SEC Football: Ranking the 10 Most Underrated Offensive Weapons
The SEC is loaded with offensive weapons. Not only are the stars of the conference among the best in the country, but even the guys not widely talked about can make big plays when given the ball.
In the SEC, opportunity, not ability, separates the best from the rest. The conference's "best of the rest," outside of the SEC, would be stars.
The "best of the rest," or the underrated guys, don't put up big numbers, but they make things happen when they're on the field.
The most underrated offensive guys, which I've discussed today, do it all: rushing, receiving, blocking. They make huge gains when they touch the ball, because defenses are too focused on shutting down the stars. When their teammates are double-covered, they're the beneficiaries.
With annual roster turnover in college football, underrated guys one year can be stars the next. Such players aren't included here; this list contains guys who'll be underrated in 2015 as well, for any number of reasons. Their value to their teams, while significant, won't go up.
Who are the 10 players in the SEC who best fit this description? Read on to find out.
10. Jalen Hurd, Tennessee
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Jalen Hurd is the last underrated player on this list, and that's why he takes the No. 10 spot. Overall, he's still underrated, and nothing in 2015 will happen to change this.
Butch Jones is building Tennessee into a program that nobody wants to play, and Hurd is one of many players who can make plays with the football in his hands.
Hurd's 225 plays from scrimmage in 2014 ranked second among players returning to the SEC in 2015. The rising sophomore is a running back, but he has the body of a wide receiver, and it surely helps him catch the ball. Hurd had 35 receptions for 221 yards (6.3 average) and two touchdowns in his debut season.
Only three of nine Volunteers to have at least 10 carries in 2014 return, so at first glance, it looks like Hurd will be a bigger part of the team's rushing attack. Tennessee has two additions to its 2015 roster who will keep Hurd from running more, though.
One is quarterback Josh Dobbs. Though Dobbs had 104 carries for 469 yards (4.5 average) and eight touchdowns last season, he only played in half of Tennessee's games. Now Dobbs is the full-time starter from day one, so his carries are sure to increase exponentially.
Another is running back Alvin Kamara. The one-time Alabama commit returns to the SEC after having a cup of coffee in junior college. Kamara was an elite high school player in the Class of 2013, and he's too good to leave off the field.
Tennessee also has a more advanced passing game right now. The Volunteers return nine of 10 players to have at least 10 receptions in 2014.
All of this means Hurd will do more this season when he gets the ball, and he might even get more touches, but he's not going to stand out among his teammates or some other SEC running backs.
9. Brandon Wilds, South Carolina
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Brandon Wilds should see a bump in production this season now that he's a senior, but the bump might not be as high as he anticipated. Wilds and sophomore David Williams are competing to be the top running back for South Carolina this offseason.
Mike Davis, the Gamecocks' leading offensive player in 2014, declared for the 2015 NFL draft. Quarterback Dylan Thompson isn't coming back, either. They combined for 266 carries last season. Wilds will get some of the leftover carries, but along with Williams, there are other players on the roster who will run the ball for South Carolina.
Wilds is underrated, because when he touched the ball in 2014, he was as effective as Davis. The two running backs had the same yards per play (5.8) last season; Wilds had 124 plays from scrimmage, while Davis had 231. CBSSports.com projects Davis as a third- or fourth-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
At the end of the day, Wilds hasn't gotten the ball enough to enter the conscious of most college football followers, and he won't in 2015, either.
8. Keon Hatcher, Arkansas
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Keon Hatcher wouldn't necessarily put up better receiving numbers in a more pass-oriented offense, but he's still underrated.
If you take away Georgia kicker Marshall Morgan's one run for 28 yards, then Hatcher led all SEC players in yards per carry in 2014.
Hatcher had five carries for 112 yards, which equates to a 22.4 average. Yes, Hatcher's 82-yard touchdown run bloats the numbers somewhat, but even without that, four carries for 30 yards equals a healthy 7.5 average.
Hatcher won't break out in 2015, because virtually all of Arkansas' offense from 2014 returns. Nine of the 12 Razorbacks with at least 10 plays from scrimmage return, headlined by running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, who each had over 200 touches.
