ESPN College Football

ATLANTA -- Don't be fooled by Alabama coach Nick Saban's love for pounding opposing defenses with a powerful running game. The man would like to air it out a little more.

But when you have bruising running backs like Glen Coffee, Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, it's tough not to just hand them the rock and watch them hurt people.

However, those backs are gone, and while heir to the running back throne Eddie Lacy appears more than capable of running down defenders' throats, Saban now has more of the pieces in place to get a little more vertical in his attack on defenses.

"I feel like you gotta do on offense what you have the players to do," Saban said in Atlanta Thursday during his second stop on the Crimson Caravan. "Now … we have a quarterback that I think is very capable, as long as he makes good decisions and judgments in terms of how he distributes the ball and doesn't turn it over."

That quarterback is redshirt junior AJ McCarron, who was named offensive MVP of the Allstate BCS National Championship Game and finished the 2011 season ranking third in the SEC in passing.

McCarron has all the tools to be a real star in the SEC, but he rarely looked flashy in his first year as a starter. He managed the game like his coach asked him to. There were times where he let it rip (the national title game rings a bell and so does the second half of the Tennessee game), but for the most part his job was to limit mistakes and lead the offense.

But with a year under his belt and a little more maturity (on and off the field), McCarron could be in store for a much more pass-friendly fall. Still, Saban wants his talented signal caller to refrain from trying to be a hero; something that hurt him at times last season.

"I still think that AJ has got to stay in the structure of the offense in terms of taking what the defense gives," Saban said. "You can't force plays. You can't try to make plays that aren't there. You gotta have patience and I think that's going to be the key to him being successful.

"He can make throws, it's just continuing to make the right ones."

Yeldon's broken hand
Many were impressed by true freshman running back T.J. Yeldon after he totaled 179 yards (88 rushing, 91 receiving), including a 50-yard touchdown reception, in Alabama's spring game.

What might be more impressive is that he did that with a broken hand, an injury he suffered after falling early in spring practice.

"He practiced all spring with that cast on," Saban said.

Saban added that the injury was "very similar" to the one receiver Julio Jones suffered two years ago.

Duron Carter update
Nothing has really changed for the enigmatic wide receiver who transferred to Alabama last April. He was suspended for all of spring practice and Saban said Thursday that Carter has done nothing to get out of his coach's doghouse.

Saban wasn't sure if Carter would return to the team this fall or anytime soon.

"That's up to Duron Carter," he said. "It's really not up to me. If he does what he's supposed to do, he may have an opportunity to get back out there. If he doesn't, he won't. I guess you need to ask him that."

Saban visits DeAndrew White
Before Saban hopped on a plane to see President Obama at the White House, he visited wide receiver DeAndrew White, who was hospitalized after an altercation early Thursday.

Saban wasn't sure how White was involved in the fight, but said that he didn't expect any "long-term issues" from White's injury.

He also said that more players were out when Carter was, but added that the players didn't break rules because Alabama doesn't have a curfew for its players. He was, however, upset that they were out late.

"I'm always disappointed when anything happens to a player after 12 o'clock," he said. "And the players know that."

Trophy case solved
The culprit behind Alabama's shattered 2011 BCS Championship trophy has come clean. Carson Tinker's father, Carleton Tinker, was the last person to touch the Waterford crystal football before it fell to the floor.

"I'm not really sure how the thing fell off," Carleton Tinker told ESPN's Ivan Maisel.

For more on Carleton Tinker's tragic trophy story, read here.

Spring is a time for renewal. In college football, spring is also the time to look ahead to fall and the upcoming season. Saturday, Alabama holds its annual Golden Flake A-Day Game (ESPN3, 3 ET), which will give its fans a first look at the defending national champions.

Alabama captured its record-breaking ninth national championship of the major poll era in January. Once again, the Crimson Tide are expected to be one of the best teams in the country in 2012. But the Tide have been here before. Will history repeat?

In 2010, Alabama was preseason No. 1 in both The Associated Press and Coaches polls with 11 combined offensive and defensive starters returning from the team that had won the 2009 national title. The problem was the retention breakdown. Bama lost eight starters from a defense that allowed the second-fewest yards (244.1) and points (11.7) per game in the bowl subdivision. With quarterback Greg McElroy, the running back tandem of Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, and receiver Julio Jones, the belief was that the Tide would score points and win games with their offense, while buying enough time for their defense to jell.

However, all did not go as planned. The defense allowed slightly more PPG than in 2009 (13.5 in 2010, 11.7 in 2009). The Tide allowed more plays of 20-plus yards (13) in 2010 than it did in 2009 (7). They also blew a 24-point lead in a loss to rival and eventual national champion Auburn in the regular-season finale, the biggest collapse in Alabama’s storied history. That was one of three losses for the Tide that season.

Like in 2010, this Alabama team has a quarterback returning for his second season as a starter (AJ McCarron), along with a strong running back (Eddie Lacy). Also like the 2010 team, the Tide will lose several starters on defense including four likely first-round picks (cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, linebacker/defensive end Courtney Upshaw, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, and safety Mark Barron).

So how good will Alabama be in 2012? History suggests the Tide will be one of the best teams in college football, but not good enough to win a second straight national championship. Just like 2010.

Newcomers come in all shapes and sizes.

There are freshmen newcomers, junior college transfers and regular transfers. Regardless, they all come in with the expectations of playing immediately. JUCO standouts and transfers maybe more so than rookies, but the days of automatically redshirting true freshmen are over. Like, dead.

