GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Junior Princely Umanmielen was named to the 2023 USA Today Sports Network All-SEC Team as one of four defensive linemen. The 2023 All-SEC team was determined by the beat writers who cover the Southeastern Conference for the USA Today Sports Network.
Umanmielen started all 12 games this season, leading the team with career-high tackles-for-loss (11.5), sacks (7.0), quarterback hurries (17) and tied his career high in tackles (39).
“I still feel like, even though I’m not getting sacks, I’ve been affecting the quarterback throughout the games,” Umanmielen said during the season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Umanmielen is the highest graded Gator defensive player that has played more than ten snaps. He is also the tenth highest graded EDGE defender in the SEC (77.0) while being the second highest graded EDGE defender in the conference when it comes to pass rush grade (88.9).
Umanmielen’s most impressive performance of the season came against Arkansas on November 4, when the Manor, Texas native totaled two and a half sacks for negative 13 yards and six tackles (three solo). The Gators premier pass rusher collected at least one sack in five of the Gators 12 games this season: McNeese, Charlotte, South Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri. The junior also collected his single-game career high in tackles during the 2023 campaign as he registered nine against No. 1 Georgia on October 28.
“I’ve always had high expectations from the moment I stepped into college for myself,” Umanmielen said before the 2023 season. “I just been, you know, I just always wanted to be one of the top guys in college football, and I just feel like I have the ability and the opportunity to do that this year.”
While Umanmielen has one year of eligibility remaining, he has to decide whether he wants to forgo his senior season and enter in 2024 NFL Draft in the coming weeks.
USA TODAY SPORTS NETWORK ALL-SEC TEAM
Offense
Quarterback: Jayden Daniels, LSU
Running back: Cody Schrader, Missouri
Running back: Ray Davis, Kentucky
Wide receiver: Malik Nabers, LSU
Wide receiver: Luther Burden III, Missouri
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Offensive line: Javon Foster, Missouri
Offensive line: JC Latham, Alabama
Offensive line: Tate Ratledge, Georgia
Offensive line: Tyler Booker, Alabama
Offensive line: Sedrick Van Pran, Georgia
Defense
Defensive line: James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
Defensive line: Darius Robinson, Missouri
Defensive line: Marcus Harris, Auburn
Defensive line: Princely Umanmielen, Florida
Linebacker: Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
Linebacker: Dallas Turner, Alabama
Linebacker: Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
Defensive back: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
Defensive back: Malaki Starks, Alabama
Defensive back: Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
Defensive back: Terrion Arnold, Alabama
Special Teams
Kicker: Will Reichard, Alabama
Punter: Matthew Hayball, Vanderbilt
All-purpose: Ainias Smith, Texas A&M