Hatcher had 43 receptions to lead the team, but returning tight end Hunter Henry finished second with 37, so Hatcher isn't a clear No. 1 receiver.
Hatcher might grab more press in 2015, because Arkansas is trending up thanks to a four-win increase from 2013, but it'll be in proportion to the rest of his more deserving teammates.
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7. Cody Core, Ole Miss
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Looking at Ole Miss' 2014 stat sheet in a vacuum, you might think Cody Core was the team's best offensive player. In 2015, Core will return to being a good player, but not Ole Miss' best.
The Rebels will have a better offense this season. Quarterback Bo Wallace's departure is huge, but Ole Miss returns nine of its 13 players to have double-digit plays from scrimmage in 2014. All five offensive linemen return as well.
The biggest reason why Core won't progress statistically, though, is the return of Laquon Treadwell. In parts of nine games in 2014, Treadwell had 48 receptions for 632 yards (13.2 average) and five touchdowns.
Treadwell missed the final four games due to injury, but had he not gotten injured against Auburn, Treadwell would have been among the SEC leaders in receiving category totals. A fully healthy Treadwell will take catches away from Core.
This isn't all bad for Core, a rising senior, because he won't be among those whom opposing defenses must focus on. Therefore, Core will make much of his opportunities.
Core was dangerous whenever he touched the ball in 2014. As a receiver, he had 41 catches for 558 yards (13.6 average) and six touchdowns. He ran the ball four times for 86 yards as well. That 21.5 yards per carry wasn't inflated by one monster run, either; Core's rushes went for 30, 23, 20 and 13 yards. All of them were against SEC competition.
Don't expect Core to get the ball a lot for Ole Miss in 2015, but when he does, watch out.
6. Ricardo Louis, Auburn
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Even though so many key pieces of Auburn's 2014 offense have moved on, Ricardo Louis isn't going to become a star this season. Louis is, though, someone who has moved the ball up the field in all kinds of ways throughout his career.
Among the wide receivers, Duke Williams will see increased production from a strong 2014. As for the rushing attack, Louis actually is the returning rushing leader for Auburn, but the Tigers have natural running backs who will fill in for Cameron Artis-Payne and Nick Marshall.
Since Louis isn't someone opposing defenses will worry about as much, he'll get huge chunks of yards when he gets the ball.
Throughout his career, Louis has averaged a first down every time he touches the ball on offense. Catching, he has 52 receptions for 622 yards (12.0 average) and five touchdowns. Rushing, he has 39 carries for 420 yards (10.8 average) and one touchdown. In 2015, he'll continue to move the chains.
The man responsible for "The Prayer at Jordan-Hare" could replace Sammie Coates as Auburn's deep threat, but even so, Louis won't overtake Williams as the Tigers' most important pass-catcher.
5. Steven Scheu, Vanderbilt
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Despite playing on an awful Vanderbilt team, Steven Scheu made the AP All-SEC Second Team at tight end in 2014. An honor like this should make more people pay attention to Scheu in 2015, but that won't happen.
Scheu was Vanderbilt's leading receiver in 2014, and with four players having at least 65 pass attempts for the Commodores, the rising senior showed he can play in any situation.
The quarterback situation hasn't been solved yet, mainly because presumed starter Patton Robinette retired from football during spring practice, so Scheu will need to be the team leader yet again.
Scheu playing at Vanderbilt isn't the only reason why he's underrated.
Even though he's the team's best offensive player, his 39 plays from scrimmage trailed Dallas Rivers' 62 and Ralph Webb's 222 last season. Both Rivers and Webb were freshmen in 2014, so they're returning.
Also, Scheu's main rivals at tight end across the SEC are returning. Among them are Evan Engram of Ole Miss and Hunter Henry of Arkansas—both were All-SEC performers in 2014.
4. Demarcus Robinson, Florida
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If Jim McElwain can turn Florida's offense around in 2015, then Demarcus Robinson could be the most productive wide receiver in the conference. I've said before I think this will happen, but some major questions have to be answered first. In the meantime, Robinson remains underrated.
It's probably unfair to judge Robinson based on statistics from last season, because McElwain runs a completely different offense, but he's among the SEC's returning leaders from 2014 in the major receiving categories.