Last year, the SEC saw a few newcomers make immediate impacts. A great example is Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, who transferred from USC back in 2010, but didn't play until last fall. All he did was lead the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss. There was Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith, who came from the JUCO ranks to be one of the Hogs' most productive linebackers.

Freshman Isaiah Crowell had an up-and-down season, but was sixth in the SEC rushing, and was named the SEC's freshman of the year. His classmate, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, wasn't too bad, either. You also can't forget about South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who was seventh in the SEC with eight sacks.

So, as spring practice begins to wind down around the conference, we're taking a look at five newcomers to keep an eye on in 2012. Some are on campuses, some aren't. Some are obvious choices, and you could be surprised by a couple. Top newcomers can be top league players, or players who will make big impacts on their teams at a position of need.

We're going in alphabetical order, so here's our list:

• Denico Autry, DE, JUCO, Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are looking to replace Sean Ferguson at one of the defensive line spots, and Autry was brought in to do just that. The coaches have been extremely impressed with how the former East Mississippi Community College standout has looked in spring practice. People around the program have simply described Autry as a "beast," and the thought is that he'll enter the fall starting at one of the end spots.
• Travell Dixon, CB, JUCO, Alabama: Dixon has had a pretty successful spring, and has had the honor of playing at Alabama's "star" (nickel) cornerback spot. That shows you just how much coach Nick Saban respects Dixon's game. Saban usually puts his most complete defensive backs at the star. That's where Javier Arenas played, and DeQuan Menzie after him. With Alabama losing Menzie and Dre Kirkpatrick at cornerback, Dixon has a chance to come in and start immediately.
• Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Fr., Missouri: It was hard to find another 2012 recruit who received the attention that Green-Beckham did. He has drawn comparisons to A.J. Green, Julio Jones, and Calvin Johnson. That's pretty good company, and Missouri is expecting DGB to contribute immediately. DGB stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds, making him a huge, physical target for quarterback James Franklin. DGB might arrive this summer as Missouri's most talented receiver. It also helps that he has top speed, and could be the deep threat that Missouri's offense needs.
• Latroy Pittman, WR, Fr., Florida: Haven't heard of him? Don't worry, not many have. Pittman committed to Florida so long before national signing day, his recruitment wasn't too exciting or noticeable. However, Pittman, who was ranked the No. 24 wide receiver by ESPN recruiting services, has been very productive in spring practice. He isn't the fastest receiver, but with Florida struggling to find a true go-to receiving target, Pittman has really shined by being one of the Gators' most consistent receivers this spring. Word around Florida's program is that Pittman will definitely see playing time this fall. Receiver is wide open in Gainesville, so Pittman could play his way into quality time.
• Shaq Roland, WR, Fr., South Carolina: With Alshon Jeffery gone, South Carolina is searching for a wide receiver to step up and become a primary target for quarterback Connor Shaw. Right now, Ace Sanders and Bruce Ellington will get the first shots, but a lot of players at the position are pretty unproven. Roland was one of the top high school receiving targets last year, and has the playmaking ability that could really spark the Gamecocks' passing game. Roland could be a deep threat or make plays over the middle. He wasn't afraid of contact in high school, and that mentality should carry over to the college level. Adding some weight will be key, but coach Steve Spurrier should have fun working him into the offense.

From the moment Dorial Green-Beckham put that black-and-yellow Missouri ball cap on his head, the expectations for him at Missouri went through the roof.

Actually, the former Springfield, Mo., Hillcrest High star probably would have had relatively high expectations no matter where he signed. He's a special talent, who caught 119 passes for 2,233 yards and 24 touchdowns as a high school senior. The No. 1 receiver prospect stands 6 feet 6 inches and weighs 220 pounds, making him an ideal target for any quarterback in any type of offense. And even with his size, he still has the speed to be a legit deep threat at the college level.

Stop drooling James Franklin. You'll get to start working with him before you know it.

But will DGB be a star on the field from the word "go?" Will he immediately be that top-flight receiving threat that Missouri is still searching for in its offense? Will he take the SEC East by storm and help propel the Tigers toward the top of the division?

The hype machine says yes and he should benefit from having Franklin as his quarterback and being able to learn from vets, like T.J. Moe, who was Missouri's leading receiver last year, and Marcus Lucas, who emerged as a top receiving threat for the Tigers in 2011. However, he's never played on the level of the SEC or seen anything like what he'll see from SEC defenses.

Still, if DGB can nail Missouri's playbook down early and get pretty comfy in the Tigers' offense during the offseason, he could move from watcher to doer very quickly next season.

With his measurables and skill set, DGB could be a very special player in this league and if recent history is an indicator, he could very well make that immediate impact that Mizzou fans expect him to.

We don't have to go far to see success from rookie receivers in this league. Just last season Georgia's Malcolm Mitchell proved to be the Bulldogs' most talented pass catcher. He led Georgia, and was fourth in the SEC, in receiving, hauling in 45 passes for 665 yards and four touchdowns. He did that only playing 11 games, as a hamstring injury cut into his playing time during the middle part of the season.

There was also LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., who was second on the team in receiving and grabbed 41 catches as a frosh. Ole Miss' Donte Moncrief and Vanderbilt's Chris Boyd also made big impacts in their respective offenses, as Moncrief led the Rebels in receiving and Boyd led the Commodores with eight touchdown receptions.

