Florida's star running back on The Athletic's preseason All-SEC Team

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The Athletic released its college football 2026 preseason All-SEC team rosters on Friday, with one lone player representing the Florida Gators among the two prestigious squads.

Junior running back Jadan Baugh was one of two selected at his position on the All-SEC First Team along with Ole Miss Rebels junior Kewan Lacy. Author Seth Emerson notes that his picks were based partly on future projections, but lean more toward past production.

"Again, you couldn’t go wrong by going with Georgia’s Nate Frazier, Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop, Auburn’s Jeremiah Cobb, or Texas’ Hollywood Smothers, who at NC State last year was the ACC’s fourth-leading rusher (936 yards). But Baugh was third in the conference with 1,170 yards rushing last season," he offers.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 231-pound running back is coming off a strong season in which he started all 12 games, recording 220 carries for 1,170 yards and eight rushing touchdowns — all stats that led the Orange and Blue. He also added 185 receiving yards on 31 receptions and two receiving touchdowns, and 88 return yards on one punt return and three kickoff returns.

Baugh ranked eighth nationally with 81 forced missed tackles in 2025, demonstrating the elusive nature that makes him so dangerous when carrying the ball. He became the 10th Gator all-time to rush for 1,000 yards in a season behind his 266-yard performance — second-most in program history — against the Florida State Seminoles in the final game of the campaign.

The Athletic's Preseason All-SEC teams

First Team

Offense

  • QB: Trinidad Chambliss, senior, Ole Miss
  • RB: Kewan Lacy, junior, Ole Miss
  • RB: Jaden Baugh, junior, Florida
  • WR: Isaiah Sategna III, senior, Oklahoma
  • WR: Mario Craver, junior, Texas A&M
  • WR: Cam Coleman, junior, Texas
  • TE: Trey’Dez Green, junior, LSU
  • OT: Trevor Goosby, junior, Texas
  • OT: Cayden Green, senior, Missouri
  • G: Wendell Moe Jr., senior, Tennessee
  • G: Patrick Kutas, senior, Ole Miss
  • C: Drew Bobo, senior, Georgia

Defense

  • Edge: Colin Simmons, junior, Texas
  • Edge: Dylan Stewart, junior, South Carolina
  • DT: Will Echoles, junior, Ole Miss
  • DT: David Stone, junior, Oklahoma
  • LB: Xavier Atkins, junior, Auburn
  • LB: Raheem Biles, senior, Texas
  • LB: Chris Cole, junior, Georgia
  • CB: Zabien Brown, junior, Alabama
  • CB: Ellis Robinson IV, sophomore, Georgia
  • S: KJ Bolden, junior, Georgia
  • S: Bray Hubbard, senior, Alabama
  • Nickel: Graceson Littleton, sophomore, Texas

Special teams

  • K: Tate Sandell, senior, Oklahoma
  • P: Grant Chadwick, junior, LSU
  • RS: Ryan Niblett, junior, Texas

Second team

Offense

  • QB: Marcel Reed, junior, Texas A&M
  • RB: DeSean Bishop, junior, Tennessee
  • RB: Jeremiah Cobb, senior, Auburn
  • WR: Ryan Coleman-Williams, junior, Alabama
  • WR: Ryan Wingo, junior, Texas
  • WR: Nyck Harbor, senior, South Carolina
  • TE: Lawson Luckie, senior, Georgia
  • OT: Earnest Greene III, senior, Georgia
  • OT: Jordan Seaton, junior, LSU
  • G: Brandon Baker, junior, Texas
  • G: Dontrell Glover, sophomore, Georgia
  • C: Coleton Price, senior, Kentucky

Defense

  • Edge: Taylor Wein, junior, Oklahoma
  • Edge: Quincy Rhodes Jr., senior, Arkansas
  • DT: Elijah Griffin, sophomore, Georgia
  • DT: Terrance Green, junior, Alabama
  • LB: Yhonzae Pierre, junior, Alabama
  • LB: Raylen Wilson, senior, Georgia
  • LB: Suntarine Perkins, senior, Ole Miss
  • CB: Kelley Jones, junior, Mississippi State
  • CB: Eli Bowen, junior, Oklahoma
  • S: Jelani McDonald, senior, Texas
  • S: Keon Sabb, senior, Alabama
  • Nickel: Khalil Barnes, senior, Georgia

Special teams

  • K: Lucas Carneiro, junior, Ole Miss
  • P: Mason Love, sophomore, South Carolina
  • RS: Vicari Swain, junior, South Carolina

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida's star running back on The Athletic's preseason All-SEC Team

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