College Football 2011 Preview: The Top 30 Players in the SEC
Auburn showed once again where the power lies in college football. Back in January, the Tigers claimed the conference’s fifth straight national championship with a win over Oregon out in Glendale, Arizona.
Think about that. There have been five official BCS national championship games, and each time, an SEC team has claimed the crown as the country’s best.
For all those kooky folks who like to say that the SEC is overrated and just a product of the ESPN hype machine, sorry, you can't argue with those results.
At this point, college football has turned into the SEC and the also-rans.
It’s where the recruits want to go, where the pros are produced and where the trophies always seem to end up.
Yes, they know what they’re doing down there when it comes to the game of football.
The conference loses a host of stars once again, but have no worries, as always, the teams are ready to reload.
Let’s have a look at some of the big names that will be roaming around the SEC in 2011.
1. WR Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
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With A.J. Green and Julio Jones off to the NFL, it's now time for a new it receiver to emerge in the SEC.
That player is South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.
Jeffery, who statically bested every other receiver in the conference last season, is finally eligible for the NFL draft, meaning it's time he snags the same type of fanfare that Jones and Green received in 2010.
The 6'4'', 230 lb. junior, who hauled in 88 passes for over 1,500 yards last season, was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award in 2010, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him take home the trophy this year.
2. RB Knile Davis, Arkansas
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Much was made of the Arkansas passing offense, which accounted for over 4,300 yards and 36 TDs last season, however, the Razorbacks were far from one dimensional.
Last year, RB Knile Davis ended up finishing second in the SEC with over 1,300 yards on the ground and proved to be the slashing big play threat that the Razorbacks' running game needed.
The 6'0'', 220 lb. junior, who averaged nearly 6.5 yards per carry in 2010, has a rare combination of power and speed and looks like he will be on the most coveted NFL running back prospects in his class.
3. RB Trent Richardson, Alabama
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Mark Ingram Jr., Alabama's first Heisman winner, made the not-so-surprising decision to leave school for the NFL.
Ingram’s early departure now opens the door for Trent Richardson to officially become the man of the Tide backfield.
The well sculpted 5’11’’, 220 lb. ball of muscle already has quite a reputation around the country, and there were even a few fans that felt it was Richardson who was actually the best back on the team.
The powerful junior rushed for over 700 yards in each of his first two seasons even though he had to defer a lot of carries.
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4. CB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
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It certainly hasn’t been an offseason to remember for Janoris Jenkins.
After announcing his surprising decision to return to Gainesville for his senior season, Jenkins became the latest Gator to feel the wrath of the law when he was cited for marijuana possession in January.
On top of that, a lingering shoulder injury that cost Jenkins the chance to play in an Outback Bowl victory over Penn State has kept the Gator corner from competing in spring practices.
If Jenkins, one of the most coveted senior pro prospects, can put his troubles behind him, he should once again be one of the best defensive performers in the SEC this season.
5. OG Barrett Jones, Alabama
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Alabama's offensive line looks like it will be one of the nation's best units this season, as the Tide return four starters from a year ago.
Center William Vlachos and tackle D.J. Fluker are two of the best players at their position in all of college football, but when it comes to determining who the best of the bunch is, there's no doubt it's guard Barrett Jones.
Jones, who earned freshman All-American honors in 2009, looks to be the conference's premier player in the trenches in 2011.
The 6'5'', 310 lb. junior missed the final two games of the regular season with an injury, but he was dominant the rest of the year.
6. DE Devin Taylor, South Carolina
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Incoming 5-star recruit Jadeveon Clowney, one of the most highly-touted freshman in recent memory, will be the talk of Columbia this offseason. Hopefully though, Gamecock fans won’t forget that they already have a proven star at the the defensive end position in Devin Taylor.
Taylor enjoyed a breakout campaign last year, racking up 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss while demonstrating that he’s one of the most athletic and skilled pass rushers in the country.
The 6’7’’, 250 lb. junior is a quiet, humble, budding star, who lets his play do all of his talking.
7. LB Dannny Trevathan, Kentucky
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The Kentucky offense will have to do some serious work trying to replace the consistent production of departing RB Derrick Locke and WR Randall Cobb, but luckily for head coach Joker Phillips, his defense returns most of its key players.
The team's top overall player is LB Danny Trevathan, who seriously flirted with entering the NFL Draft in January.