Over the years, we've seen other freshmen come in and make their presences well known in passing games. Percy Harvin was one of the most exciting players to watch in 2006 at both a wide receiver and a running back, as he registered 855 total yards of offense and five touchdowns for Florida. In 2009, SEC All-Freshman mates Alshon Jeffery and Chad Bumphis led their schools in receptions and yards.

And who could forget what A.J. Green did at Georgia and what Julio Jones did at Alabama in their first seasons? Both could have just jumped to the NFL at the end of the seasons if they were allowed to. Coincidentally, DGB is being compared to both, so that's nice.

We've only seen a glimpse of what DGB can do as a football player and if the experts are correct, he has a bright future ahead of him. And Mizzou's faithful is hoping he can have the early success of some of those receivers who have come before him in this league.

There won’t be many questions at quarterback heading into next season for Alabama, not with the way AJ McCarron played in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

Granted, he’ll have a new offensive coordinator in Doug Nussmeier, but McCarron has all the physical tools, and now the experience, to be one of the SEC’s top players in 2012.

The questions will revolve around who he’s going to throw the ball to with Alabama’s top four pass-catchers from a year ago gone.

Kevin Norwood and Kenny Bell will both be juniors next season, and Norwood, in particular, made a strong case in the national championship game that he can be a go-to guy next season. He led the Crimson Tide with 78 receiving yards on four catches and made an acrobatic grab over LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu.

What Alabama was missing this past season was that big, physical receiver who could go over the middle and keep the chains moving on key third-down plays. Obviously, Julio Jones was that guy in the past, and he was also an explosive big-play threat.

It’s premature to think that anybody is ready to fill his shoes, but the wild card next season is Duron Carter. He wasn’t eligible to play this season and redshirted, but wowed more than once in practice with his ability to go get the football. The 6-4, 210-pound Carter figures to make an immediate impact next season as long as there are no more snags with his eligibility. This will undoubtedly be a big spring for him.

Two other guys poised to make big moves next season are DeAndrew White and Christion Jones, both of whom will be sophomores.

White has great speed and quickness, while Jones filled in for Marquis Maze during the championship game on punt returns after Maze was injured and showcased his burst in the open field. The Alabama coaches feel that both White and Jones have big upsides.

This signing class features three highly-rated receiver prospects, and two are already enrolled in school and will go through spring practice — Chris Black of Jacksonville, Fla., and Amari Cooper of Miami. Both are ESPNU 150 prospects and ranked among the top seven receiver prospects in the country by ESPN.

The other guy the Alabama coaches can’t wait to get on campus is Eddie Williams of Panama City, Fla. The 6-4, 210-pound Williams is ranked by ESPN as the No. 2 athlete in the country. He could play a number of different positions in college, but it sounds like receiver is where he’ll land at Alabama.

So while nobody is returning on Alabama’s roster that caught more than 17 passes or two touchdowns in 2011, the Crimson Tide aren’t exactly hurting at receiver.

Experience could be an issue, but talent won’t.

Our recruiting folks at ESPN have gone back and re-visited the 2008 signing class and assessed how the marquee prospects in that class fared in college.

It’s one of my favorite exercises, because it’s a reminder that recruiting is anything but an exact science, and that evaluating recruiting classes and prospects on signing day is a dicey proposition.

Everybody is trying to recruit great players, but what matters is what you do with those players once you get them on your campus.

Of the 25 top prospects in the 2008 class, seven signed with SEC schools.

No. 2 on that list was Julio Jones. No. 5 was A.J. Green, and No. 8 was Patrick Peterson.

I’d say the analysts got those three right. They were all great players who earned numerous awards and accolades, and all three were taken among the top six picks in last year’s NFL draft.

But for every Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson, there’s a Will Hill, Dee Finley, Chancey Aghayere and Burton Scott.

All four were ranked among the top 25 prospects in the nation by ESPN in 2008, but for varying reasons, they never flourished in college.

Hill, a safety who signed with Florida out of West Orange, N.J., was the No. 3 overall prospect in 2008. He had a promising freshman season, but struggled with consistency his next two seasons. He declared early for the NFL draft and wasn’t selected, and wound up playing in the Arena Football League.

Finley, another safety who signed with Florida out of Auburn, Ala., was No. 10. He was sidetracked by injuries and off-the-field issues during his career and announced that he was transferring to North Alabama.

Aghayere, a defensive end who signed with LSU out of Garland, Texas, was No. 14. He’s a rising senior, but has played mostly in a reserve role for the Tigers. He didn’t make any starts this season and finished with three total tackles.

Scott, an athlete who signed with Alabama out of Prichard, Ala., was No. 19. He moved from running back to cornerback after arriving at Alabama, but wound up transferring and played at South Alabama this past season.

Florida signed an SEC-high six players in 2008 that were ranked among the top 55 prospects nationally. The Gators signed 10 players who were ESPNU 150 prospects.

It’s a haul that looked terrific at the time, but four seasons later, the Gators lost six football games and didn’t beat anybody in 2011 (in the FBS ranks) that finished with a winning record.

There’s also the flip side.

Alabama’s 2008 class was ranked No. 3 by ESPN, and it’s a class that was the driving force behind the Crimson Tide’s dizzying run the past few years, which includes two national championships.

So, again, there are always hits and misses in recruiting, and those players who miss sometimes do so for reasons that go well beyond football ability. What’s more, classes that look like a million dollars on signing day don’t always look so good three and four years later.

Just something to remember with national signing day approaching.

