AP All-SEC: Hooker, Anderson, Heupel, win individual honors

Updated Dec. 5, 2022 12:59 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker is the Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. was named the top defensive player for the second straight year.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel was picked as coach of the year by the Associated Press Monday after keeping his team in playoff contention for much of the season. The sixth-ranked Volunteers are 10-2 and face No. 10 Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Mississippi freshman running back Quinshon Judkins was named newcomer of the year, edging LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. Judkins led the SEC with 1,476 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Hooker was picked as first-team quarterback and offensive player of the year on all but one ballot, with that nod going to Alabama's Bryce Young in both cases. He suffered a season-ending left knee injury in a loss to South Carolina, finishing with 3,135 yards passing and 27 touchdown passes against just two interceptions.

Anderson was the unanimous pick as defensive player of the year. He has 51 tackles, 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss along with a pick-six.

Other unanimous picks were Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and running backs Judkins and Raheim Sanders (Arkansas).

Heupel received six coach of the year votes to edge LSU's Brian Kelly (five), who led the Tigers into the SEC championship game in his first season. Georgia's Kirby Smart (three) and South Carolina's Shane Beamer (one) also received votes.

The voting was conducted among a panel of 15 sports writers and broadcasters covering the league.

FIRST TEAM

Offense

WR — u-Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee, 6-0, 185, Jr., Irmo, South Carolina

WR — Dominic Lovett, Missouri, 5-10, 185, So., East St. Louis, Illinois

T — Broderick Jones, Georgia, 6-4, 310, So., Lithonia, Georgia

T — Darnell Wright, Tennessee, 6-6, 335, Sr., Huntington, West Virginia

G — O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida, 6-5, 347, Jr., Greensburg, Louisiana

G — Emil Ekiyor Jr., Alabama, 6-3, 307, Sr., Indianapolis

C — Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas, 6-4, 313, Sr., Tulsa, Oklahoma

TE — u-Brock Bowers, Georgia, 6-4, 230, So., Napa, California

QB — Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, 6-4, 218, Sr., Greensboro, North Carolina

RB — u-Quinshon Judkins, Mississippi, 5-11, 210, Fr., Pike Road, Alabama

RB — u-Raheim Sanders, Arkansas, 6-2, 227, So., Rockledge, Florida

PK — Jack Podlesny, Georgia, 6-1, 180, Jr., St. Simons Island, Georgia

AP — Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State, 5-10, 185, Jr., Philadelphia, Mississippi

Defense

DE — BJ Ojulari, LSU, 6-3, 250, Jr., Marietta, Georgia

DE — Isaiah McGuire, Missouri, 6-4, 274, Jr., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DT — Jalen Carter, Georgia, 6-3, 300, Jr., Apopka, Florida

DT — Byron Young, Alabama, 6-3, 292, Sr., Laurel, Mississippi

LB — u-Will Anderson, Jr., 6-4, 243, Jr., Hampton, Georgia

LB — Drew Sanders, Arkansas, 6-5, 233, Jr., Denton, Texas

LB — Harold Perkins Jr., LSU, 6-2, 220, Fr., New Orleans

CB — Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State, 6-0, 180, Jr., Grenada, Mississippi

CB — Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama, 6-1, 188, So., Birmingham, Alabama

S — Christopher Smith, Georgia, 5-11, 195, Sr., Atlanta

S — Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M, 6-3, 195, Jr., East St. Louis, Illinois

P — Kai Kroeger, South Carolina, 6-4, 207, Jr., Lake Forest, Illinois

Offensive player of the year: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

Defensive player of the year: u-Will Anderson Jr., LB, Alabama

Coach of the year: Josh Heupel, Tennessee

Newcomer of the year: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ole Miss

SECOND TEAM

Offense

WR — Antwane Wells Jr., South Carolina, 6-1, 207, Jr., Richmond, Virginia

WR — Will Sheppard, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 200, Jr., Mandeville, Louisiana

T — Dalton Wagner, Arkansas, 6-9, 331, Sr., Spring Grove, Illinois

T — Javon Foster, Missouri, 6-5, 319, Sr., Detroit, Michigan

G — Beaux Limmer, Arkansas, 6-5, 302, Jr., Tyler, Texas

G — Ethan White, Florida, 6-4, 331, Jr., Clearwater, Florida

C — Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia, 6-4, 310, So., New Orleans

TE — Darnell Washington, Georgia, 6-7, 270, Jr., Las Vegas, Nevada

QB — Bryce Young, Alabama, 6-0, 194, Jr., Pasadena, California

RB — Devon Achane, Texas A&M, 5-9, 185, Jr., Missouri City, Texas

RB — Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama, 5-11, 200, Jr., Dalton, Georgia

PK — Will Reichard, Alabama, 6-1, 190, Sr., Hoover, Alabama

AP — Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama, 5-11, 200, Jr., Dalton, Georgia

Defense

DE — Derick Hall, Auburn, 6-3, 256, Sr., Gulfport, Mississippi

DE — Byron Young, Tennessee, 6-3, 245, Sr., Georgetown, South Carolina

DT — Mekhi Wingo, LSU, 6-0, 295, So., St. Louis, Missouri

DT — Deone Walker, Kentucky, 6-6, 330, Kentucky, Fr., Detroit, Michigan

LB — Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia, 6-1, 245, So., Hyattsville, Maryland

LB — Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State, 6-2, 240, Sr., Maplesville, Alabama

LB — Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri, 6-2, 221, Jr., Shelby, North Carolina

CB — Kelee Ringo, Georgia, 6-2, 210, So., Tacoma, Washington

CB — D.J. James, Auburn, 6-1, 174, Jr., Mobile, Alabama

S — Jordan Battle, Alabama, 6-1, 206, Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida

S — Brian Branch, Alabama, 6-0, 193, Jr., Fayetteville, Georgia

P — Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M, 6-3, 225, Jr., Melbourne, Australia

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AP All-SEC Voting Panel: Kayla Anderson, WKRN-TV, Nashville, Tennessee; John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader; David Cloninger, Post and Courier; Adam Cole, Opelika-Auburn News; Robbie Faulk, 247Sports/Starkville Daily News; Garland Gillen, Fox 8 (WVUE-TV), New Orleans; Stephen Hargis, Chattanooga Times Free Press; Michael Katz, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal; Nick Kelly, The Tuscaloosa News; Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star; David Matter, St. Louis Post Dispatch; Tom Murphy, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Ben Portnoy, The State, Columbia, S.C.; Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel; Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald.