LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four University of Kentucky football players earned a spot on the 2019 Preseason Media Days All-Southeastern Conference teams, it was announced Friday by the league office. Junior center Drake Jackson and senior offensive guard Logan Stenberg were named third-team offense, while senior linebacker Kash Daniel was named second-team defense and junior athlete Lynn Bowden Jr. earned a spot as a third-team specialist.
Jackson, a native of Versailles, Kentucky, started at center in all 13 games last season, giving him 20 consecutive starts. He was responsible for only one-half quarterback sack, had 141 blocks at the point of attack, and had 33 knockdown blocks. He was a significant contributor in helping running back Benny Snell Jr. become UK’s all-time leading rusher.
Stenberg, who hails from Madison, Alabama, has played in 38 career games, starting the last 26. He was named a preseason Second-Team All-American by the Sporting Newsafter grading out at 85.5 percent in 2018, registering 78 knockdown blocks and 154 blocks at the point of attack. He did not miss a single assignment all season and allowed just one sack.
Daniel, from Paintsville, Kentucky, is UK’s leading returning tackler from last season. He ranked third on the team in total tackles (84), behind seniors Josh Allen and Darius West. He also ranked third in tackles for loss (7.5) and was tied for 24th in the SEC in tackles per game (6.3). He accomplished all of this despite playing with a broken left hand sustained against Vanderbilt on Oct. 20.
Bowden, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, was a second-team All-SEC All-Purpose performer last season by the coaches and Athlon Sports after totaling two punt returns for TDs on just five total returns, a 58-yard punt return for a TD in the first quarter vs. Penn State and 67-yarder at Missouri. He was one of just three players nationally with two punt returns for a TD. He also returned 25 kickoffs for an average of 21.6 yards per return.
As a receiver, Bowden broke the school record for most receptions (67) by a sophomore in school history, surpassing Derek Abney’s 66 from 2001. He led the Wildcats in catches, receiving yards (745) and touchdown receptions (five) and hauled in the most catches in a season since current NFL star Randall Cobb caught 84 passes in 2010.
The junior recently was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List for the nation’s top receiver, Athlon Sports’ Preseason All-SEC Second Team as a receiver and Third Team as a return specialist.
Bowden enters 2019 needing just 45 receiving yards to become the 30th player in school history to reach 1,000 for their career. With 16 more receptions he would become the 17th UK player to have 100 career catches.
2019 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
RB D’Andre Swift, Georgia
RB Najee Harris, Alabama
WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
OL Andrew Thomas, Georgia
OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
OL Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
OL Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
C Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
Second-Team
QB Jake Fromm, Georgia
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt
RB Lamical Perine, Florida
WR Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt
WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
TE Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
OL Solomon Kindley, Georgia
OL Damien Lewis, LSU
OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms, Missouri
OL Isaiah Wilson, Georgia
C Darryl Williams, Mississippi State
Third-Team
QB Joe Burrow, LSU
RB Larry Rountree, Missouri
RB JaTarvious Whitlow, Auburn
WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
WR Bryan Edwards, South Carolina
TE *Miller Forristall, Alabama
TE *Charlie Woerner, Georgia
OL Deonte Brown, Alabama
OL Ben Cleveland, Georgia
OL Logan Stenberg, Kentucky
OL Matt Womack, Alabama
C Drake Jackson, Kentucky
DEFENSE
First-Team
DL Raekwon Davis, Alabama
DL Derrick Brown, Auburn
DL Rashard Lawrence, LSU
DL Jabari Zuniga, Florida
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama
LB Anfernee Jennings, Alabama
LB Erroll Thompson, Mississippi State
DB Grant Delpit, LSU
DB J.R. Reed, Georgia
DB Trevon Diggs, Alabama
DB C.J. Henderson, Florida
Second-Team
DL Nick Coe, Auburn
DL Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M
DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn
DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
LB Cale Garrett, Missouri
LB De’Jon Harris, Arkansas
LB David Reese II, Florida
DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
DB Xavier McKinney, Alabama
DB Kristian Fulton, LSU
DB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State
Third-Team
DL LaBryan Ray, Alabama
DL McTelvin Agim, Arkansas
DL Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State
DL Tyler Clark, Georgia
LB Terrell Lewis, Alabama
LB Jacob Phillips, LSU
LB Kash Daniel, Kentucky
DB DeMarkus Acy, Missouri
DB Shyheim Carter, Alabama
DB Richard LeCounte, Georgia
DB Daniel Thomas, Auburn
SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P Braden Mann, Texas A&M
PK Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia
RS Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
AP Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Second-Team
P Tommy Townsend, Florida
PK Anders Carlson, Auburn
RS Marquez Callaway, Tennessee
AP Kadarius Toney, Florida
Third-Team
P Arryn Siposs, Auburn
PK Evan McPherson, Florida
RS Jashaun Corbin, Texas A&M
AP Lynn Bowden, Kentucky
* – Indicates a tie
