The SEC is all over The Sporting News’ 2026 preseason All-America teams, and Texas is the big heavyweight in the room.
A total of 23 SEC players made the cut, with 14 landing on the first team and nine on the second. Texas paced the conference with seven selections overall, followed by Ole Miss with four, Georgia with three, South Carolina and Mizzou with two apiece, and Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State and Oklahoma each getting one.
What really jumps off the page is what Texas did on the first team alone. The Longhorns placed five players there - two on offense, two on defense and one on special teams. That’s a serious statement about the roster heading into the 2026 season.
Here’s the full SEC breakdown from the preseason teams.
On the first team, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy were joined by Mizzou running back Ahmad Hardy. Texas put wide receiver Cam Coleman and offensive lineman Trevor Goosby on the list, while Ole Miss defensive lineman Will Echoles and Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons also earned first-team spots. The Longhorns added linebacker Rasheem Biles, with Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins rounding out the front-seven names.
Georgia had a strong showing in the secondary, with cornerback Ellis Robinson IV and safety KJ Bolden both making first team. LSU defensive back Ty Benefield also cracked the top unit, while Ole Miss kicker Lucas Caneiro and Texas punt returner Ryan Niblett represented special teams.
The second team brought more SEC firepower. Texas quarterback Arch Manning was named, along with Mizzou offensive lineman Cayden Green and South Carolina edge Dylan Stewart. Texas linebacker Ben Roberts and Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson were included, as were Alabama safety Bray Hubbard, Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell, Mississippi State punter Ethan Pulliam and South Carolina punt returner Vicari Swain.
With Texas leading the way and Ole Miss, Georgia and the rest of the league filling out the lists, the SEC once again has a major footprint in the preseason national spotlight.
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Trinidad Chambliss Is Suddenly In The National Spotlight For Ole Miss
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For Ole Miss, even a mention like that matters because it signals how quickly Chambliss profile can grow if the play keeps matching the buzz. Herbstreit still acknowledged Mannings talent and pedigree, but his broader point was clear: the narrative can change in a hurry when a quarterback keeps performing at a high level, and Chambliss now finds himself in the kind of national spotlight that usually comes only after months of sustained success. [Read more 🡒]