SEC College Football 2011: 9 Players Poised To Breakout This Fall
With spring practice underway, there is a sense of hope and ascension in the air of college football. This time of year marks when many teams, players, coaches and fans all have great feelings for the upcoming season, as it marks the primetime for big aspirations of success.
With players, each of them is looking at the upcoming season as "their year" and they should be. In the SEC, there is a wealth of talent all around the conference, as always in every season. Some players are already well-known stars, while others are poised to breakout this year.
Let's take a look at nine players in the SEC who are poised to be big-time before the season is over.
8. Da'Rick Rogers, WR: Tennessee
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Rogers is a player I expect to make a big jump in 2011. He finished his freshman season after appearing in 11 games with 11 grabs for 170 yards and two scores. Rogers also rushed 16 times for another 101 yards.
At 6'3", 215 pounds, he is listed as a starter atop the Vols' depth chart now and Derek Dooley is looking for the sophomore to breakout this year.
Of course, Rogers' development coincides with the progress that QB Tyler Bray will make as their careers move forward together. Yet, they flash potential to become one of the deadliest QB/WR combos in the SEC.
7. Ronald Powell, DE: Florida
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In 2010, Powell was the No.1 overall recruit by many coming out of high school in Southern California. A super-athletic defensive end, he's 6'4", 250 pounds and has great play speed, quickness and strength.
Powell got his feet wet as a true freshman, appearing as a backup rusher and even lining up at outside linebacker on occasion. Yet with Florida hiring Bryant Young and Dan Quinn on defense, Powell should be primed for a breakout year.
Young is a former elite defensive lineman in the NFL who has worked his way up the coaching ladder, while Quinn was the defensive line coach for the Seahawks the past few years and will run the defense for the Gators in 2011.
6. Orson Charles, TE: Georgia
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Charles was a highly-touted recruit a few years back, as he showed flashes of either becoming a great receiver or bulking up to become a pure pass-catching tight end. Today, he stands 6'3" and is over 240 pounds and has flashed great playmaking abilities at Georgia in two seasons.
Last year, he took home 26 receptions and 422 yards, to go along with two touchdowns. With Aaron Murray now having a year of experience as a starter at QB, look for Charles' numbers to double.
The two were a dangerous tandem in high school, as they lit up defenses at powerhouse Plant High School in the Tampa, Florida area.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
5. Zach Mettenberger, QB: LSU
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Mettenberger originally was slated to be Charles' teammate at Georgia, as he signed with the Bulldogs out of high school. Yet he ran into some off-field issues and was dismissed before his redshirt freshman season was to begin.
Mettenberger took the JUCO route with Kansas JUCO powerhouse Butler CC. At 6'5", 245 pounds, Mettenberger was personally recruited by Les Miles and signed with LSU.
With Miles hiring Steve Kragthorpe to fix the Tigers' passing attack, and Jordan Jefferson being inconsistent for much of the 2010 season, Mettenberger is expected to win the starting QB job. That's fine, but I think he breaks out this year as he has a cannon arm and LSU has a wealth of talent around him.
Which leads to...
4. Rueben Randle and Russel Shepard, WR: LSU
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Both of these receivers are as talented as any in the SEC. Randle is a 6'4", 207-pound receiver with size, strength and speed. While Shepard is a 6'1", 190-pounder that is among the fastest players in the conference.
Shepard came to Baton Rouge as a QB but quickly realized his future was at receiver. Both players have had some success with the Tigers, but the passing game has been mediocre.
With Mettenberger at the helm, I expect the air attack to dramatically improve on the Bayou, with these being his top two targets.
3. Stephen Gilmore, CB: South Carolina
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Gilmore may already be known by some, but I think this year he really makes a claim as a serious prime player for the Thorpe award. He's 6'1", 195 pounds and is just a flat-out stud on the defensive flanks.
Gilmore can be left all by his lonesome on an island and mirror an opposing team's top receiver, and his big frame allows him to matchup well in press-man coverage. He's athletic enough to be effective in off-man and instinctive enough to factor in zone coverage as well.
Gilmore could be the 2011 version of Patrick Peterson.
2. Jesse Williams, DT: Alabama
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Last time the Tide signed a top-notch JUCO nose tackle, he became a rock star by the end of the season. Terrance Cody developed into a second-round pick of the Ravens and now Alabama has Jesse Williams in the fold.
At 6'4", 330 pounds, Williams is more athletic and quick than Cody was, and his game will be more about making plays than occupying blockers. Williams can play the nose or he can also play end in the Tide 30 front defense.
Whatever Nick Saban has him do, look for Williams to become one of the best defensive players in the SEC and for NFL scouts to take notice in 2011.
1. Tyler Wilson, QB: Arkansas
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Wilson filled in very admirably for Ryan Mallett when called upon in 2010. This is the reason why the Hogs will find themselves as a likely top 15 team to open the season, even though they lost a stud QB in Mallett.
At 6'3", 215 pounds, Wilson has patiently waited his turn and knows this is his moment. He has a great offensive mind and play-caller as his coach, in Bobby Petrino. Wilson knows the offense and has experience running it in critical situations.
I expect no growing pains nor a learning curve for Wilson in 2011, he's ready to go, and Razorback fans and coaches feel the same way.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
