The SEC has long been a breeding ground for college football’s most dominant players, consistently churning out elite talent year after year. No school has done it quite like Alabama, which leads the nation with 41 unanimous All-Americans. From legends of the past to recent stars like Will Anderson Jr., the Crimson Tide have made an art out of turning standout seasons into national recognition, especially during the Nick Saban era.
Earning All-American honors is one of college football’s most prestigious individual accolades. Since 1924, the NCAA has designated a select group of official selectors to help determine the best of the best. A player who earns first-team recognition from at least half of those selectors becomes a consensus All-American.
But to be unanimous, he must appear on every official first team.
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It’s a tough standard to meet — and that’s exactly the point. Being a unanimous All-American means a player’s dominance was so clear that every major outlet agreed: he was the best at his position, no debate. As a result, the list of unanimous selections from any given season is usually short and filled with stars. Many go on to the NFL, and a significant number eventually end up in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Since 2002, the NCAA has recognized five official selectors: the Associated Press (AP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. If a player sweeps all five, he joins a rare club — and helps add to his school’s legacy in the process.
With only a handful of unanimous selections each year, it’s a distinction that reflects true dominance. So, who’s the most recent player from each SEC program to join that elite fraternity?
Alabama
Most recent unanimous All-American: Will Anderson Jr., LB (2022)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 41
No college football program has more unanimous All-American selections than Alabama. The Crimson Tide can credit Nick Saban for 26 (!!) of those during his 17 years in Tuscaloosa. A dominant force off the edge, Anderson totaled 51 tackles for loss and 27.5 sacks over his final two seasons at Alabama. His efforts earned him the Bronko Nagurski Trophy — awarded to the nation’s top defensive player — in both 2021 and 2022, as well as the Chuck Bednarik Award in 2022. Anderson was selected No. 3 overall by the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Hunter Henry, TE (2015)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 9
Henry built one of the most impressive résumés of any tight end in SEC history. The former Arkansas standout finished his three-year college career with 116 receptions for 1,661 yards and nine touchdowns — making him one of only eight tight ends in conference history to surpass 100 catches and one of just four in that group to eclipse 1,500 receiving yards, at the time. Henry won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end in 2015 and remains the only Razorback to earn unanimous All-America honors in the past 17 seasons. A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Henry is set to enter his 10th NFL season — and fifth with the New England Patriots.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Derrick Brown, DL (2019)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 9
Auburn has produced just one unanimous All-American in the past 34 years — and it isn’t Cam Newton. The 2010 Heisman Trophy winner earned consensus honors, but it was Brown, a dominant defensive tackle, who secured the rare unanimous nod. Brown became the first Auburn player since 1990 to earn unanimous All-America honors. The 2019 SEC Defensive Player of the Year racked up 55 tackles, including 12.5 for loss, with four sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups as a senior. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Brown enters his sixth season with the Carolina Panthers and earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2023.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Kyle Pitts, TE (2020)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 8
Pitts is another elite tight end that emerged from the SEC. The former Florida star was a matchup nightmare during his college career, blending wide receiver athleticism with tight end size. In 2020, he became the eighth Gator to be named unanimous All-American, finishing the season with 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games. Pitts won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end and was later selected No. 4 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2021 NFL Draft — the highest draft position ever for a tight end.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Brock Bowers, TE (2023)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 16
Georgia has nearly doubled its number of unanimous All-Americans since Kirby Smart took over as coach in 2016. Bowers is the latest to join that elite group, earning the honor in 2023 after a stellar junior season. The dynamic tight end became a household name thanks to his versatility and athleticism. Bowers finished his Georgia career with 175 receptions for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns — all school records for a tight end. He also became the first two-time Mackey Award winner and helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. Bowers was selected No. 13 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2024 NFL Draft and earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Max Duffy, P (2019)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 3
Kentucky has just three unanimous All-Americans in program history, with Duffy being the most recent in 2019, following star linebacker Josh Allen’s historic 2018 season in which he also earned unanimous All-American status. Duffy, a former Australian Rules Football player, made an immediate impact after arriving in Lexington, finishing his junior year as the nation’s top punter with a 48.1-yard average. He was named the Ray Guy Award winner and helped shift field position as a critical weapon for the Wildcats. His booming leg earned him national recognition and solidified his place as one of the most decorated specialists in school history.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Malik Nabers, WR (2023)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 13
A game-breaking wideout with elite yards-after-catch ability, Nabers became LSU’s most recent unanimous All-American in 2023 after leading the nation in receiving yards per game (120.7) and catching 14 touchdowns. He finished his college career as the Tigers’ all-time leader in receptions (189) and receiving yards (3,003), posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. A Biletnikoff Award finalist, Nabers recorded a catch in 37 consecutive games. He made an immediate impact in the NFL as well, earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie with the New York Giants in 2024 after being selected in the top 10 of the draft.
