SEC Football: Freshmen We Wish Were in 2015 Spring Practice
One of the growing trends in college football is the number of early enrollees who graduate high school in December and get a jump-start on their college careers by participating in spring practice in the hopes of playing as true freshmen.
It's not for everybody, though.
Whether other sports, academics or a combination of the two gets in the way, the majority of signees go the more traditional route and enroll in college in the summer with fall camp being their first true practice session.
Which class of 2015 signees do we wish were already on campus? Our top eight based on talent, position and team need are in this slideshow.
Tennessee DT Kahlil McKenzie
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Tennessee defensive tackle signee Kahlil McKenzie shouldn't be in high school. He doesn't look like a high schooler, doesn't play like a high schooler and resembles an NFL defensive tackle more than he does somebody who's getting ready to go to prom.
At 6'3", 354 pounds, McKenzie is a perfect fit for a Tennessee defense that already features super sophomore Derek Barnett. Can you imagine what this Tennessee defensive line will look like with McKenzie occupying the middle of the line of scrimmage and Barnett being left one-on-one outside?
Mercy.
Tennessee's defense finished second in the SEC in third-down percentage last year (34.21 percent) and returns seven of the eight players on the two-deep along the defensive line. It also got early enrollee defensive tackle Shy Tuttle and defensive end Kyle Phillips for this spring. However, Phillips, Barnett, Danny O'Brien and Corey Vereen will all either be out or limited this spring.
This could have been McKenzie's time to make a big splash. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until summer.
Better late than never.
Alabama WR Calvin Ridley
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With three wide receivers gone off last year's SEC championship squad, including Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper, it's safe to say that the depth chart at wide receiver is wide open. ArDarius Stewart, Cameron Sims and Robert Foster are just a few of the former hot-shot prospects vying for playing time.
It'd be much more interesting if true freshman Calvin Ridley were involved, too.
The 6'0", 170-pounder has sprinter speed, runs crisp routes and has hands like glue. What's more, he comes out of the same area that produced Cooper, as Drew Champlin of AL.com notes: "Signee Calvin Ridley gives Alabama another elite receiver from south Florida."
Since he won't get to campus until summer, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which Ridley is a starter right off the bat. He will earn playing time, though, and could evolve into a starter as the season progresses.
Georgia DT Trent Thompson
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Trent Thompson ended the 2015 cycle as the top high school prospect in the country, so why wouldn't we want to see him in spring practice?
The 6'3", 315-pounder is a perfect fit to play either nose or end in defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt's 3-4 scheme. He has the size to be a space-eater inside but is light on his feet and quick off the ball, and he is a matchup nightmare no matter where he lines up.
As head coach Mark Richt notes, via Logan Booker of Cox Media Group, Thompson may be nice off the field, but he's far from it between the stripes: "Trent Thompson is the nicest guy you will ever meet. But when he plays ball he gets after it."
Georgia lost Mike Thornton and Ray Drew from last year's defensive line, and even though he won't be in camp until summer, Thompson has a good chance of locking down one of those starting spots when toe meets leather against ULM.
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Texas A&M QB Kyler Murray
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There are several reasons we want to see Texas A&M quarterback signee Kyler Murray, most notably because it would signal a commit to college football over a potential Major League Baseball career.
Plus, it'd be nice to see what Murray is all about in head coach Kevin Sumlin's offense.
There's no doubt that incumbent starter Kyle Allen is the leader in the clubhouse to win the starting job, after Allen stepped in for Kenny Hill in the middle of last season, led his team to a road upset of Auburn and lit up West Virginia in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl with five total touchdowns.
But this is Kyler Murray—one of the brightest stars in the star-studded history of Texas high school football. He won three straight state titles at Allen High School, going undefeated as a starter and going down as one of the best—if not the best—quarterbacks in state history, as TexAgs.com notes: "Kyler Murray: 43-0, 3-time state champion, and the greatest Texas high school QB ever? YESSIR."
We just want to see him play college football in general, but it would be great if it could have happened this spring. Not only would it spice up the Texas A&M quarterback battle, but it would signal that Murray has chosen football over baseball.
Auburn DE Byron Cowart
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Auburn was one of the lightning rods of national signing day, as it earned a commitment from Byron Cowart and then waited nearly all day for his national letter of intent to come in.
It was worth the wait.
The 6'4", 250-pounder has the size and skills to be an every-down defensive end in Auburn's defense from the moment he steps foot on campus. What's more, new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp really needs Cowart to be an instant impact player for a defensive line that's in desperate need of developing a pass rush.
If Muschamp could pair Cowart up with redshirt sophomore defensive end Carl Lawson, who was recently cleared following last year's ACL injury, the primary question facing Auburn could be answered now, rather than lingering until fall camp.
Texas A&M DT Daylon Mack
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If you watched the Under Armour All-American Game in January, you already know this. But if you didn't, here's some breaking news: Daylon Mack is a monster. He lived in the backfield at the annual event in St. Petersburg, Florida, earning MVP honors in a loss.
The 6'1", 330-pounder is more than just a space-eater inside. He plays more like he's 220 pounds, sheds blocks with ease and will be an instant force along a defensive line at Texas A&M that is searching for consistency.
Can you imagine Mack joining defensive end star Myles Garrett this spring, which is John Chavis' first as the Aggies defensive coordinator?
It would not only help Chavis adjust to his new digs, but it would also give Aggies fans a glimpse of what could be one of the most surprising units in college football in 2015.
Missouri DT Terry Beckner, Jr.
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Speaking of defensive linemen who are ready to start from day one, meet Terry Beckner, Jr.—the next in line at "DL Zou."
The 6'4", 293-pounder is as much of a Sheldon Richardson clone as there is in the class of 2015, is quick off the ball, has violent hands and will make a living in the opposition's backfield early and often during his career in Columbia.
As defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski noted, via David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune, Beckner has been ready to make this jump for quite some time: "He looked like a grown man as a sophomore."
With Shane Ray and Markus Golden gone, somebody has to step up and be the focal point of the defensive line for the Tigers. It's going to be Beckner eventually, and a glimpse of the future would have been a welcome sight for Tigers fans.
Florida OT Martez Ivey
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Florida hit the jackpot when Martez Ivey signed on the dotted line with new head coach Jim McElwain. Unfortunately, McElwain will have to wait to make the deposit.
That's unfortunate because, as Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports notes, Florida needs healthy offensive linemen this spring. "#Gators have 8 scholarship linemen on roster right now. That's going to make spring football ... interesting - http://t.co/RNvHxLmW1i (VIP)."
Ivey will be a starter when the regular season begins—regardless of when he enrolls—but it would have been nice to see what he's capable of this spring in the new-look Gators offense. At 6'5", 275 pounds, Ivey is a better run-blocker than a pass-blocker and would benefit from 15 practices this spring learning with his new teammates.
As it stands, though, McElwain will have to wait for his new 5-star tackle, who will become the centerpiece of the offense for years to come.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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