ESPN places four Georgia Bulldogs on preseason All-SEC team

The Georgia Bulldogs are ranked 12th in the country in basically every relevant preseason poll, and as evidenced by those projections, there is a great deal of talent on the roster for the 2014 season. In that vein, the “worldwide leader in sports” has released a preseason All-SEC team, and the folks at ESPN have chosen four members of the UGA roster as representatives.

Here is what Edward Aschoff and Chris Low had to say about Todd Gurley, who was given top honors at the running back spot:

"The only thing holding Gurley back last season was injuries. He just missed rushing for 1,000 yards for the second straight season but says he’s 100 percent healthy again. He has the perfect blend of size and speed and will be right in the mix for the Heisman Trophy."

Obviously, we have shilled for Gurley as a Heisman Trophy candidate going back to the middle of the off-season, and he is one of the best offensive players in the country. Gurley certainly has 1,500-yard upside (or better) in this offense, and as the workhorse, he’ll have every opportunity to justify this honor.

Defensively, ESPN placed two members of the vaunted linebacking corps on the first team:

"LB – Leonard Floyd, Georgia: After he led the Bulldogs with 6.5 sacks last season, Floyd’s hype is growing by the minute. His teammates have had trouble blocking him all offseason, and with his tremendous speed and strength, he should be an absolute terror off the edge.LB – Ramik Wilson, Georgia: With his ability to cover so much ground and frustrate opposing backfields, Wilson has played himself into consideration for a first-round NFL draft grade for next year. During his first year as a starter with the Bulldogs in 2013, Wilson led the SEC with 134 tackles."

Wilson, as the leading tackler in the SEC a year ago, was a virtual certainty for inclusion, but there seems to be a growing consensus that Floyd could explode this season. If healthy, Ramik Wilson is a lock for 100+ tackles, and Floyd could approach double-digit sacks if all goes well.

Lastly, a member of the special teams made the list:

"K – Marshall Morgan, Georgia: After a rocky first season, Morgan connected on 22 of his 24 field goal attempts in 2013. He really improved his long game, too, making 7 of 8 kicks from 40 yards or more."

Morgan has garnered a great deal of attention as a potential All-American, and it certainly isn’t a surprise to see him make the cut. Making 22 of 24 field goals is impressive for anyone, but to do that as a sophomore is doubly noteworthy, and Marshall is a star in the making.