SEC Football: Freshmen Who Will Explode in 2016
The college football world knows about established stars like LSU running back Leonard Fournette, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly and Florida defensive back Jalen Tabor.
There are more stars on the horizon.
There are several true freshmen and redshirt freshmen in the SEC who are stepping into situations that can help vault them into stardom in 2016.
Which freshmen will explode in 2016? Our picks based on talent, scheme and opportunity are in this slideshow.
Georgia Bulldogs: QB Jacob Eason
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Former 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason enrolled at Georgia in January as the unquestioned future of the football program under first-year head coach Kirby Smart.
Will the future be "now?"
Eason will have to beat out senior Greyson Lambert and junior Brice Ramsey to be the starting quarterback in Game 1 versus North Carolina. But even if he doesn't win the job outright during fall camp, he will own it by the time Smart and the Bulldogs begin preparation for a bowl trip in December.
It was clear when Eason trotted out onto the field during G-Day that he already earned the respect of his own teammates. Defensive backs took a few steps back, linebackers were on their heels and the Bulldog defense was clearly aware of what kind of threat Eason presented.
It's going to take more than that for him to win the job, but that's certainly enough to earn him snaps as a true freshman. When he gets those snaps, look out, because Eason will show exactly what made him one of the top prospects in the country in 2016.
He'll evolve into the starter in Athens this year, have plenty of moments that show why those stars were attached to his name and exit the season as one of the dark horses for the 2017 Heisman Trophy.
Ole Miss Rebels: OT Greg Little
2 of 10Whether it be through injuries or suspensions, offensive line turmoil has been a fact of life for Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze for the last two years.
Former 5-star tackle Greg Little is in Oxford to bring some stability.
The 6'5", 305-pound Texas native was the top offensive tackle in the country and is a near lock to follow the Laremy Tunsil plan and start as a true freshman at left tackle for the Rebels.
Little is ready.
A big man who can move, the combination of Tunsil evolving into a first-round pick and the possibility for early playing time for an SEC contender was too much for Little to pass up. He will lock down his side of the field, prove he can hang against a loaded defensive end class in the SEC this year and establish himself as one of the best tackles in the country in Year 1 in Oxford.
Mississippi State Bulldogs: LB Leo Lewis
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Leo Lewis was one of the stars of Mississippi State's 2015 recruiting class but took a redshirt in his first year in Starkville to learn the ropes.
That has set him up for stardom in 2016.
With an entirely new staff and a clear path to the starting spot at inside linebacker, Lewis shined for head coach Dan Mullen's crew in the spring game when he notched one pick and flew all over the field.
He has a veteran to help him evolve into a contributor in Richie Brown, should get help from the defensive front that includes Johnathan Calvin and should be one of the main reasons Mississippi State's hard-hitting defensive reputation stays intact despite roster and coaching turnover.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
South Carolina Gamecocks: QB Brandon McIlwain
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The path cleared this spring for South Carolina true freshman early enrollee Brandon McIlwain to state his case to be the starting quarterback for the Gamecocks in 2016.
He made a strong statement.
McIlwain, a dual-threat weapon from Pennsylvania, completed 19 of his 26 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns while adding another touchdown on the ground. He received so much playing time in his first spring game due to injuries to fellow quarterbacks Lorenzo Nunez and Perry Orth.
"One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity," first-year head coach Will Muschamp told Bleacher Report this spring. "He took advantage of the opportunity, and he took advantage of the reps and did an outstanding job."
Orth will be back from his collarbone injury during fall camp. Experience McIlwain gained this spring coupled with his ability to make plays on the ground will earn him the starting spot right out of the gate in Muschamp's first year in Columbia.
"He progressed and matured through spring," Muschamp said. "He's got a confidence about himself, and it needs to continue to grow and develop."
Auburn Tigers: WR Kyle Davis
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One of Auburn's biggest question marks heading into the 2016 season is at wide receiver, where senior Marcus Davis is the only established threat for head coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee.
True freshman Kyle Davis will change that.
The 6'2", 219-pounder from Loganville, Georgia, enrolled early while rehabbing a shoulder injury but should be good to go for fall camp. Once healthy, he'll prove he has everything it takes to be a true weapon in the Auburn offense.
With a body type like former Tigers wide receiver Sammie Coates and a big wingspan, Davis will be used in a variety of ways, including as a downfield threat and a possession receiver in an offense that desperately needs to find ways to move the chains.