Trevathan, a 6'1'', 225 lb. senior, led the SEC with with 144 tackles last season.
Although he's a bit undersized, Trevathan has the instincts and hustle to be a thorn in any opposing offense's side.
8. RB Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina
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We knew Marcus Lattimore was going to be good, all you had to do was watch a few of the 5-star recruit's runs from his days at South Carolina's Byrnes High School to see that. Yet, not many could have predicted he would be this good, this quickly.
Lattimore came in as a freshman and instantly injected life into South Carolina's offense in 2010 and turned out to be the workhorse back that Steve Spurrier's team needed to take that next step.
Lattimore carried the rock 248 times in 2010, accumulating nearly 1,200 yards on the ground and finding his way to the end zone 19 times.
After spending the offseason in the weight room, adding 15 pounds of muscle, it should be interesting to see what the star sophomore does for an encore.
9. QB Aaron Murray, Georgia
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Saying the SEC lacks a lot of elite quarterback going into this season is an epic understatement. There definitely isn't a lot of greatness at the position this year, but one QB who looks like he has a chance to be something special is Georgia's Aaron Murray.
After an up-and-down campaign that saw the Bulldogs finish with a less than stellar 6-7 record, Murray now comes into his sophomore season with a much needed year of experience under his belt.
Murray, who threw for over 3,000 yards and 24 TDs in 2010, will miss star receiver A.J. Green, but he has some nice returning targets in TE Orson Charles and WR Tavarres King.
10. WR Greg Childs, Arkansas
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New Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson is already starting to gain some buzz as he tries to replace the big-armed Ryan Mallett as the leader of Bobby Petrino’s high flying offense.
Wilson, who could turn out to be a hidden gem, will have the benefit of throwing to one of the nation’s best receiving trios this season.
WR Greg Childs is the leader of that pack, which also includes productive seniors Jarius Wright and Joe Adams.
Childs, a well-built 6’3’’, 215 lb. senior, finshed the 2010 season with over 650 yards receiving and six touchdown catches even though he missed the final five games of the year with a knee injury.
If Childs comes back fully healthy, he should be one of the top receiver prospects in the 2012 NFL draft class.
11. CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
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There’s no hiding the fact that the South Carolina secondary struggled last season, finishing 10th in the SEC in pass defense. However, you can’t blame the problems in the back end on cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Gilmore, who has started every game at corner since arriving in Columbia, performed at a high level throughout the 2010 season, earning First Team All-SEC honors.
The 6’1’’, 190 lb. junior finished the year with three interceptions and 79 tackles, cementing himself as one of the top defensive backs in all of college football.
12. S Mark Barron, Alabama
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Last year, Alabama safety Mark Barron had to endure the burden of being the leader of a defense that started nine new faces.
It was a role that Barron naturally thrived in.
Even though the 6’2’’, 210 lb. senior made a few miscues and misreads on crucial pass plays in losses to South Carolina and Auburn, he ended up having another solid season as a whole, leading the Tide with 75 tackles.
Barron will once again team with emerging star Robert Lester to form one of the country’s fiercest safety duos.
13. LB Jelani Jenkins, Florida
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The other Jenkins on the Florida defense may not have the national notoriety of his cornerback counterpart, but he's going to play just as an important role for the Gators in 2011.
Jenkins, who plays the game like a cruise missile, is the team's leading returning tackler after tallying 76 stops in 2010.
The 6'1'', 225 lb. sophomore will team with Jon Bostic to give Florida one of the best linebacker duos in not only the SEC, but the entire country, this season.
14. RB Michael Dyer, Auburn
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As the curtain draws on the sensational yet short-lived Cam Newton show, Auburn will seemingly have to head back to the drawing board and reshape a team that will look vastly different from last year’s title winner.
Luckily for Tiger fans, they’ll have a new offensive star to cheer for in 2011.
RB Michael Dyer, who came up with the most crucial and memorable run in the national championship game, is back after an eye opening arrival last year.
Dyer, a former 5-star recruit, thrived in Gus Malzahn’s unorthodox offensive system, rushing for over 1,000 yards on just 182 touches.
Expect Dyer to be the go to offensive weapon for Auburn this season as they try to break in Newton’s successor.
15. LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
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If I were a defensive coordinator who was given the opportunity to build the perfect linebacker specimen from scratch, I would construct a player that looked remarkably similar to Alabama's Courtney Upshaw.
Upshaw, who led Alabama with seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last season, has just about every trait you would want in a linebacker. He can rush the passer and penetrate the backfield better than most players in college.
The 6'2'', 265 lb. senior is a perfect fit in Alabama's 3-4 defense, and he should continue to be an impact player in 2011.
16. DE Jake Bequette, Arkansas
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This year's Ryan Kerrigan?
Like Kerrigan, what Jake Bequette lacks in pure athleticism, he makes up for with his hard-nosed, bring your lunch pail type of attitude.
The 6'5'', 270 lb. senior finished the 2010 season with seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, and he should be one of the SEC's most feared defensive linemen this season.
17. CB Corey Broomfield, Mississippi State
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Mississippi State is one of those sneaky teams that seem to be lying, waiting and ready to pounce this season. The Bulldogs have been gradually improving each season under third-year coach Dan Mullen, and this could be the year they really make some noise.
In order for Mississippi State to be successful, one group that will have to continue to evolve and progress is the defensive secondary, which ranked ninth in the the SEC in pass defense last year.
Luckily for the Bulldogs, they have a star in the making in CB Corey Broomfield.
Broomfield, a 5’10’’, 180 lb. junior, has picked off nine passes over the last two seasons, and he's been one of the conference's most consistent corners.
18. S Robert Lester, Alabama
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In his first season playing major minutes for Alabama, Robert Lester turned out to be a revelation for the Tide, leading the SEC with eight interceptions.
In just one season as a starter, Lester showed that he has the special playmaker gene it takes to be one of the elite players in the conference.
The 6'2'', 205 lb. Alabama native will team with mentor Mark Barron to give head coach Nick Saban a safety tandem that's worth getting excited about.
19. LB Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
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If you're looking for the deepest linebacker corps in college football, all you have to do is head down to Tuscaloosa.
Alabama has five linebackers who could start for pretty much any team in America, and one of the best is the versatile Dont'a Hightower—an intimidating physical force.
Hightower slowly gained back his form last year after missing most of the 2009 season with a knee injury.
The 6'4'', 260 lb. junior finished second on the team with 69 stops and now looks ready to take his game to the next level.
20. RB Jeff Demps, Florida
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It should be interesting to see how the Florida offense looks now that new coordinator Charlie Weis is at the helm.
While Weis’ pro scheme may not exactly play to the strengths of college football’s fastest player, RB Jeff Demps, something tells me the offensive staff will figure out how to properly utilize the super speedster.
Demps, who averaged six yards per carry in 2010, is a big play waiting to happen, and he's the type of threat who will keep opposing defenses on their toes.
21. CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
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If there’s one thing Alabama coach Nick Saban knows how to do, it’s mold talented defensive backs. It’s his specialty.
Saban might have one of the most talented secondaries of his career in 2011, and one of the marquee faces of that group is CB Dre Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick, a 6’3’’, 190 lb. junior, took a major step forward in his first season as a starter after enduring a few early struggles.
Alabama has the benefit of a cornerback duo, comprised of Kirkpatrick and sophomore Dee Milliner, that should be one of the best in the SEC this year.
22. WR Rueben Randle, LSU
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Dear Rueben Randle, we’re waiting!
It’s your junior season, time to put up or shut up.
This is the year when Randle, who arrived in Baton Rouge amid great fanfare, will either become the next SEC great or just another Terrence Toliver/Demetrius Byrd.
Randle has as much god given talent as any receiver in college football, but his 33 catches last season doesn’t back that up.
Yes, the quarterback play was inconsistent, but time is running out for Randle to prove his greatness to the college football world.
23. OG Cordy Glenn, Georgia
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I’ll say it now, watch out for the Georgia offensive line in 2011.
Tackle Trinton Sturdivant and center Ben Jones are two talented linemen, but the real player to watch in the trenches is Cordy Glenn, who will make the move to right tackle this season.
Glenn, a 6’5’’ 320 lb. senior, has NFL potential and should be a rock on the right side for the Bulldogs this year.
Reinstated running back Washaun Ealey, along with the rest of his backfield colleagues, should have plenty of room to run behind Glenn and company.
24. CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
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LSU loses their three big defensive leaders from a year ago, CB Patrick Peterson, LB Kelvin Sheppard and DT Drake Nevis, which means some of the young faces from last year’s group will be counted on to step up in a big way in 2011.
One of the players that could help ease the loss of a guy like Patrick Peterson is sophomore CB Tyrann Mathieu.
Mathieu is a talented young player who learned a lot as a freshman in 2010 and flashed the type of ability that should calm the anxiety of LSU fans who are worried about the loss of Peterson.
Mathieu and Morris Claiborne are a couple of formidable corners who have what it takes to compete on an SEC contender.
25. WR Marquis Maze, Alabama
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Marquis Maze will have some big cleats to fill as he attempts to take over for the departed Julio Jones, one of the most imposing physical freaks that we’ve seen in college football in years.
The 5’10’’ Maze is nowhere near as big as Jones, but he does have the speed and the skills to make up for it.
Maze, who averaged 14 yards per catch in 2010, will join Jones in the NFL after next season, but first he has to fill the role of go-to option for new quarterback A.J. McCarron.
26. RB Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss
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Say hello to the SEC’s best kept secret—Brandon Bolden.
The Ole Miss RB is an underrated talent who didn’t receive anywhere near the publicity he deserved playing on a four win team last season.
Bolden, a 5’11’’, 215 lb. senior, averaged six yards per carry and scored 17 touchdowns in 2010 and will once again be the most important player on the Mississippi roster this season.
The senior running back class has no real clear-cut top dog going into 2011, but Bolden is definitely in the conversation.
27. OG Larry Warford, Kentucky
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The Kentucky offense may have to find a whole slew of new faces at the skill positions, but thankfully, they will have four returning starters up front to help ease the transition.
The leader of the group is offensive guard Larry Warford.
Warford, a 6’3’’, 330 lb. junior, is a tremendously strong run blocker who has a knack for opening up gigantic running lanes.
28. CB Brandon Boykin, Georgia
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Brandon Boykin could have joined his fellow underclassmen cornerbacks and hopped on the early NFL declaration train this past January, but instead, he made the wise decision to return to Georgia.
Boykin, who had a junior year that admittedly wasn’t as good as it should have been, will play on Sundays soon, but he’s still got a little more developing to do down in Athens first.
The 5’10’’, 185 lb. senior is one of the most athletically-gifted defensive backs in the country but he’s still a little rough around the edges at this point.
29. LB Jerry Franklin, Arkansas
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The Arkansas offense may have run like a well-oiled machine last year, but it was the defense which turned out to be the real reason the Razorbacks made a run to the the Sugar Bowl.
Arkansas finished fifth in the SEC in total defense in 2010, and the leader of that group was LB Jerry Franklin, who led the team with 95 tackles.
Franklin may not be the kind of linebacker that the NFL scouts will fall in love with, but the 6’1’’, 240 lb. senior is the type of player who can will a defense to success game in and game out.
30. C T.J. Johnson, South Carolina
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There are plenty of quality centers to be found in the SEC this season.
Guys like William Vlachos of Alabama, Patrick Lonergan of LSU and Ben Jones of Georgia are some of the best centers in America, but none of them can compare to South Carolina's T.J. Johnson.
Johnson, a 6'4'', 315 lb. senior, earned first team All-SEC honors in 2010 and will once again be the anchor for the South Carolina offensive line this season.
Honorable Mention: Offense
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QB Tyler Bray, Tennessee
RB Vick Ballard, Mississippi State
OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee
TE Orson Charles, Georgia
WR Joe Adams, Arkansas
RB Tauren Poole, Tennessee
OT Alex Hurst, LSU
WR Deonte Thompson, Florida
QB Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
WR Emory Blake, Auburn
WR Chad Bumphis, Mississippi State
RB Washaun Ealey, Georgia
QB Stephen Garcia, South Carolina
Honorable Mention: Defense
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DT Jaye Howard, Florida
DE Sam Montgomery, LSU
LB Chris Marve, Vanderbilt
LB C.J. Mosely, Alabama
S Baccari Rambo, Georgia
DT Malik Jackson, Tennessee
CB Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt
DT Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
DE Nosa Eguae, Auburn
LB Ryan Baker, LSU
DE Tenarius Wright, Arkansas
LB Jonathan Bostic, Florida
DT Josh Boyd, Mississippi State
S DeVonte Holloman, South Carolina
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