By John Zenor AP Sports Writer
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.
The teams included four Missouri players. Wide receiver Dominic Lovett and defensive end Isaiah McGuire were first-team picks, and left tackle Javon Foster and linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper were second-team selections.
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
u-unanimous selection
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.