Here’s a look at the remaining ESPNU 150 prospects in 2008 who signed with SEC schools:

• No. 30: DE Courtney Upshaw (Alabama)
• No. 31: CB Janoris Jenkins (Florida)
• No. 33: OT Tyler Love (Alabama)
• No. 35: RB Richard Samuel (Georgia)
• No. 37: DT Omar Hunter (Florida)
• No. 41: ATH Joe Adams (Arkansas)
• No. 43: DE William Green (Florida)
• No. 45: DT DeAngelo Tyson (Georgia)
• No. 50: RB Carlton Thomson (Georgia)
• No. 51: WR Chris Tolliver (LSU)
• No. 54: CB Charles Whitlock (South Carolina)
• No. 55: ATH Jeff Demps (Florida)
• No. 70: S Karnell Hatcher (LSU)
• No. 76: RB De’Anthony Curtis (Arkansas)
• No. 80: OLB Lerentee McCray (Florida)
• No. 81: QB Tyler Wilson (Arkansas)
• No. 87: WR Rod Wilks (Tennessee)
• No. 93: ATH Charles Mitchell (Mississippi State)
• No. 99: OLB Jerrell Harris (Alabama)
• No. 108: RB Mark Ingram (Alabama)
• No. 121: OT Matt Patchan (Florida)
• No. 131: DE Toby Jackson (Georgia)
• No. 132: OG A.J. Harmon (Georgia)
• No. 133: ILB Brendan Beal (Florida)
• No. 136: CB Neiko Thorpe (Auburn)
• No. 140: C Ben Jones (Georgia)
• No. 142: CB Jeremy Brown (Florida)
• No. 144: ATH Chris Jackson (Alabama)
• No. 146: WR Tavarres King (Georgia)
• No. 147: RB Eric Smith (Auburn)

It’s never easy to say goodbye.

But that’s what Alabama coach Nick Saban and the rest of the Crimson Tide faithful will have to do Saturday when Alabama’s extraordinary 2008 class bids farewell to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

This class that featured the likes of Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, Courtney Upshaw, Mark Barron, Dont’a Hightower and Barrett Jones will go down in Alabama history as one of the best to step foot in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

For as serious as Saban can be, we might witnesses a softer side of him during Saturday’s senior day.

“A lot of guys in that class played a lot of really good football,” Saban said.

“Those guys to this point have won 45 games. That’s probably as many games as anybody around here has ever won in their career.”

The class has just six losses.

Not everyone stuck around or totally complied, but the ones who did certainly set the tone for Alabama’s football program under Saban. In 2008, the Tide went undefeated during the regular season, before falling to Florida in the SEC championship -- the semifinal for the national championship. It then bounced back masterfully to win 14 straight in 2009 and claim yet another national championship for Alabama.

That same year, Ingram won Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy.

While last season could be considered a disappointment for Alabama, 2011 could still be quite special for the Tide and this class. Their 9-6 loss at home to LSU is currently the only blemish on this team’s record and winning out could put them right back in the national championship game.

Some things still have to work out in Alabama’s favor, but the quest for a second national title in three years continues this weekend against Georgia Southern. Alabama needs style points and after a lackluster performance against Mississippi State last week, you can bet this team will be ready to run all over the Eagles.

But regardless of what happens at season’s end for this team and this class, Saban will always remember the players in this class for their tremendous leadership skills and winning attitude. Alabama might not be where it is right now if not for the 2008 class.

“There’s no doubt that that group was the group that sort of turned the program around, bought in, did the things that we all wanted to do to make it better,” Saban said. “They’ve set the example and certainly have made a more significant contribution than anybody would realize.”

If you're looking for two of the most underrated players in the SEC, look no further than the state of Alabama.

In fact, Auburn's Emory Blake and Alabama's Marquis Maze might be two of the most underrated receivers in college football.

Both have had solid careers and were coming off big seasons. Blake caught eight touchdown passes last season to lead Auburn, but was overshadowed by all of the other big names on the Tigers' national championship team.

And while Julio Jones was on his way to setting Alabama receiving records last season, Maze was quietly doing his part, catching 38 passes and averaging 14.7 yards per catch. Maze had 31 plays of 15 yards or longer and was a perfect complement to Jones.

The only question about both Blake and Maze coming into this season was whether or not they could be go-to guys and handle the burden of defenses keying on them.

So far, they've been up to that challenge and then some.

Blake, a junior, is tied for the SEC lead with four touchdown catches. He leads all SEC players with 317 receiving yards, and he's also averaging 19.8 yards per catch, which is tops among the SEC receiving leaders.

One of the things that sticks out about Blake through the first four games is his ability to hit the big play. He already has three touchdown catches of 36 yards or longer.

Speaking of big plays, it was Maze's 83-yard punt return for a touchdown -- easily one of the plays of the year so far in the SEC -- that opened the floodgates to Alabama's 38-14 rout of Arkansas last week.

Maze, a senior, has 20 catches, which ties him for second in the SEC, and he's third in all-purpose yardage, averaging 151.5 yards per game. The only two players ahead of him in that category are South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore and Florida's Chris Rainey.

Following Alabama's 24-point victory over Arkansas last Saturday, Maze admitted that he grew weary of hearing about all the playmakers the Hogs had on offense and special teams.

"They gave those guys credit the whole week, how good they were on offense and special teams," Maze said. "It just made us hungrier to want to go out and prove that we have some guys to be reckoned with, too."

Maze and Blake both fit into that category, and both are doing just fine in their new roles.

Alabama has disassociated from T-Town Menswear owner Tom Albetar for three years and the school is saying he didn't break any NCAA rules while in contact with Tide players.