Despite the relative inexperience up and down the depth chart at wide receiver, Auburn should be just fine with Marcus and Kyle Davis, along with veteran Tony Stevens and redshirt freshman Darius Slayton.
Alabama Crimson Tide: QB Blake Barnett
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For the third straight season, Alabama is immersed in an offseason quarterback battle that will last into fall camp.
Redshirt freshman Blake Barnett will be the eventual winner and will emerge as a national star in 2016.
The 6'5", 200-pound California native worked against one of the best defenses in the country as a member of the scout team last year, and he has the size and versatility to be a star in this offense coordinated by Lane Kiffin. He was reclassified as a pro-style quarterback from a dual-threat by 247Sports, which makes him a perfect option for Kiffin to blend elements from previous offenses led by former quarterbacks Jake Coker and Blake Sims.
He'll have to beat out Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Jalen Hurts for the job. But with USC looming in Week 1 and a trip to Ole Miss a couple of weeks later, Kiffin and head coach Nick Saban are almost forced to pull the trigger on naming a starter during fall camp rather than have it linger into the season, as has been the case during the previous two seasons.
Barnett will win the job, show more than just a few flashes of brilliance and keep the Crimson Tide as the favorite to win the SEC West.
Texas A&M Aggies: RB Trayveon Williams
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Texas A&M is set at running back with Keith Ford and James White likely splitting the primary back responsibilities. But head coach Kevin Sumlin needs a changeup back, and true freshman Trayveon Williams will likely be that guy.
The 5'9", 190-pound Houston native enrolled in classes this spring and already made his presence felt with 10 carries and four catches in the spring game.
As Brandon Wheeland of SECCountry.com noted on Twitter, Sumlin, new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and the rest of the staff are already high on Williams.
"@csmithSDS I like James White if he can stay healthy. Staff has been raving about Trayveon Williams since his arrival as early enrollee.
— Brandon Wheeland (@BrandonWheeland) April 12, 2016"
He won't be the starting running back in College Station this year, but he will be a big factor in the offense, hit a few home runs and take a ton of pressure off of graduate transfer quarterback Trevor Knight.
South Carolina Gamecocks: WR Bryan Edwards
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When first-year South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp released his pre-spring depth chart (via: The State), true freshman early enrollee Bryan Edwards was already listed as a first-teamer at wide receiver.
The Conway, South Carolina, native, who decommitted from the program during the coaching change only to recommit once Muschamp got the job, had three catches for 19 yards, including two touchdowns in his first spring game, and he is stepping into a situation that is littered with uncertainty.
"I think he's a talented guy, but he hasn't done it consistently in our league," Muschamp told Bleacher Report this spring. "We don't have another receiver that has. I think we have four other [total] starts at the position."
Because of the vast inexperience at wide receiver and the upside that Edwards, a 6'3", 205-pounder, brings to the table, expect him to become one of the focal points of the Gamecocks offense in Muschamp's first year with the program.
Florida Gators: WR Freddie Swain
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Florida needs some help at wide receiver, and former 4-star prospect Freddie Swain enrolled in January to help provide that help.
The 6'0", 180-pounder from Ocala, Florida, only had one catch for seven yards in the Orange & Blue Debut, but his combination of speed and quickness should allow head coach Jim McElwain to use him in a variety of ways in 2016.
"Early Entry Review: #Gators WR Freddie Swain brings quickness to UF's receiving corps - https://t.co/ZHou4iFYaZ pic.twitter.com/Y0AgSn3xAz
— Landon Watnick (@LandonWatnick) April 22, 2016"
Swain is more than a slot receiver. Like Christian Kirk last year for Texas A&M, Swain has fantastic route-running skills, will get to where he needs to be and has hands like glue. He'll be a major asset for McElwain as he breaks in a new starting quarterback.
Arkansas Razorbacks: RB Devwah Whaley
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Arkansas running back Devwah Whaley will have to contend with likely starter Rawleigh Williams and veteran Kody Walker for playing time in the Razorback backfield, but this is Arkansas.
Head coach Bret Bielema has made a career for himself by creating plenty of opportunities for multiple running backs at stops as Wisconsin and Arkansas' head coach.
Whaley might not be the No. 1—that will likely be Williams' role out of the gate—but he will still make a massive impact for a team that not only has a history of success with multiple running backs but also has questions in the downfield passing game.
"[Whaley] is one of the most impressive running backs that I've signed in my career," Bielema said during the post-spring SEC teleconference.
The combination of veterans to learn from, a proven system and the need for stability in the backfield will allow Whaley to have a big impact, even if he isn't the true No. 1 in Fayetteville.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
