The Next Big Things of the SEC
Posted on | March 28, 2011 | No Comments
Maybe Jesse Williams ate your baby...
The Next Big Things of the SEC
As we find ourselves watching the SEC dominate the first half of this years first round of the NFL Draft, the obvious question comes up. Who’s next? Anybody planning on playing Cam Newton? Who’s the next Marcus Lattimore? Well, as we find ourselves neck deep in spring ball, your humble host aims to answer this question.
Alabama: Recent defensive dominance in the era of the Crimson Tide started right in the middle of the Defensive Line. Terrence Cody was a great roadblock in their National Championship run. And when you have a native of Brisbane, Australia who has come to Tuscaloosa and impressed like this? Jesse Williams may be a roadblock and a half.
Arkansas: In the most Gus Malzahn game of Auburn’s run to the championship, the inside track to replace Ryan Mallett was won by Tyler Wilson. The Summer of Wilson doesn’t have near the same level of pop on the twitter. But if he is nearly as good as Auburn made him out to be? Arkansas will be scary good offensively again.
Auburn: It seems as if a good Auburn player cannot come without controversy during this recent run of play. Cam Newton’s dad got him a lot of money. Nick Fairley was a shoulder seperating, head hunting missile. And as we go into this year? We have Trovon Reed as the favorite to run routes opposite Emory Blake. He was supposed to be the WR Dyer last year. This year he gets his chance.
Florida: Now everybody will be riding Jeff Driskel as a potential next big thing, and that’s a fair premise. But for me? It’s Frankie Hammond Jr. I know the passing game was disgustingly bad last year. And I know that John Brantley may yet be throwing passes. But if the passing game is going to have success? Hammond will be the main beneficiary.
Georgia: If you’re wondering who’s going to be the next Michael Dyer or Marcus Lattimore, the man who has the best mix of skills and opportunity is Isaiah Crowell. King and Ealy didn’t show much last year. And the offensive line does have experience to go with it. Crowell could be the element that saves Mark Richt’s job.
Kentucky: This team is definitely a team in transition. Hartline, Locke, and Cobb are gone. Chris Matthews is gone. But La’Rod King showed an aptitude as a sophomore third receiver with a line 36-478-5. And there’s reason to believe he can show himself to be something more as he steps into a more prominent role.
LSU: Leave an SEC East school via a criminal controversy? Yep. Sign with a junior college power in the middle of nowhere? Yep. Bounce back to the SEC West with an easy road to a starting job and a chance at something more? Now Zach Mettenberger didn’t follow the Cam Newton playbook to the exact letter. But he’s got a chance at something great this year.
Mississippi State: In something not so much of a naked play of desperation? One of the linebacker questions seems to have been answered. Brandon Maye had a year where he garnered over 100 tackles for Clemson. But with a lack of playing time as well as graduation from the wannabe SEC school? Opportunity knocked in Starkville. May plans to answer.
Ole Miss: The best hope for a next big thing in Oxford is D.T. Shackleford. The guy who’s been playing locker room leader is going to find himself with an opportunity to see just how much of a Patrick Willis impression he can pull off. I would not be surprised to see him swing an impression that’s more than decent.
South Carolina: Lost in all the misadventures of Jadeveon Clowney and Bruce Ellington and this whole week is the fact that Devin Taylor has been getting to the quarterback with style and aplomb. And if Taylor’s getting to the quarterback? It means you cannot double Clowney. And that, as they say is grand.
Tennessee: There’s opportunity on the defensive side of the ball this year. But like Tyler Bray on the offensive side of the ball. Daryl Vereen was a defensive force in the latter half of the season. He’s emerged as a strong contributor of the defensive side of the ball. And he’s got a shot to be something real good.
Vanderbilt: I know I might be repeating myself here. But the fact of the matter is that Jordan Rodgers would have had a chance to show what he could have done last year if he didn’t get hurt. And while I don’t expect this to be a quality team. If Rodgers is even Eli Manning good? Vanderbilt could be in an interesting position.
Related posts:
- The “Little Ten” of the SEC
- SEC Against the Spread…Week 1
- Which SEC Teams Have The Best Chance of the National Championship?
- SEC Power Poll (Week 13)
- A Breakdown of the 2011 SEC Schedule
Tags: Daryl Vereen > Devin taylor > Isaiah Crowell > Jesse Williams > Jordan Rodgers > Next Big Things > Rosin > Zach Mettenberger
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