AP names LSU's Daniels unanimous SEC offensive player of year; Watson named top defensive player

Updated Dec. 4, 2023 3:49 p.m. ET

Associated Press

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is the unanimous pick as Associated Press Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, while Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson is defensive player of the year.

Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz won coach of the year honors Monday after leading the ninth-ranked Tigers into the Cotton Bowl against No. 7 Ohio State. Alabama safety Caleb Downs is the top newcomer.

Daniels, a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, leads the nation in total offense (412.2 yards per game), passing for 3,812 yards and a nation's best 40 touchdowns against only four interceptions. Daniels has also run for 1,134 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Watson is the SEC's leading tackler with 137 and also has a league-best 10 sacks. Watson has two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Downs led No. 5 Alabama with 99 tackles as a freshman, well ahead of No. 2 tackler Jihaad Campbell's 65. He also has two interceptions and returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown against Chattanooga.

Other unanimous first-team picks include LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, Missouri running back Cody Schrader, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran.

The AP All-SEC teams were voted on by a panel of 14 sportswriters and broadcasters covering the league.

(u-unanimous choice)

FIRST TEAM

Offense

WR — u-Malik Nabers, LSU, 6-0, 200, Jr., Youngsville, Louisiana

WR — Luther Burden III, Missouri, 5-11, 208, So., St. Louis, Missouri

T — Javon Foster, Missouri, 6-5, 319, grad, Detroit

T — JC Latham, Alabama, 6-6, 360, Jr., Oak Creek, Wisconsin

G — Tate Ratledge, Georgia, 6-6, 310, Jr., Rome, Georgia

G — Tyler Booker, Alabama, 6-5, 352, So., New Haven, Connecticut

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

TE — u-Brock Bowers, Georgia, 6-4, 240, Jr., Napa, California

QB — u-Jayden Daniels, LSU, 6-4, 210, Sr., San Bernardino, California

RB — u-Cody Schrader, Missouri, 5-9, 214, graduate, St. Louis, Missouri

RB — Ray Davis, Kentucky, 5-10, 216, Sr., San Francisco

PK — Will Reichard, Alabama, 6-1, 194, grad, Hoover, Alabama

All-Purpose — Ainias Smith, Texas A&M, 5-10, 200, grad, Missouri City, Texas

Defense

DE — James Pearce Jr., Tennessee, 6-5, 242, So., Charlotte, North Carolina

DE — Darius Robinson, Missouri, 6-5, 296, grad, Southfield, Michigan

DT — Marcus Harris, Auburn, 6-3, 295, Sr., Montgomery, Alabama

DT — Deone Walker, Kentucky, 6-6, 348, So., Detroit

LB — Dallas Turner, Alabama, 6-4, 252, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida

LB — Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M, 6-3, 230, Jr., Covington, Louisiana

LB — Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State, grad, 6-2, 245, Maplesville, Alabama

CB — Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri, 5-11, 178, Jr., Mobile, Alabama

CB — Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama, 6-1, 195, Jr., Birmingham, Ala.

S — Malaki Starks, Georgia, 6-1, 205, So., Jefferson, Georgia

S — Jaylin Simpson, Auburn, 6-1, 178, Sr., Brunswick, Georgia

P — Matthew Hayball, Vanderbilt, 6-1, 187, grad, West Adelaide, Australia

SECOND TEAM

Offense

WR — Xavier Legette, South Carolina, 6-3, 227, Sr., Mullins, South Carolina

WR — Brian Thomas, LSU, 6-4, 205, Jr., Walker, Louisiana

T — Will Campbell, LSU, 6-6, 325, So., Monroe, Louisiana

T — Gunner Britton, Auburn, 6-6, 312, Sr., Conway, South Carolina

G — Joshua Braun, Arkansas, 6-6, 348, Jr., Live Oak, Florida

G — Cam'Ron Johnson, Missouri, 6-4, 305, Jr., Houston

C — Cooper Mays, Tennessee, 6-3, 305, Sr., Knoxville, Tennessee

TE — Rivaldo Fairweather, 6-4, 251, Jr., Lauderhill, Florida

QB — Jalen Milroe, Alabama, 6-2, 220, So., Katy, Texas

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

RB — Jaylen Wright, Tennessee, 5-11, 210, Jr., Durham, North Carolina

PK — Harrison Mevis, Missouri, 5-11, 243, Sr., Warsaw, Indiana

All-Purpose — t-Barion Brown, Kentucky, 6-1, 166, So., Nashville; Xavier Legette, South Carolina, 6-3, 227, Sr., Mullins, South Carolina

Defense

DE — Princely Umanmielen, 6-5, 255, Jr., Manor, Texas

DE — Landon Jackson, Arkansas, 6-7, 281, Texarkana, Texas

DT — Justin Eboigbe, Alabama, 6-5, 292, Sr., Forest Park, Georgia

DT — Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia, 6-3, 320, Sr., Stone Mountain, Georgia

LB — Jett Johnson, Mississippi State, 6-2, 230, grad, Tupelo, Mississippi

LB — Chris Braswell, Alabama, 6-3, 255, Sr., Baltimore, Maryland

LB — Debo Williams, South Carolina, 6-1, 232, Jr., Smyrna, Delaware

CB — Terrion Arnold, Alabama, 6-0, 196, So., Tallahassee, Florida

CB — Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky, 6-0, 196, So., West Bloomfield, Michigan

S — Javon Bullard, Georgia, 5-11, 195, Jr., Milledgeville, Georgia

S — Caleb Downs, Alabama, 6-0, 203, Fr., Hoschton, Georgia

P — Jeremy Chrawshaw, Florida, 6-4, 200, Jr., New South Wales, Australia

Offensive Player of the Year — u-Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Defensive Player of the Year — Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State

Coach of the Year — Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri

Newcomer of the Year — Caleb Downs, S, Alabama

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AP All-SEC Voting Panel: Emily Adams, The Greenville (South Carolina) News; Kayla Anderson, WKRN-TV, Nashville, Tennessee; Matt Baker, St. Petersburg Times; Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle; John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader; Adam Cole, Opelika-Auburn News; Garland Gillen, Fox 8 (WVUE-TV), New Orleans; Stephen Hargis, Chattanooga Times Free Press; Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star; Stefan Krajisnik, Jackson Clarion-Ledger; Tom Murphy, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Scott Rabalais, Baton Rouge Advocate; Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald; Creg Stephenson, al.com.

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