery, Alabama

DE – Josh Paschal, Kentucky, 6-3, 278, Sr., Prince George’s County, Maryland

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DT – DeMarvin Leal, 6-4, 290, Jr., San Antonio, Texas

DT – Jordan Davis, Georgia, 6-6, 340, Sr., Charlotte, North Carolina

LB – Will Anderson, Alabama, 6-4, 243, So., Hampton Georgia

LB – Nakobe Dean, Georgia, 6-0, 225, Jr., Horn Lake, Mississippi

LB – Damone Clark, LSU, 6-3, 240, Sr., Baton Rouge

DB – Roger McCreary, Auburn, 6-0, 190, Sr., Mobile, Alabama

DB – Lewis Cine, Georgia, 6-1, 200, Jr., Cedar Hill, Texas

DB – Jaylan Foster, South Carolina, 5-10, 195, Sr., Duncan, South Carolina

DB – Battle of Jordan, Alabama, 6-1, 210, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida

P – Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M, 6-3, 230, So., Melbourne, Australia

SEC Offensive Player of the Year – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

SEC Defensive Player of the Year – Will Anderson, LB, Alabama

SEC Coach of the Year – Kirby Smart, Georgia

SEC Rookie of the Year – Brock Browsers, TE, Georgia

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB – Matt Corral, Mississippi, 6-2, 205, Jr., Ventura, California

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RB – Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M, 6-1, 215, Jr., Spring, Texas

RB – Brian Robinson, Alabama, 6-0, 204, Sr., Tuscaloosa, Alabama

T – Evan Neal, Alabama, 6-7, 360, Jr., Okeechobee, Florida

T – Jamaree Sayer, Georgia, 6-4, 325, Sr., Atlanta

G – Layden Robinson, Texas A&M, 6-4, 320, So., Manuel, Texas

G – Justin Shaffer, Georgia, 6-4, 330, Sr., Ellenwood, Georgia

C – Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas, 6-4, 310, Jr., Tulsa, Oklahoma

TE – Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M, 6-5, 255, Jr., Dickinson, Texas

WR – Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky, 5-11, 185, Jr., Frankfort, Kentucky

WR – John Metchie III, Alabama, 6-0, 195, Jr., Brampton, Canada

PK – Cade York, LSU, 6-1, 198, Jr., McKinney, Texas

Defense

DE – Derick Hall, Auburn, 6-3, 251, Jr., Gulfport, Mississippi

DE – Tyree Johnson, Texas A&M, 6-4, 240, Sr., Washington, DC

DT – Devonte Wyatt, Georgia, 6-3, 315, Sr., Decatur, Georgia

DT – Neal Farrell Jr., LSU, 6-4, 325, Grad., Mobile, Alabama

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LB – Channing Tindall, Georgia, 6-2, 230, Sr., Columbia, South Carolina

LB – Zakoby McClain, Auburn, 6-0, 219, Sr., Valdosta, Georgia

LB – Bumper Pool, Arkansas, 6-2, 230, Sr., Lucas, Texas

DB – Derion Kendrick, Georgia, 6-0, 190, Sr., Rock Hill, South Carolina

DB_Cam Smith, South Carolina, 6-1, 187, So., Blythewood, South Carolina

DB_AJ Finley, Mississippi, 6-2, 210, Jr., Mobile, Alabama

DB_Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M, 6-3, 200, So., East St. Louis, Illinois

P— Jake Camarda, Georgia, 6-2, 180, Sr., Norcross, Georgia

AP – Jameson Williams, Alabama, 6-2, 189, Jr., St. Louis, Missouri

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AP All-SEC Voting Panel: Parrish Alford, Northeast Mississippi Daily; Travis Brown, Bryan-College Station Eagle; John Clay, Leader of the Lexington Herald; Gentry Estes, Tennessean; Garland Gillen, Fox 8 (WVUE-TV), New Orleans; Jordan Hill, Opelika-Auburn News; Nick Kelly, Tuscaloosa News; David Matter, St. Louis Post Dispatch; Tom Murphy, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Ben Portnoy, State, Columbia, SC; Adam Sparks, Knoxville News-Sentinel; Nick Suss, The Clarion Ledger; Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel; Marc Weiszer, Banner-Herald of Athens.