A hand-delivered disassociation letter was taken to Albetar in March -- clearly showing the store owner the seriousness of the situation. In December, Alabama officials sent him a cease-and-desist letter to stop selling, distributing or promoting items signed by or depicting current players.

Here is an excerpt from Alabama's disassociation letter to Albetar:

The institution must remain cautious regarding any relationship you may have with its student-athletes beyond that of a store owner and customer. As the owner of a local business, the institution is reliant on you to heed all instruction provided by the institution and it compliance staff regarding adherence to NCAA rules.

It is important for you to understand the University is not making specific conclusions or specific allegations aquatint you at this time. Your conduct and interaction with student-athletes, as well as that of your employees, has been appropriately reviewed, and appears to be compliant with NCAA regulations. However, given the numerous items of memorabilia displayed in your store, including at times, some belonging to or signed by current student-athletes, you have potentially placed the University and it's student-athletes at risk. This risk includes exposing our student-athletes to potential NCAA investigators or sensationalized journalism based on assumptions that wrongdoing has taken place.

Alabama compliance director Mike Ward also released a statement Tuesday that said Albetar was in compliance with the rules and that an internal investigation didn't find any indication that athletes received any extra benefits.

"Our review of this matter was a part of our normal compliance program," Ward said. "We routinely look at all situations of potential concern. Based on our review of this matter, we concluded that Mr. Albetar was in compliance with NCAA regulations. It is not a violation for student-athletes to sign autographs and it is not a violation for a business to display photos, jerseys or other items depicting current student-athletes. We found no evidence that any student-athlete received any extra benefits.

"Due to the concerns expressed in our letter to Mr. Albetar dated March 31, 2011, we disassociated him from our program. As we always do in matters of this nature, we discussed this matter with the SEC office. Because we found no evidence of any NCAA violation, we did not self-report a violation."

Things got interesting with this story when pictures of running back Trent Richardson posing with Albetar and signing memorabilia popped up on the Internet last week. Each day, new pictures of different athletes surfaced, including former wide receiver Julio Jones wearing a suit jacket inside Albetar's store.

Still, there is nothing wrong with players posing for Facebook pictures or parading around a store.

So far, it appears that Alabama will be fine. College athletes sign helmets, jerseys and T-shirts all the time, but as long as players aren’t receiving extra benefits on the side for their penmanship or knew what they were signing would be sold or used as a promotional benefit for the store, what they did can't be considered a NCAA violation.

ESPN colleague Bruce Feldman took a stroll down Memory Lane Wednesday when he re-ranked the top 10 players in the 2008 recruiting class. The SEC had five members inside Feldman's top 10.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck took the top spot after being ranked No. 61 overall by ESPN and the seventh-best quarterback prospect back in 2008. With what he did in his last two years, I don't think many will argue with Feldman there.

LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson was the highest of the SEC players, coming in at No. 2 after ranking eighth when he came out of high school.

Peterson took away half of the field when he lined up at corner and was a dynamic kick returner. He might end up playing safety in the NFL, but he'll be a game changer on defense for years to come.

Here's Feldman's take:

A real freak athlete, the 6-1, 220-pound corner was the nation's No. 8 recruit and he more than lived up to that hype. Peterson won a starting job by the end of his freshman season in 2008, was all-SEC and made some All-America teams as a sophomore. He then won the Jim Thorpe and Chuck Bednarik awards and SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010. The Cardinals drafted him fifth overall in April.

Next was Alabama running back Mark Ingram, who was third, moving all the way up from 109th.

The Heisman trophy winner was a total work horse in Tuscaloosa and his numbers would have been even better last season if he hadn't have suffered a knee injury before the year.

Here's Feldman's take:

It's fascinating to go through the collection of backs that ESPN had ranked higher in '08: Jermie Calhoun, Darrell Scott, Jamie Harper, Ryan Williams, Richard Samuel; Andre Ellington; Aundre Dean; Carlton Thomas; De'Anthony Curtis and Jonas Gray. A few transferred (Scott and Dean). A few now play other positions (Samuel and Curtis) and if you take out Williams, who had an outstanding 2009 season, you have a group that combined has run for around the same amount of yards and TDs -- 3,300 yards and 42 touchdowns -- as Ingram did in his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, in addition to winning the Tide's first Heisman Trophy. Not bad for the 12th ranked back or 109th overall recruit.

"That wasn't a great running back class," Luginbill said. "With Ingram, his style of play and the school he chose with the scheme they play couldn't have been more of a fit. It was a perfect marriage."

Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green kept the SEC streak alive, coming in at No. 4, which is one spot higher than his 2008 ranking.

What more can be said about Green? He never shied away from double teams and made awkward catches look easy. Despite missing the first four games of the season in 2010, he led the Bulldogs in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns.

Here's Feldman's take;

The lanky South Carolina native had three QBs in three seasons at Georgia and he excelled with each of them, despite some nagging injuries and a four-game NCAA suspension in 2010. Green was equally adept at making the spectacular catch and the routine go-to play for the Dawgs. The Bengals just drafted him fourth overall.

Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus ranked sixth after being ranked the No. 39 defensive tackle prospect coming out of high school in 2008.

Dareus arrived on the mainstream college football scene when he had that nasty interception returned for a touchdown in the national championship. He was drafted No. 3 overall in this year's NFL draft and some thought he could have easily gone No. 1.

