2024 BONAFIDE All SEC Potential (2024 Preseason ALL SEC, and Postseason)

Ok, with the season nearing, I wanted to get your take on who we think is a BONAFIDE All SEC player for the upcoming season. I am not talking about ALL SEC in 2025+....but this upcoming season.

For fun, let's also have a 2nd list for those that might make it with some real growth in 2024.

While "blue chip" ratio is relevant, I think top-end talent is more critical in the SEC.

For reference, here are the 2023 and 2022 teams:

2023 All-SEC Football Teams Announced - Southeastern Conference

2022 All-SEC Football Teams Announced - Southeastern Conference

Keep in mind that post season All SEC has only 2 teams, so not a lot of spots to go around.

I'll start:

Bonafide
- Barber
- Wilson
- Marshall (he's been preseason a few times, but not post season. He's playing for NFL money now, so I'm hopeful he puts it all together)
- Crawshaw

Maybe's, with big leaps (and if they stay healthy):
- Slackman
- Boone
- Moore

Hopefully a few from the sophomore class take big leaps, but someone making all conference from that class in 2024 is a stretch.

PS - Yes, I love Mertz!...But I don't think he gets top 2 spots for All SEC. No shame in that!

 

We might even have some (at least one) all American freshman on our team too. L.J. McCray is a beast and he has all the tools to make an instant impact this season.

 

I don't know how you can leave out Mertz or Johnson. We win 8+ games and Mertz has definitely had a big year.

 

Montrell Johnson and Shemar James I would add to your list as strong possibilities.

 

1-
Wilson
Montrell
Barber
Creshaw

2-
Shemar
Marshall
Cam Jackson
Badger
Smack

 

There are only 2 spots at QB and the Texas QB should have 1....Love Mertz (!), but I don't think he ends up top 2 in the SEC. It's not that he's lacking, it's just that the position is stacked.

 

I don't think Montrell with get the total carries needed, but he's going to be a beast for sure.

James has a long way to go to be All SEC IMO....But a big leap in production will be critical for us, and I think he can do that.

 

Total passing yards and passing TDs will make that determination... as always. QBs are too often ranked by those two stats, and maybe completion percentages and TD to INTs ratio too. I doubt we rely on the passing game enough to put Mertz in that conversation, but you never know how that turns out.

I'll be happy with more intermediate pass completions and a total of near 4,000 passing yards. Last year Mertz threw for nearly 3,000 yards so 4K is doable.

 

I think your expectations are a bit high there, Rick. He won’t come close to 4K yards. That is a huge leap.

There are just too many QBs in this conference that can sling it and have offenses designed around that. The balance we have with run/pass I just don’t think it’s possible. BUT, …he doesn’t need to, because of the run/pass balance.

I can see a 3,100 yds, 27/TD & 7/INT ratio, with 68% comp% and be really happy with the results. But I think he still finishes somewhere between 4-7 in the pecking order within the conference.

 

It's fun to speculate... so we shall see. If we get hot running the ball then Napier would, I think, go that route and be happy about it. He is a run first kind of coach. But passing for 4K is more sexy and that would be okay by me.

Whichever combination of run/pass that gives us more wins is all I care about.

 

in relation to blue chip rato. i believe crenshaw and barber are 3* or less. slackman no rating. As a aside, Montrell is a 3* I think your list is solid and i also believe our team is going to surprise a lot of people.

 

great point.

it’s wild that we can end up with 4 all conference players - all of which were 3 stars coming out of HS

 

I see Mertz around 3100 or 3200 yards also because Lagway is also going to pass for a decent amount. Mertz TD’s to INT’s somewhere around 25/5.

 

I would hope that Mertz gets at least another couple-few hungee in passing. We have two really good TE's that should work into the game plan. Johnson and a couple of other backs should produce. Better line. And, some of these kids that have been around for a minute, they have to produce in the receiving group. The "D"... Man, Lord willing...they step it up big time.

Yup, I'm an optimist. In former years it could be called delusional. This year it shifts into reality. Win, baby, win!

Go Gators.

 

Reflecting on this some more, I think Tre will get a bunch of touches so he'll have the stats to creep into ALL SEC territory, which would be wild for a sophomore.

 

Trey is an obvious one to me. The kid is like that. Trell could make 2nd team.

To your second question… I’m going Cam Jackson. He has the tools to be dominant in his last year. Hopefully he is putting in the work this offseason.

 

I think you are underselling him. He would have had that many yards without a bowl game last year if he hadn't been injured. He should exceed that even with a harder schedule if for no reasons that he likely has a better line and a more seasoned EW3.

 

But no Ricky P though....I think a big factor this season will be the WR transfers. If they overachieve, then we'll have some very good production at WR.

 

Supposedly and not that surprisingly, Dike is now the second fastest receiver on the team, and Badger is a receiver we have not had in a long time with his catching ability and strength. Having 3 legitimate receivers compared to 2 last year really puts us in a favorable situation compared to last year despite how good Ricky P was. I especially think people are unaware of just how good Dike is.

 

The way our offense is designed and how plays are called, a successful season for the Gators would mean a competent defense and LESS yards for Mertz.

We were trailing or in a shootout for just about every game last year which forced Mertz to throw. When we were up, Billy played for TOS (see UT game) and went for runs and quick game.

If Mertz just duplicates what he did last year, in terms of numbers, that would be enough for me. He wasn't the problem.