Smith, Cooper, Robinson & Turner awarded All-SEC accolades

Ainias Smith, Edgerrin Cooper, Layden Robinson and Shemar Turner were awarded All-SEC honors for the 2023 season, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.

Smith headlines the list of standout Aggies with a pair of first-team honors as an all-purpose player and return specialist. Cooper, previously named to the 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team, also joins Smith on the First Team All-SEC as a linebacker.

Robinson and Turner are included on the second team at their primary positions.

First Team All-SEC — Ainias Smith

Awarded Preseason All-SEC distinctions ahead of the season, Smith made the most of his fifth year in Aggieland. The Missouri City native posted 1,204 all-purpose yards, 285 punt return yards and 103 kick return yards. Doing it all for the Aggies, he led his receiving corps with 53 catches for 795 yards and two touchdowns.

Now having surpassed 4,000 all-purpose yards in his career, Smith is the only 2,000-plus yard receiver in Southeastern Conference history to record at least 250 career yards as a rusher, punter returner and kick returner.

Not to mention, in the regular season finale in Baton Rouge, he also tied Christian Kirk's 39-game consecutive reception streak.

A playmaker in many ways, Smith will perhaps most be remembered this season for his electric 82-yard punt return vs. Arkansas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. For racking up 131 punt-return yards in that game, he was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

First Team All-SEC — Edgerrin Cooper

Opposing quarterbacks probably feared Cooper the most this season for obvious reasons.

With the Aggies ranked seventh among Power 5 programs in total defense, Cooper led the SEC in tackles-for-loss with 17.0, and he was also in the top 10 in tackles (84) and sacks (8). Cooper had at least six tackles in nine of 12 games during the 2023 campaign, including matching his career-high 11 takedowns vs. Alabama and Mississippi State.

Cooper was recognized as SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week for registering seven tackles, one sack, four hurries and forcing a fumble against South Carolina.

Second Team All-SEC — Layden Robinson

In his fifth season donning Maroon & White, Robinson started in all 11 of his appearances and made each game count. At right guard, the Manvel native was crucial in helping the Aggies accumulate over 200 yards on the ground in wins over Auburn (209), Arkansas (204) and Mississippi State (246). A Third Team Preseason All-SEC honoree, Robinson was also a member of an offensive line that allowed two sacks or fewer in eight games.

Second Team All-SEC — Shemar Turner

Texas A&M possessed one of the best defensive lines in the nation due in no small part to the contributions of Turner. He ranked fifth among SEC defensive linemen with six sacks and was also top 10 in TFLs with 10.5. In the Southwest Classic against Arkansas, he delivered a career-high 2.5 TFLs and ultimately finished the season with 33 tackles, three quarterback hurries and two blocked field goal attempts.

First Team All-SEC

Offense
QB: Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB: Cody Schrader, Missouri
RB: Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss
WR: Malik Nabers, LSU
WR: Luther Burden III, Missouri
TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia
OL: JC Latham, Alabama
OL: Javon Foster, Missouri
OL: Will Campbell, LSU
OL: Tate Ratledge, Georgia
C: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
AP: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M

Defense
DL: Darius Robinson, Missouri
DL: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
DL: Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
DL: Landon Jackson, Arkansas
LB: Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
LB: Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB: Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
DB: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
DB: Malaki Starks, Georgia
DB: Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
DB: Caleb Downs, Alabama*
DB: Terrion Arnold, Alabama*

Special Teams
PK: Will Reichard, Alabama
P: Matthew Hayball, Vanderbilt
RS: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M
KOS: Cam Little, Arkansas
LS: Hunter Rogers, South Carolina*
LS: Kneeland Hibbett, Alabama*

Second Team All-SEC

Offense
QB: Carson Beck, Georgia
RB: Ray Davis, Kentucky
RB: Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
WR: Brian Thomas, LSU
WR: Xavier Legette, South Carolina
TE: Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss*
TE: Trey Knox, South Carolina*
TE: Rivaldo Fairweather, Auburn*
OL: Tyler Booker, Alabama
OL: Xavier Truss, Georgia
OL: Emery Jones, LSU
OL: Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
C: Eli Cox, Kentucky
AP: Barion Brown, Kentucky

Defense
DL: Mykel Williams, Georgia
DL: Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
DL: Princely Umanmielen, Florida
DL: Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
LB: Harold Perkins, LSU
LB: Smael Mondon, Georgia
LB: Ty'Ron Hopper, Missouri
DB: Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
DB: Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
DB: Tykee Smith, Georgia
DB: Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

Special Teams
PK: Harrison Mevis, Missouri
P: James Burnip, Alabama*
P: Max Fletcher, Arkansas*
RS: Barion Brown, Kentucky
KOS: Will Reichard, Alabama
LS: Wesley Schelling, Vanderbilt

*Ties (ties are not broken)