Texas A&M Aggies

Several of RecruitingNation's SEC sites will look this week at the players headed to the NFL combine, which begins Friday in Indianapolis, and other predraft camps. Today: Offensive linemen.

Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M could have sent two tackles into the draft and both would have probably ended up as first-round picks. Luke Joeckel chose to declare, but Jake Matthews chose to return to Aggieland for another year. Joeckel, the Outland Trophy winner this year, will be rewarded as a possible top-five selection -- and possibly No.1 overall.

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Quick: Name the SEC’s leader in sacks and tackles for loss.

Jarvis Jones? Obvious choice after he led the SEC with 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss last year, but no.

How about Jadeveon Clowney? He’s a freak, but think again.

Time’s up!

Both were solid guesses, but both are staring up at the new kid on the SEC block -- Texas A&M defensive end Damontre Moore.

The former outside linebacker has taken to his new position and run with it … right over opposing quarterbacks. He’s tied for first in the nation with 11.5 sacks and stands alone nationally with 19 tackles for loss.

Jones’ impressive 2011 debut might be a blip on the radar compared to what Moore could do in the next month.

“He’s definitely come a long way,” defensive line coach Terry Price said.

“He’s really turned his game up and accepted the challenges that are put in front of him to be the hardest playing defensive end in the country.”

He was a star in the Big 12 last year with his 8.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss, but his numbers masked a glaring issue that his new coaches immediately noticed on film.

They saw a primo athlete who was also very sluggish at times. When he was on, he was dominant, but he was only registering around 30 or 40 plays a game. When Kevin Sumlin took over at A&M, he realized that if Moore was going to succeed in the line-driven SEC, he had to get into better shape.

Sumlin’s extra workout sessions with strength coach Larry Jackson pushed spring practice back two weeks. It was something that irked Moore, who was antsy without his pads this spring, but as he prepares for his 10th game of the season, he looks back at the grueling punishment his body took and is thankful for the extra work.

“Those two weeks helped me build up my conditioning,” Moore said.

“I’m able to run a lot longer than most big men my size. That was the advantage on my end and I’m able to work at a high level consistently and go 60, 80 plays down the line. When other people are dying off, I’m building up or staying consistent where I’m at.”

Moore is basically a new man. He’s physically and mentally tougher and his endurance has cranked his motor up to a level he didn’t have in 2011. He’s gone from taking himself out of games to taking wide receivers down from behind -- in a dead sprint.

That extra conditioning has also helped him adapted better up front. Having to constantly throw one’s body into someone with more than 60 pounds on him each play can take a toll on someone’s stamina, especially when you aren’t used to so much contact.

But with Moore’s one-track mind, he’s too obsessed with hammering quarterbacks to worry about being out-muscled. Quarterbacks have something he wants -- the football – and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to either get it, or make them feel sorry for ever deciding to take it.

“It’s like a horse when you put on their blinders when they’re about to race,” Moore said. “They only see that one thing in front of them and that’s how I feel. I see that one thing in front of me and I lock in on it and I hone in on it and I go get it.”

Moore might be regularly terrorizing opposing backfields, but he’s still managed to stay in the shadows of Jones and Clowney. League seniority will do that, but it doesn’t bother Moore.

He isn’t offended. He’s motivated.

Moore understands he still has a lot to prove and he knows he has a great opportunity to earn more respect against the nation’s top offensive this weekend in Tuscaloosa. Alabama features two future first-rounders in Cyrus Kouandjio and D.J. Fluker who will make Moore work for everything, and try to wear him out of 60 or 80 plays.

Moore relishes the opportunity. He’s bested most who have stood before him, and while he isn’t favored Saturday, he likes his odds.

“I don’t mind being the underdog,” he said. “I love proving people wrong.

“I like it when people say, ‘You can’t do that.’ That way, when I go in there I have that motivation, that drive, that will and that want-to just to prove that I can do whatever I put my mind to.

“If you tell me I can’t do it, then I’m going to go do it.”

HOOVER, Ala. -- The 2012 SEC media days All-SEC team was announced Thursday and LSU led the conference with the most first-team selections with seven. The media has voted for a preseason All-SEC team and predicted the order in which each team would finish since 1992.

It should be noted that the media has only picked the correct SEC champion four times since 1992. Those correct picks were Florida in 1994 and 1995, LSU in 2007 and Florida in 2008.

Here are some notes from the league on the All-SEC team:

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Daniel Shirey/US PresswireSEC members are expecting big things this season for South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore.
• The 222 voters is an all-time high for SEC media days. The previous high was 177 voters in 2010.
• South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore was the leading vote-getter this season with 201 of 222 votes. He is the fourth running back in the past six years to be the highest vote-getter (2007 – Darren McFadden, Arkansas; 2008 – Knowshon Moreno, Georgia and Percy Harvin, Florida; 2009 – Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes, Florida; 2010 – Mark Ingram, Alabama; 2011 – Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina).
• Lattimore (2012) and Jeffery (2011) have been the leading vote-getters the last two seasons.
• Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones is a three-time member of the SEC media days first team
• South Carolina has had a sophomore make the media days first team for the third straight season – Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina, DE (2012); Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, RB (2011); Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, DB (2010).
• Since 2000, Arkansas’ Darren McFadden is the only unanimous selection to the SEC media days All-SEC team, collecting all 80 votes.
• LSU had the most first-team selections this season with 7. Since 1992, the most players on a first-team were nine by Alabama in 2011 and eight by Alabama (2010) and Florida (2009).
• LSU leads with the most overall selections this season with 13. The total is the second highest ever, behind Alabama’s 16 last season. Prior to last season, Alabama (2010) and Florida (2009) had the most overall selections.
• LSU is predicted to win the SEC championship by the media for the first time since 2007. It is the second time since 1992 that LSU has been predicted to win the league title. LSU did win the SEC title in 2007 and went on to the BCS title.