McElwain might not be able to turn the Gators offense into a national power just yet, but he'll take it out of the SEC's bottom-dwellers for certain, and that means Robinson will have more than the 54 catches he had in 2014.
Robinson's numbers only look so good as an SEC wide receiver, because some of the conference's best at the position were limited by injuries. Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss missed four games, and Duke Williams of Auburn missed two games, and both would have eclipsed Robinson statistically with full seasons. Those guys are back, and that pushes Robinson down the ladder.
Florida must also figure out who will be its quarterback for 2015. Treon Harris returns from the 2014 team, but Will Grier and Jacob Guy are competing for the starting job as well.
It's not as big a deal, considering the Gators changed so much on offense already, but it's just another reason Robinson hasn't entered the conversation of best potential wideouts in the SEC.
Robinson certainly has the talent to have a breakout season, as he was one of the nation's top wide receiver prospects in the ESPNU Class of 2013.
3. Russell Hansbrough, Missouri
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Missouri fans have watched Russell Hansbrough develop into a key player on the Tigers offense for three seasons now, but across the conference and nation, he isn't talked about much.
Since most of the great running backs in the SEC in 2014 are returning, Hansbrough again won't get much recognition for what has been a solid career.
Hansbrough quietly helped Missouri win the last two SEC East crowns. He led the team in rushing last season. In 2013, he was an effective runner behind Henry Josey. The rising senior enters 2015 with the fourth-most career rushing yards among active SEC players.
There's a possibility Hansbrough becomes a true feature back this season, but don't count on it. The top four receivers from last season have departed, including do-everything Marcus Murphy, but Missouri isn't starting over in the running game.
Maty Mauk, the team's quarterback and third-leading rusher in 2014, returns. So does Ish Witter, who should get many more carries now as a sophomore.
Hansbrough isn't a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2015, but a number of SEC running backs are, so that will keep him out of many conversations and thus make him underrated.
2. O.J. Howard, Alabama
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Changes are happening in O.J. Howard's life as far as football goes, but it's unlikely he'll immediately benefit from them.
The departures of Heisman finalist Amari Cooper and dual-threat quarterback Blake Sims mean the Alabama passing game will look much different. Wide receivers DeAndrew White and Christion Jones are also gone, which means the Crimson Tide don't have their top three receivers from 2014.
Howard is actually the team's leading returning receiver, but as a tight end, don't expect him to lead the Crimson Tide at season's end.
Speaking of tight ends, there's an exodus of the nation's best at the position from last season, but the SEC guys with more recognition than Howard return.
Evan Engram is the only one of the eight Mackey Award semifinalists from 2014 returning to college, but he plays for SEC rival Ole Miss. Hunter Henry of Arkansas and Steven Scheu of Vanderbilt also return.
Howard is underrated, because he's produced for Alabama when given the chance, and he has more untapped potential than perhaps any tight end in the country.
The rising junior was a 5-star prospect coming out of high school, and he's the top tight end prospect in the NFL Class of 2017. If Howard leaves early, then he could be a first-round pick in 2016.
1. Travin Dural, LSU
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Travin Dural could have entered the 2015 NFL draft, but he decided to return to LSU for his redshirt junior season. One might think Dural's return allows him to fill the shoes of the departed and get his underrated label removed, but that's not going to happen.
Dural is a game-breaker when he gets the ball, but thanks to circumstances he can't control, he doesn't get the ball enough to warrant LSU star status. What are these circumstances, you ask?
First, LSU doesn't throw often. In 2014, the Tigers attempted 21.2 passes per game, which ranked 120th of 128 FBS teams. Second, when LSU throws, it doesn't connect with receivers. The Tigers completed just 50.2 percent of their passes last season, which ranked 112nd in FBS.
Third, when LSU throws, it spreads the ball around. Dural's 37 receptions led the team last season, but four other Tigers had at least 14 receptions. Seven of the 13 Tigers to catch a pass in 2014—including four of the five with double-digit catches—return.
Though he's underrated in college, Dural will become better-known in the NFL. Dural is the fourth-rated wide receiver prospect in the Class of 2017, and some think he's good enough to be a first-round choice in the 2016 NFL draft.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
