While Auburn football’s offense may not have had its very best year, impact players emerged from all sides on the Tigers’ defense. After keeping Alabama scoreless until the fourth quarter of the Iron Bowl it’s no surprise the SEC would choose members of the defense to honor this year.
Ten of the fourteen schools in the Southeastern Conference had at least three players make the lists. Alabama had the biggest presence with 11 players selected across the first and second teams, with Georgia right behind them with a total of 10 players.
Auburn football had three players selected to the list, each a key impact player on the defense this season. Defensive back Roger McCreary was the lone Auburn player to be selected to the first-team All-SEC. He finished his senior season with 49 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery.
The next Tiger to be honored by the conference was linebacker Zakoby McClain. Auburn football’s leading tackler in 2021, McClain finished up his season with 95 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two sacks. Despite his dominance on the football field, he continues to be snubbed by the SEC in terms of awards:
Nakobe Dean: 61 TOT 5 PD 5 Sacks
— Shia (@ShiaLaBarner) December 7, 2021
Zakoby McClain: 95 TOT 6 PD 2 Sacks@RicochetRabbit robbed again https://t.co/kbtfsiF9ub
Derick Hall was the final player to make second-team All SEC, and he finished the season as the Tigers’ fifth-leading tackler. With 51 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and nine sacks on the year, Hall was a problem for every single one of Auburn’s opponents in 2021. Hall led the team in sacks and tackles for loss and had the third-most sacks in the SEC behind Alabama’s Will Anderson (16) and Ole Miss’s Sam Williams (13).
Individual SEC award winners will be announced later this week on Wednesday, along with the All-Freshman team on Thursday.