Here is what the complete first team looks like:

OFFENSE

QB: Tyler Wilson, Arkansas (127)
RB: Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina (201)
RB: Knile Davis, Arkansas (118)
WR: Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee (106)
WR: Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas (67)
TE: Philip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn (158)
OL: D.J. Fluker, Alabama (171)
OL: Alex Hurst, LSU (125)
OL: Chance Warmack, Alabama (124)
OL: Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M (87)
C: Barrett Jones, Alabama (183)

DEFENSE

DL: Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina (140)
DL: Barkevious Mingo, LSU (126)
DL: Sam Montgomery, LSU (124)
DL: Corey Lemonier, Auburn (102)
ILB: Nico Johnson (84)
OLB: Jarvis Jones, Georgia (178)
OLB: Sean Porter, Texas A&M (81)
DB: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU (184)
DB: Eric Reid, LSU (142)
DB: Robert Lester, Alabama (131)
DB: Bacarri Rambo, Georgia (126)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Caleb Sturgis, Florida (127)
P: Brad Wing, LSU (153)
RS: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU (159)
AP: Dennis Johnson, Arkansas (86)

For a look at all three teams check out the SEC's official website.

Here's the predicted order of finish for the SEC champion and the votes:

1. LSU - 129
2. Alabama - 65
3. Georgia - 14
4. South Carolina - 6
5. Arkansas - 4
6. Auburn - 2
7. Florida - 1
8. Ole Miss - 1

Predicted divisional order:

EAST

1. Georgia (132)
2. South Carolina (72)
3. Florida (12)
4. Missouri (2)
5. Tennessee (4)
6. Vanderbilt
7. Kentucky

WEST

1. LSU (139)
2. Alabama (72)
3. Arkansas (6)
4. Auburn (4)
5. Texas A&M
6. Mississippi State
7. Ole Miss (1)

Some of my best childhood memories go back to the Major League All-Star Game and sitting around and watching the Midsummer Classic with family members.

That’s what we did last week at our house.

So in keeping with the All-Star theme, we’ll select a preseason SEC All-Star team with the East going up against the West.

Who would win?

EAST

Offense

• QB: Aaron Murray, Georgia
• RB: Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina
• RB: Zac Stacy, Vanderbilt
• WR: Justin Hunter, Tennessee
• WR: Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee
• TE: Jordan Reed, Florida
• OL: Elvis Fisher, Missouri
• OL: Larry Warford, Kentucky
• OL: Wesley Johnson, Vanderbilt
• OL: Dallas Thomas, Tennessee
• C: T.J. Johnson, South Carolina

Defense

• DE: Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
• DE: Devin Taylor, South Carolina
• DT: Dominique Easley, Florida
• DT: John Jenkins, Georgia
• LB: Jarvis Jones, Georgia
• LB: Jelani Jenkins, Florida
• LB: Alec Ogletree, Georgia
• CB: E.J. Gaines, Missouri
• CB: Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee
• S: Bacarri Rambo, Georgia
• S: Matt Elam, Florida

Special Teams

• PK: Caleb Sturgis, Florida
• P: Richard Kent, Vanderbilt
• RS: Andre Debose, Florida

WEST

Offense

• QB: Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
• RB: Knile Davis, Arkansas
• RB: Christine Michael, Texas A&M
• WR: Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas
• WR: Ryan Swope, Texas A&M
• TE: Chris Gragg, Arkansas
• OL: Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
• OL: D.J. Fluker, Alabama
• OL: Chance Warmack, Alabama
• OL: Chris Faulk, LSU
• C: Barrett Jones, Alabama

Defense

• DE: Sam Montgomery, LSU
• DE: Barkevious Mingo, LSU
• DT: Bennie Logan, LSU
• DT: Jesse Williams, Alabama
• LB: Sean Porter, Texas A&M
• LB: C.J. Mosley, Alabama
• LB: Nico Johnson, Alabama
• CB: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
• CB: Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State
• S: Eric Reid, LSU
• S: Robert Lester, Alabama

Special Teams

• PK: Drew Alleman, LSU
• P: Brad Wing, LSU
• RS: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU

The SEC has a nation-leading 19 players on the 2012 preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player. Alabama leads the SEC with five players on the list, while LSU is second with four.

Here are all 19 SEC players on the Nagurski Trophy list:

• Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
• Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
• Matt Elam, S, Florida
• Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
• John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
• Nico Johnson, LB, Alabama
• Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia
• Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn
• Robert Lester, S, Alabama
• Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt
• Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU
• Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
• Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU
• Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU
• C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama
• Eric Reid, S, LSU
• Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina
• Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

For the complete Nagurski Trophy watch list, go here.

The SEC also leads the country with 19 players on the 2012 preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation's top interior lineman. Alabama leads the SEC with four players on the list, including reigning Outland Trophy winner Barrett Jones.

Here are all 19 SEC players on the Outland Trophy watch list:

• Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas
• Josh Boyd, DT, Mississippi State
• Chris Faulk, OT, LSU
• Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
• D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
• Alex Hurst, OT, LSU
• Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State
• John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
• Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
• T.J. Johnson, C, South Carolina
• Wesley Johnson, OT, Vanderbilt
• Barrett Jones, C, Alabama
• Bennie Logan, DT, LSU
• Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
• Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas
• Dallas Thomas, OG, Tennessee
• Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky
• Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama
• Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

For the full Outland Trophy watch list, go here.