Missouri’s Lovett, McGuire named to AP all-SEC first team

In this Oct. 22 file photo, Missouri wide receiver Dominic Lovett warms up before a game against Vanderbilt at Faurot Field in Columbia. (Associated Press)
In this Oct. 22 file photo, Missouri wide receiver Dominic Lovett warms up before a game against Vanderbilt at Faurot Field in Columbia. (Associated Press)

The Missouri Tigers had four players named to the Associated Press all-Southeastern Conference team, which was announced Monday.

Wide receiver Dominic Lovett made the all-SEC first-team offense, defensive end Isaiah McGuire made the all-SEC first-team defense, tackle Javon Foster was named to the all-SEC second-team offense and linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper was named to the all-SEC second-team defense.

Lovett ranked fourth in the SEC this season with 846 yards receiving on 56 catches, scoring three touchdowns for the Tigers. He finished with four games of 100-plus yards receiving.

McGuire ranks in the top five in the SEC with 7½ sacks. He also has 39 total tackles this season, including 13 tackles for loss. He added one forced fumble and one blocked kick.

Foster blocked for an offense that averaged 25.5 points and 370.8 yards per game. Missouri averaged 212.8 yards passing and 158.1 yards rushing.

Hopper led the Tiger defense with 14 tackles for loss and was second on the team with 69 total tackles, including 53 solo stops. He also had one forced fumble and one interception.

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker was named the SEC 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 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-6.

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 sportswriters and broadcasters covering the league.

III

FIRST TEAM

Offense

WR — u-Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee, 6-0, 185, jr., Irmo, S.C.

WR — Dominic Lovett, Missouri, 5-10, 185, soph., East St. Louis, Ill.

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

T — Darnell Wright, Tennessee, 6-6, 335, sr., Huntington, W.Va.

G — O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida, 6-5, 347, jr., Greensburg, La.

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

C — Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas, 6-4, 313, sr., Tulsa, Okla.

TE — u-Brock Bowers, Georgia, 6-4, 230, soph., Napa, Calif.

QB — Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, 6-4, 218, sr., Greensboro, N.C.

RB — u-Quinshon Judkins, Mississippi, 5-11, 210, fr., Pike Road, Ala.

RB — u-Raheim Sanders, Arkansas, 6-2, 227, soph., Rockledge, Fla.

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

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

Defense

DE — BJ Ojulari, LSU, 6-3, 250, jr., Marietta, Ga.

DE — Isaiah McGuire, Missouri, 6-4, 274, jr., Tulsa, Okla.

DT — Jalen Carter, Georgia, 6-3, 300, jr., Apopka, Fla.

DT — Byron Young, Alabama, 6-3, 292, sr., Laurel, Miss.

LB — u-Will Anderson, jr., 6-4, 243, jr., Hampton, Ga.

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, Miss.

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

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

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

P — Kai Kroeger, South Carolina, 6-4, 207, jr., Lake Forest, Ill.

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, Mississippi

SECOND TEAM

Offense

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

WR — Will Sheppard, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 200, jr., Mandeville, La.

T — Dalton Wagner, Arkansas, 6-9, 331, sr., Spring Grove, Ill.

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

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

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

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

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

QB — Bryce Young, Alabama, 6-0, 194, jr., Pasadena, Calif.

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

RB — Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama, 5-11, 200, jr., Dalton, Ga.

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

AP — Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama, 5-11, 200, jr., Dalton, Ga.

Defense

DE — Derick Hall, Auburn, 6-3, 256, sr., Gulfport, Miss.

DE — Byron Young, Tennessee, 6-3, 245, sr., Georgetown, S.C.

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

DT — Deone Walker, Kentucky, 6-6, 330, Kentucky, fr., Detroit

LB — Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia, 6-1, 245, soph., Hyattsville, Md.

LB — Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State, 6-2, 240, sr., Maplesville, Ala.

LB — Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri, 6-2, 221, jr., Shelby, N.C.

CB — Kelee Ringo, Georgia, 6-2, 210, soph., Tacoma, Wash.

CB — D.J. James, Auburn, 6-1, 174, jr., Mobile, Ala.

S — Jordan Battle, Alabama, 6-1, 206, sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

S — Brian Branch, Alabama, 6-0, 193, jr., Fayetteville, Ga.

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

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; Dave 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.