Here's Feldman's take:

The Crimson Tide had the No. 3 recruiting class, according to ESPN (behind Miami and Clemson), but Dareus wasn't a major reason for the lofty status. He was only touted as the No. 39 defensive tackle prospect in the country. Even die-hard college football fans probably hadn't heard of him until the BCS title game against Texas, when he knocked Colt McCoy out of the game and proceeded to dominate the Longhorns en route to winning MVP honors. Dareus was one of the few proven players on the 2010 Tide D, but when he was on the field he was a big impact guy. In his career, he finished with 20 tackles for loss and 11 sacks before leaving as the No. 3 pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

Finally, Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones came in at No. 9 on Feldman's list, which is seven spots lower than where he was coming out of high school.

Jones was a freakish athlete during his three seasons with the Tide and while some questioned his on-field work ethic at times, he was easily Alabama's best receiver in each year he was in Tuscaloosa. His work ethic certainly wasn't challenged when he went through the NFL combine with a broken foot this year.

Here's Feldman's take:

A big, strong wideout with every bit as much athleticism as Green, Jones was ranked a tad higher than Green, coming in at No. 2 overall in 2008. Jones became the first true freshman receiver to ever start the opener for the Crimson Tide. In 2009, he helped Bama to a national title. Last season, he had his best year, catching 78 passes for 1,133 yards. At the NFL combine he put on quite the display, notching the longest broad jump and the third-fastest 40-yard dash time among the receiver group and did so despite having a broken bone in his foot. The Falcons traded the kitchen sink to get him at No. 6 in the draft.

Mel Kiper, ESPN's NFL draft analyst extraordinaire, has released his first Big Board for the 2012 draft, and South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery is the top SEC player at No. 4 on the list.

Kiper's Big Board is a ranking of the top 25 draft-eligible players in college football based on value, and he updates it periodically all the way up to the draft.

Jeffery is coming off a monster sophomore season and will almost certainly come out early. He set single-season records last season for the Gamecocks with 88 catches for 1,517 yards and is also tied for the school record with Sidney Rice with 11 100-yard receiving games. As Kiper points out, the 6-foot-4, 233-pound Jeffery is a matchup nightmare for defenses and is a lot faster than you think.

The SEC had a total of five players on Kiper's Big Board, and the second player might surprise a few people. Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was No. 9. The NFL scouts love Kirkpatrick's size and range, even though he was a bit inconsistent at times last season.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was No. 13, South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore No. 19 and Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw No. 25.

Before it's over, I wouldn't be surprised to see three more Alabama players on there -- cornerback DeQuan Menzie, linebacker Dont'a Hightower and safety Mark Barron. In fact, Menzie could wind up being one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC and was the most consistent defensive back on Alabama's team this spring.

LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is another player who could easily show up on the Big Board at some point along with South Carolina defensive end Devin Taylor, Arkansas running back Knile Davis and Arkansas receiver Greg Childs.

The ACC led the way with eight players on the first Big Board for 2012. The Pac-12 had six players.

On Kiper's first Big Board a year ago, he had six SEC players. Five of them wound up being selected in the first round of the draft in April. Georgia receiver A.J. Green was No. 4 on that first Big Board last year. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett was No. 6 followed by Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus at No. 7, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson No. 10, Alabama running back Mark Ingram No. 11 and Alabama receiver Julio Jones No. 17.

Mallett was the only one of the group that didn't go in the first round. He slipped to the third round.

If you could only watch one SEC game next season, which one would it be?

In other words, as we posed in our SportsNation poll, which game in the league next season is the one you absolutely don't want to miss?

The fans have spoken, and the Alabama-LSU contest on Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa easily took first prize. With more than 37,000 votes in, the Alabama-LSU game received 49 percent of the vote. A distant second was the annual Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn on Nov. 26, pulling in 20 percent of the vote.

Arkansas' visit to Alabama on Sept. 24 was third with 13 percent, meaning the Crimson Tide were involved in the top three "don't miss" games as voted on by the fans.

It's difficult to pick any other game but that Alabama-LSU affair for the top spot. Both teams will enter the season ranked in the top 5 nationally. Both figure to have outstanding defenses, and think back to some of the classics the two teams have treated us to over the past several seasons.

In each of the past four games, I can pick out one play in the fourth quarter or overtime that was probably the difference in the game. That's how close it's been.

Last season, it was LSU's Deangelo Peterson rambling 23 yards on a reverse on a fourth-and-1 play to set up Stevan Ridley's go-ahead 1-yard touchdown run in the Tigers' 24-21 win.

In 2009, it was Julio Jones' 73-yard catch and run for a touchdown to put Alabama ahead for good, although LSU fans might point to Patrick Peterson's interception on the sideline that was ruled (even with replay) a non-interception in Alabama's 24-15 win.

In 2008, take your pick in what was a 27-21 Alabama win in overtime. Rashad Johnson had three interceptions for the Tide, including one in overtime. But it was Jones' leaping 24-yard catch on the sideline that set up John Parker Wilson's 1-yard touchdown plunge to win it.

And in 2007, LSU survived 41-34 in Tuscaloosa in Nick Saban's first game against his old team. With the game tied, LSU freshman Chad Jones came free on a safety blitz and forced a Wilson fumble that was recovered by the Tigers at the Alabama 3, setting up Jacob Hester's winning touchdown.

Stay tuned for more drama in November.

It's mailbag time on the SEC blog. We were littered with a ton of good questions.

I hope everyone has had a good week and you were able to put up with me while Chris was on vacation. Enjoy the weekend and things will return to normal next week.

