Kentucky preview: 2026 preseason All-SEC defense predictions

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Next week, SEC Media Days puts us on a runway to the 2026 season. We will hear from all the coaches in the conference in what should be an incredibly interesting season for the SEC. There is a lot of newness in the SEC, and after predicting the All-SEC teams on offense we will now do the same for the defensive side of the football. Here are my predictions for the All-SEC defensive teams in 2026, including a few Kentucky Wildcats.

First Team All-SEC

  • DL: Colin Simmons, Texas
  • DL: Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
  • DL: Princewill Umanmielen, LSU
  • DL: Will Echoles, Ole Miss
  • LB: Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
  • LB: Rasheem Biles, Texas
  • LB: Xavier Atkins, Auburn
  • DB: KJ Bolden, Georgia
  • DB: Bray Hubbard, Alabama
  • DB: Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
  • DB: Ellis Robinson, Georgia

This first team is loaded with players that can wreck your game plan in an instant by creating havoc plays. The most dangerous play Kentucky will see defensively is South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart, as he has wrecked multiple Kentucky offensive game plans already in his career. Kentucky's revamped offensive line will have their hands full in week five of the season when they travel to Columbia. Another one to keep an eye on is Princewill Umanmielen who followed Lane Kiffin to LSU, he was tied for 3rd most sacks in the conference last season.

Second Team All-SEC

  • DL: Taylor Wein, Oklahoma
  • DL: David Stone, Oklahoma
  • DL: Tavion Gadson, Kentucky
  • DL: Quincy Rhodes Jr., Arkansas
  • LB: Kip Lewis, Oklahoma
  • LB: Raylen Wilson, Georgia
  • LB: Amare Campbell, Tennessee
  • DB: Ty Benefield, LSU
  • DB: Ty Bryant, Kentucky
  • DB: DJ Pickett, LSU
  • DB: Dijon Lee Jr., Alabama

Two Wildcats make the second team cut, Ty Bryant I believe will match his performance from a season ago and maintain a second team bid. I also think Tavion Gadson will produce and get more notice this season, Gadson led all power four defensive tackles in pass rush win rate in 2025. One of Kentucky's toughest games will be their road game in Norman, Oklahoma in the middle of the season. Brent Venables is one of the best defensive minds in the country and has a plethora of talent on that side of the football.

Third Team All-SEC

  • DL: Anto Saka, Texas A&M
  • DL: Gabe Harris, Georgia
  • DL: Elijah Griffin, Georgia
  • DL: Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace, Kentucky
  • LB: Whit Weeks, LSU
  • LB: Nicholas Rodriguez, Missouri
  • LB: Arion Carter, Tennessee
  • DB: Marcus Ratcliffe, Texas A&M
  • DB: Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma
  • DB: Ty Redmond, Tennessee
  • DB: Zabien Brown, Alabama

Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace is Kentucky's last bid, the defensive scheme change will help his production and could be among the conference leaders in tackles for loss. Tennessee has a promising back seven, but with Jim Knowles coming over at defensive coordinator could take some time for the players to get acclimated with the complex scheme. Alabama has an extremely talented secondary this season with Bray Hubbard, Keon Sabb, Dijon Lee and Zabien Brown, that will be an early test for Kentucky's new passing attack in week two. Texas A&M will have another great defense although they lost a lot of pieces from last season, I expect Anto Saka to be a breakout player this season.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky preview: 2026 preseason All-SEC defense predictions

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