Seven Gators Tabbed to Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC Team
Thursday, August 23, 2018 | Football
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators had seven players named to the Coaches' Preseason All-SEC Team, as the Southeastern Conference announced on Thursday. The seven players selected fill 12 spots, with Florida boasting three first team selections, placing one on the second team and having three named to the third team.
Offensive lineman Martez Ivey, defensive lineman Cece Jefferson and defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson were voted to the first team, while defensive back CJ Henderson was selected to the second team. Running back Jordan Scarlett, linebacker David Reese and defensive back Marco Wilson round out the third team.
Ivey, a senior majoring in African-American studies, returns plenty of experience to the offensive line this season. He played and started in all 11 games last season. He started the first nine games at left tackle and the final two contests of the season at left guard. He was only one of two Gators offensive linemen to start every game. The Apopka, Fla. Native was named to the Second Team All-SEC by the league's Coaches and the AP, while garnering Third Team All-SEC honors by Athlon sports.
Jefferson, a three-year starter, choose to return for his senior season at UF after considering the NFL draft. The African-American studies major played in all 11 games and recorded eight starts at defensive end. Overall, Jefferson recorded 47 tackles, which ranked fourth on the team. He led the team in tackles-for-loss (13.5 for 38 yards) and sacks (4.5 for 14 yards). He earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his career-best 1.5 sack performance against Kentucky. The Glen St. Mary, Fla. native also recorded one pass breakup and six quarterback hurries, which ranked second on the team.
Gardner-Johnson, played and started in all 11 games last season. The African-American studies junior played safety all season following a preseason injury to Marcell Harris. With his 58 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, six tackles-for-loss and one sack, the Cocoa, Fla. Native ranked third on the team in passes defended and second on the team in tackles.
Henderson, a social and behavioral sciences major, gathered Second Team All-SEC honors by the AP, Third Team All-SEC accolades from Phil Steele and Freshman All-SEC honors by the league's coaches. He appeared in all 11 games of his freshman season and started five contests. The Miami, Fla. Native totaled 22 tackles, four interceptions (two returned for a touchdown) and four pass break-ups. He tallied his
interceptions returned for a touchdown against Michigan and Tennessee in the first two games of the season and became the only true freshman in UF history to return an interception for a touchdown in consecutive games. In addition, Henderson is the only player in school history to accomplish that feat in records dating back to 1965. Since 1996, he is the only true freshman in the nation to have returned interceptions for touchdowns in consecutive games. He was also tied for second in the nation overall with his two interceptions returned for touchdowns and was one of 13 true freshman to have recorded at least one pick-six during the season. Finally, he is now tied for first in program history for most interceptions returned for a touchdown in a season, with the all-time record for a career sitting at four. His four interceptions tied for team lead and ranked 29th in the nation and third in the SEC.
Scarlett, a redshirt junior majoring in African Studies, last played for the Gators in 2016 but earned his place on the third team with his offensive production two years ago. He led the 2016 Gators' rushing offense with 889 yards and six touchdowns on 179 carries. With his 889 yards, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native became the first freshman or sophomore to garner that high a number since the 1995 season. He recorded three 100-plus yard games in 2016, including a career-high 134 yards against South Carolina. He was credited with 48 missed tackles last season, putting him atop the SEC and 16th nationally in that category. Scarlett eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for his career in the 2016 Outback Bowl victory against Iowa, putting up 94 yards on the ground.
Reese, a sports management junior, tallied his fifth preseason honor after not missing a start last season following surgery on both wrists. The Farmington, MI. native led the team in tackles (102) and finished second on the team in tackles-for-loss (10). He also tallied 1.5 sacks, one interception and one quarterback hurry in 2017. Reese became the third Gators linebacker to record 100-plus tackles in a season since 2007 and only the second since 2010. He surpassed the 100-
tackle mark when he posted a career-best 14 tackles against Florida State. He led the team in tackling in 10 out of the 11 games and became the first Gator linebacker to intercept a pass since 2017. Reese enters his junior season with 23 games played, 151 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and one defensive PAT.
Wilson, a Coaches Freshman All-SEC selection in 2017, garnered a spot after being only the fourth true freshman to start at cornerback on opening day in program history. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 
native started all 11 games throughout the season at cornerback. Wilson, a social and behavioral sciences major, totaled 34 tackles and a team-high 10 pass breakups. Those 10 breakups were the most by a true freshman in Florida history since 2013.
UF begins its season on Sept. 1 against Charleston Southern at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM on SEC Network.
2018 COACHES' PRESEASON ALL-SEC TEAM
*indicates a tie
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
OL Jonah Williams, Alabama
Greg Little, Ole Miss
MARTEZ IVEY, FLORIDA
Trey Smith, Tennessee
C Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama
WR A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
QB Drew Lock, Missouri
RB Damien Harris, Alabama
Benny Snell, Kentucky
AP Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
DEFENSE
DL Raekwon Davis, Alabama
CECE JEFFERSON, FLORIDA
Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
LB Devin White, LSU
Mack Wilson, Alabama
Josh Allen, Kentucky
DB Deandre Baker, Georgia
Greedy Williams, LSU
Mike Edwards, Kentucky
CHAUNCEY GARDNER-JOHNSON, FLORIDA*
J.R. Reed, Georgia*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
P Corey Fatony, Missouri
RS Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
SECOND TEAM
Offense
TE Isaac Nauta, Georgia
OL Hjalte Froholdt, Arkansas
Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Garrett Brumfield, LSU
Lester Cotton, Alabama
C Lamont Gaillard, Georgia
WR Ryan Davis, Auburn
Terry Godwin, Georgia
QB Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
RB Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
D'Andre Swift, Georgia
AP Trevon Diggs, Alabama
DEFENSE
DL Terry Beckner, Missouri
Derrick Brown, Auburn
Jonathan Ledbetter, Georgia
Isaiah Buggs, Alabama
LB Deshaun Davis, Auburn
Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
D'Andre Walker, Georgia
DB Jamel Dean, Auburn
CJ HENDERSON, FLORIDA
Deionte Thompson, Alabama
Mark McLaurin, Mississippi State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Daniel LaCamera, Texas A&M
P Joseph Charlton, South Carolina
RS Mecole Hardman, Georgia
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
TE C.J. Conrad, Kentucky
OL Zack Bailey, South Carolina
Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
Marquel Harrell, Auburn
Deion Calhoun, Mississippi State*
Brian Wallace, Arkansas*
Javon Patterson, Ole Miss*
C Erik McCoy, Texas A&M
WR Emanuel Hall, Missouri
D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss
QB Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB Aeris Williams, Mississippi State
JORDAN SCARLETT, FLORIDA
AP Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
DEFENSE
DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU
Marlon Davidson, Auburn
Landis Durham, Texas A&M
Dontavius Russell, Auburn
LB De'Jon Harris, Arkansas
Charles Wright, Vanderbilt*
DAVID REESE, FLORIDA*
Leo Lewis, Mississippi State*
DB Grant Delpit, LSU
Javaris Davis, Auburn
MARCO WILSON, FLORIDA
Jamal Peters, Mississippi State*
Zedrick Woods, Ole Miss*
Santos Ramirez, Arkansas*
LaDarius Wiley, Vanderbilt*
DeMarkus Acy, Missouri*
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Tucker McCann, Missouri
P Braden Mann, Texas A&M
RS Lynn Bowden, Kentucky*
De'Vion Warren, Arkansas*