Now, on to your questions:

Mike in Kennesaw, Ga., writes: What do you think the chances are that Isaiah Crowell will start for Georgia? I for one saw a lot of key fumbles from the others, especially in the first part of the season? It was very disheartening.

Edward Aschoff: Crowell was one of the top running backs and overall recruits in the entire country last fall. He's got great speed and moves in open space, but he's also a very strong runner. The expectations for him are very high and that's both a good and bad thing. The good thing is that the coaches think he's got the talent to come in and take that starting spot pretty early. The bad news is that the pressure will be on him until he shows that he’ll be a great running back for the Bulldogs. It just comes with the territory when you're a top recruit at a position of need for a team. The spring told us that Georgia is still searching for that elite back. We aren't sure about the future of Washaun Ealey and while Caleb King had a solid spring, he didn't show that he’s ready to be that feature back. Ken Malcome and Carlton Thomas dealt with injuries as well this spring. King said Crowell's arrival adds extra motivation for him, but we'll see if that's the story this fall. I think if Crowell gets comfortable in the offense, he could move to the top of the depth chart. The coaches have to find a playmaker to take some pressure off of quarterback Aaron Murray, and Crowell could be that guy. Fans will need to be patient, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Crowell was the No. 1 running back by midseason.

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Krutch in Dallas, Texas writes: Now that Janoris Jenkins missed the date to declare for the NFL draft, is he more likely to try the NFL supplemental draft or sit out an entire year of football? I don't believe he'll transfer elsewhere and wait another 2 years before moving to the next level.

Edward Aschoff: We don't even know if there will be a supplemental draft at this point with the NFL environment the way it is. If there is one, I could see that happening, but I've also been told that Jenkins would like to get one more year out of college football. If he wants to take another year, he'll probably end up going the Division II route. That way he could play this fall and work on his game more. No way he transfers to a Football Bowl Subdivision school and sits out a year just to play one season. I'm not sure what Jenkins really needs to improve on the football field, but his shoulder injury was a major reason why he returned to school. He could use a year to show that he’s healthy. It also might be smart for him to start over for a year in a new place before heading to the NFL. His image took a major hit this spring and this would be a good way for him to clean that up before NFL teams begin speaking with him. If Jenkins wants to improve his draft status he'll head to a D-II school for a year.

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Luke in Columbia, S.C., writes: After A.J. Green and Julio Jones go in the first six picks, Alshon Jeffery isn't mentioned by Mel Kiper as a top five prospect at wide receiver, but Greg Childs is? Remember, Alshon was first-team all-conference and the only SEC finalist for the Biletnikoff award. Most Gamecock fans see him as the first in a line of early round draft picks (with Lattimore and Clowney to follow of course). Do you disagree with Kiper?

Edward Aschoff: I've gotten a few emails about Kiper's list. Most revolve around him leaving Jeffery and Alabama's Trent Richardson off his list for top 2012 eligible draft picks. Kiper’s list was a list of players that were eligible for the 2011 draft, but opted to stay in school. Trust me, both will be near the top of his list of top underclassmen for next year's draft. Richardson could be the best running back prospect if he opts to enter the draft. He not only has tremendous speed, but he's one of the strongest players on Alabama's team. As for Jeffery, whenever he decides to enter the NFL draft he'll be right up there with Green and Jones. He doesn’t have blazing speed, but he’s as complete a receiver as there is and his hands are phenomenal. He was tremendous throughout the entire 2010 season and if he can replicate what he did last fall it will be hard for him not to declare for next year's draft.

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Alex Morris in Lexington, S.C., writes: I was wondering what your thoughts were if Russell Wilson choose to come to USC next year. How much of an impact he would be and how good you could see us being (even though were predicted by some to win the east without him)?

Edward Aschoff: The only way Wilson ends up at South Carolina is if Stephen Garcia doesn't return. At this point, that decision hasn't been made. Will it be made anytime soon? Not sure. But will Wilson definitely play football this fall? Not sure about that either. He hasn't told the Rockies, who drafted him in last year's MLB draft, that he intends to play football this fall. However, Wilson recently said that he'd like to play football and isn't sure if he wants to play professional football or baseball later in life. He's a college student, and his mind isn't made up. Shocker. Teams could be taking quite the risk on him at this point. However, if Wilson is serious about playing one more year of college football and Garcia doesn't return, South Carolina could be the right fit for him. He's a very talented athlete and would fit right into the Gamecocks' offense. He was a natural leader at NC State, so that would be a welcomed trait at the quarterback position for South Carolina. Having Wilson would keep South Carolina as the favorite in the SEC.

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Ryan in Zanesville, Ohio writes: Hoping you might speak to this in one of your articles or at least on the mailbag. Looking at the schedules I noticed that 4 SEC teams (South Carolina, Florida, Auburn, and Alabama) all play FCS opponents in the next to last week of the regular season. It doesn't seem right that games that are permitted as tune-ups against lesser foes are being used as de facto bye-weeks right before key rivalry games, particularly since two of these teams are playing ACC rivals who don't have the benefit of resting their starters. I feel like these schools are taking advantage of NCAA rules here and that there ought to be a cut off for how deep into the season an FCS team can be played. Thoughts? Can you defend this practice or do you find it equally appalling?