Most recent unanimous All-American: N/A
Number of unanimous All-Americans: N/A
Most recent unanimous All-American: Michael Sam, DE (2013)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 2
A high-motor pass rusher, Sam became Missouri’s most recent unanimous All-American in 2013 after a breakout senior season. He led the SEC with 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss, anchoring a Tigers defense that helped propel the program to the SEC Championship Game in just its second year in the league. Sam was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. His explosive first step and disruptive presence off the edge made him one of college football’s top defenders that season.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Mark Andrews, TE; Orlando Brown, T; Baker Mayfield, QB (2017)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 35
Oklahoma’s offense was a force in 2017, powered by Mayfield’s run to the Heisman Trophy. The Sooners’ star quarterback threw for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns while guiding the team to a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff berth. He was flanked by two other unanimous All-Americans: Andrews, who won the Mackey Award with 958 receiving yards and eight scores, and Brown, a dominant left tackle who anchored one of the nation’s top offensive lines. The trio helped Oklahoma finish No. 1 nationally in yards per play (8.29) and third in scoring (45.1 points per game), leaving behind one of the program’s great units. Combined, they have nine invites to the Pro Bowl since entering the NFL in 2018.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Senquez Golson, DB (2014)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 5
A ballhawk in the Ole Miss secondary, Golson earned unanimous All-America honors in 2014 after finishing second in the nation with 10 interceptions — matching the most in a single season in Ole Miss history (Bobby Wilson, 1949). The senior cornerback added eight pass breakups and 43 total tackles while helping the Rebels finish No. 1 in the country in scoring defense (13.8 points per game). Golson sealed a dramatic win over then-No. 3 Alabama with a leaping interception in the end zone, etching his name into program lore during one of the most successful seasons in school history. Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, injuries later derailed his playing career.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Jadeveon Clowney, DE (2012)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 2
Clowney, the highest-rated player ever by 247Sports, made an immediate impact as a true freshman at South Carolina in 2011. But his standout 2012 season earned him unanimous All-America honors after finishing second in the SEC with 13 sacks and 24 tackles for loss. Known for his elite combination of power and speed, Clowney became a defensive force in college, highlighted by his unforgettable hit on Michigan’s Vincent Smith in the 2013 Outback Bowl. After his junior year, which included another first-team All-America honor, Clowney declared for the 2014 NFL Draft and was selected No. 1 overall by the Houston Texans. He remains a free agent heading into what will be his 12th season, having earned three Pro Bowl invites and second-team All-Pro honors in 2016.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Jalin Hyatt, WR (2022)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 14
Hyatt barely eclipsed 500 receiving yards across his first two seasons at Tennessee before erupting in 2022, earning unanimous All-America honors and winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver. He led the SEC with 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns, becoming the centerpiece of a high-powered Volunteers offense that surged into the national spotlight. Hyatt’s breakout year helped Tennessee to a top-10 finish and an Orange Bowl victory. He declared for the 2023 NFL Draft and was selected in the third round by the New York Giants, but has since totaled just 31 catches for 435 yards without a touchdown across 33 games.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Kelvin Banks, OL (2024)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 27
Only Alabama and Oklahoma have more all-time unanimous All-American selections than Texas in the SEC. The Longhorns added to their total in 2024 with offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, who continued a streak of three straight years with a unanimous All-American honoree. A starter since his freshman year, Banks capped his junior campaign by winning both the Lombardi and Outland Trophies while helping Texas reach the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. In 2024, he allowed just one sack and 10 total pressures — tied for the fifth-fewest among all FBS offensive linemen with at least 500 pass-blocking snaps, per TruMedia. He was selected No. 9 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Braden Mann, P (2018)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 10
Mann dominated the punting game for Texas A&M in 2018, earning unanimous All-America honors and the Ray Guy Award as college football’s most outstanding punter. He set an NCAA single-game record with a 60.8-yard punting average against Alabama and led the nation with 14 punts over 60 yards in the season. Mann averaged 51.0 yards on 50 punts, placing 19 inside the 20-yard line, consistently flipping field position. Known for his booming leg and precision, he also forced a fumble on what was the longest return allowed. Mann was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New York Jets and led the NFL in punting yards that season. He won Super Bowl LIX with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
Most recent unanimous All-American: Zach Cunningham, LB (2016)
Number of unanimous All-Americans: 3
Cunningham enjoyed one of the most decorated defensive seasons in Vanderbilt history in 2016, becoming the first non-special teams Commodore to earn unanimous First-Team All-America honors. Leading the SEC with 125 tackles, Cunningham was a tackling machine with 16.5 tackles for loss and four fumble recoveries. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award and semifinalist for the Bednarik Award. A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Cunningham had his best season in 2020, leading the NFL with 164 total tackles and 106 solo stops.
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