Edward Aschoff: Honestly, I wish major college football programs had to schedule tougher out-of-conference games. Of course, that’s just out my own selfishness. But when the regular season means so much, every game -- and win -- is that much more important. As far as playing them at the end of the season, most schools do it because they feel like they are tune-up games. Let’s not act like that doesn’t happen. However, with that comes that arrogance that has gotten teams in trouble before. We can't forget that Appalachian State stole national headlines by walking into Ann Arbor, Mich., and beating Michigan in 2007. Virginia Tech fell to James Madison last season and Ole Miss lost to Jacksonville State to begin the year a season ago as well. Another thing to consider is that these schools make a good chunk of money for playing bigger SEC schools. Georgia will pay South Alabama $900,000 for their 2014 matchup. Smaller schools greatly benefit from the money they get for these games. As for resting starters, that's decision left up to the coaches. It can be a risk for some and a reward for others. The ethics in scheduling these games will always be debated, but I doubt smaller schools care that much about when they play major college football programs. And if other schools in different conferences want to schedule FCS schools just before major rivalry games, they should. You can’t blame SEC schools for doing something they feel is an advantage within the rules.

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John Hartley in Jackson, Miss., writes: Chris, can you ask Edward if he is related to the late Peter Aschoff. I did most of my college at Alabama but went for a year to Ole Miss. Peter taught the most interesting class I took in the entirety of my college days. The class was the anthropology of the blues. We sat and listened to records all class while Peter described what we were listening to. I can't help but think that peter must have been his father.

Edward Aschoff: I can answer that question for you. Yes, Peter Aschoff was my father and when I was much younger I used to attend his classes during summer school for fun. Oh, and to look at the gorgeous women, of course. What a small world. He always used to joke about how some of his students were shocked to see white man from Iowa who knew everything there was to know about the blues, African-American studies and southern studies. Oh and he loved Tupac. I'm glad you got to take his class. To this day, I still hear nothing but good things about all of them. Thanks for the post!

There has been a lot made about the Atlanta Falcons trading away five draft picks to move up to snag former Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones with the sixth pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

Some are flabbergasted by the idea that a team with a stud wideout like Roddy White would do this, especially since they are similar players. Others think Jones can make an immediate impact and should complement White nicely.

But five picks in a receiver-heavy draft? Sounds a little crazy, but ESPN's KC Joyner writes that the Falcons' move was a smart one, especially when you consider how much Jones should help Atlanta's short passing offense.

Here is a little of what Joyner said about the Falcons' short game a season ago:

Matt Ryan tied for 27th in short pass yards per attempt (YPA) with a 5.7 mark, and his 4.3 total in SYPA (a metric that combines YPA with success percentage) tied for 25th.

Atlanta's wideouts were equally mediocre. Michael Jenkins (5.9 short pass YPA), White (5.9) and Harry Douglas (5.8) all posted numbers that ranked them in the bottom half of the league in this metric. Tony Gonzalez fared even worse, as his 5.0 short pass YPA ranked as the eighth-lowest total among tight ends.

And how does Joyner think Jones fits into the equation? Check this out:

An 11-game sample (versus Penn State, at Duke, at Arkansas, versus Florida, at South Carolina, versus Mississippi, at Tennessee, at LSU, versus Mississippi State, versus Auburn and versus Michigan State) of Jones' 2010 numbers strongly indicates he could provide immediate help for this problem.

His 15-for-16 for 160 yards performance on screen passes (including seven gains of 10 or more yards) goes far in illustrating his explosiveness, but Jones also fared well on slant routes (5-for-7 for 53 yards), short crossing routes (6-for-8 for 68 yards) and smoke routes (2-for-3 for 20 yards). Another item of note: Jones' 8.1 short pass YPA was two yards better than No. 4 overall draft pick A.J. Green.

Now that the NFL draft is over, I thought it'd be fun to take a look at how last year's first-round predictions turned out.

Shortly after the 2010 NFL draft, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay predicted the SEC would have eight selections in the first round in his first 2011 mock draft . He ended up being pretty close as the SEC had 10 players go in the first round.

He also had Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck going first, which probably would have been the case if he had decided to enter the draft. Instead, he opted to stay in school and Auburn's Cam Newton was taken by the Carolina Panthers with the first pick.

McShay was close with his Marcell Dareus pick. He wrote that the Alabama defensive tackle would go second to the St. Louis Rams, but Dareus went third to the Buffalo Bills.

He also had Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet going 15th to the San Francisco 49ers and Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe landing with the Denver Broncos at No. 13. Mallett was taken by the New England Patriots in the third round, while Powe was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in sixth.

Making these predictions isn't easy, so it's pretty impressive that he was able to predict six of his eight players to go in the first round.

Here's what McShay predicted in 2010:

• No. 2, St. Louis Rams: Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
• No. 7, New England Patriots: Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green
• No. 13, Denver Broncos: Ole Miss defensive tackle Jerrell Powe
• No. 15, San Francisco 49ers: Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett
• No. 19, New York Giants: Alabama running back Mark Ingram
• No. 24, Cincinnati Bengals: Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones
• No. 27, Baltimore Ravens: LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson
• No. 31, Indianapolis Colts: Florida offensive guard/center Mike Pouncey

And here's how the first round turned out:

• No. 1, Carolina Panthers: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton
• No. 3, Buffalo Bills: Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
• No. 4, Cincinnati Bengals: Georgia receiver A.J. Green
• No. 5, Arizona Cardinals: LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson
• No. 6, Atlanta Falcons: Alabama receiver Julio Jones
• No. 13, Detroit Lions: Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley
• No. 15, Miami Dolphins: Florida offensive guard/center Mike Pouncey
• No. 25, Seattle Seahawks: Alabama offensive guard James Carpenter
• No. 28, New Orleans Saints: Alabama running back Mark Ingram
• No. 32, Green Bay Packers: Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod