SEC: Nick Fairley
Blog debate: Barkley in the SEC?
March, 27, 2012
Mar 27
9:00
AM ET
By
Chris Low and
Ted Miller | ESPN.com
The Pac-12 is the conference of quarterbacks. The SEC is all about defense.
Oh, and winning national championships.
But as good as the defenses are in the SEC, what role does poor-to-middling offense play in that perception? As in, what would happen if those defenses played against a series of future NFL quarterbacks, as Pac-12 (and Big 12) defenses do?
The question before us is this: How would USC quarterback Matt Barkley do against those rough-tough SEC defenses?
Ted Miller: It’s sort of a chicken and the egg question. Are SEC defenses so good because they rarely play against A-list quarterbacks? Or do Pac-12 quarterbacks pile up eye-popping numbers because they don’t play against SEC defenses?
Is it more notable that four of the top 11 quarterbacks in the nation in terms of passing efficiency in 2011 were from the Pac-12, compared to none in the top 20 from the SEC? Or is it more important that six SEC defenses ranked in the top 17 in pass efficiency defense compared to zero for the Pac-12?
It’s hard to say. It’s likely a person’s home -- Los Angeles or Baton Rouge -- has a large influence on his or her opinion.
Pac-12 fans would be prone to point out: In 2005, LSU ranked No. 3 in the nation in passing efficiency defense. But in the Tigers' trip to Tempe that season, Arizona State’s Sam Keller completed 35 of 56 passes for 461 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 35-31 defeat.
Or this: LSU’s defense did a nice job against Oregon’s offense in the 2011 season opener. Of course, the Ducks scored more points on LSU than ANY OF THE OTHER 13 TEAMS LSU PLAYED.
Apologies for the caps lock. Reckless typing.
While we can all acknowledge the SEC -- at least the elite teams -- play better defense than the rest of the nation, it is also worth noting that when future first-round NFL draft picks played quarterback in the SEC, they put up good numbers, whether we’re talking about the Manning brothers, Matt Stafford or Cam Newton. And I’m sure, one day in the future --perhaps this decade! -- we’ll be able to add a name to that list.
There are some nice quartebacks in the SEC: Tyler Wilson, AJ McCarron and Aaron Murray. All three seem like they’d have a good chance of winning the backup job at USC. Maybe.
Chris Low: No way am I going to argue that Barkley wouldn't have success in the SEC.
He's a future pro and probably the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012.
The question is: How much success would he have, and would he hit the proverbial wall going against SEC defenses on a weekly basis?
My feeling is that all quarterbacks hit that wall. Any coach will tell you (ask your buddy Lane Kiffin) that what separates SEC defenses is the speed in the front seven, particularly in the defensive line. There are fast players all over the country in college football, but the SEC has cornered the market on fast, explosive defensive linemen and pass-rushers who also have the size and strength to overpower people.
That's the difference, and that's where Barkley would notice the greatest difference.
It wasn't a banner year for quarterbacks in the SEC last season. And, yes, I realize that's an understatement. But it was a banner year for premier defensive players. That's why the first round of the NFL draft next month is going to look like an SEC who's who. As many as 10 SEC defensive players could go in the first round.
Don't sleep on the SEC's quarterback class this coming season, either. Wilson may be a future first-rounder. Murray has thrown nearly 60 touchdown passes in his first two seasons, and we all saw what McCarron did in the BCS title game against an LSU defense that was outstanding.
Barkley's a big-time talent, no question. But it's a different game when you're trying to throw from your back.
And in this league, ALL QUARTERBACKS (sorry, my caps tend to lock up, too) encounter that problem.
Ted Miller: Truth is, Wilson, Murray and McCarron are good quarterbacks who look like guys with NFL futures. Loved how McCarron handled the pressure of the title game, and Murray has Pac-12-type talent.
We're trash talking here, but if you can't acknowledge what is real, well, then it's just noise.
And the reality of this debate is this: Barkley would be more challenged on a weekly basis by SEC defenses than by Pac-12 defenses -- which I believe are underrated but still a step behind the SEC for the reasons the Inimitable Low mentioned above. If Barkley played at Vanderbilt, Mississippi State or Kentucky, he'd just be the best quarterback in the history of those programs while leading those teams to "historic" seasons. Like a third-place finish in their divisions.
Yet what makes Barkley, Barkley is not just Barkley. It's USC. It's his supporting cast. It's receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, who will both have NFL careers. And two tight ends who will also. And a good offensive line, and a 1,000-yard rusher who averaged 6.9 yards per carry in 2011 (Curtis McNeal).
By the way, if you wonder where USC's true potential Achilles heel is this year, it's the defensive line. The Trojans have three A-listers -- guys who would be touted in the SEC -- but are thin thereafter. That's a problem for a team that views itself as a national title contender.
That's ultimately the rub here, too. If all goes according to plan, Barkley and USC should be in position to play for the national title. It's hard to imagine that wouldn't be against another SEC team.
Now, Chris, wouldn't it be fun if it were USC and LSU? Recall that in 2003, LSU won 1/16 of the national title when no one in the entire world thought LSU was better than USC, other than computers obviously loaded with all sorts of viruses.
Or USC-Alabama? Great history, and Saban versus Barkley & Co. would certainly attract plenty of eyeballs.
Chris Low: One of the most compelling things that could happen to college football next season would be for USC and Barkley to take their shot at an SEC defense in the money game.
Then, we could quit debating and let it play out on the field. As much as I knew that Alabama and LSU were the two best teams in the country last season, there was a part of me that wanted to see Oklahoma State against either the Alabama or LSU defense in the BCS title game.
It's the matchup we all want to see: A high-powered offense versus a suffocating defense.
Maybe that's what we'll be treated to this fall.
Of course, I go back to the 2010 national title game, and Oregon had been short-circuiting scoreboards all season long. The Ducks go up against an Auburn defense that had been opportunistic, but wasn't one of the best in the SEC that season statistically. But in that game, Auburn put the clamps on Oregon and won 22-19.
The Tigers won because the Ducks couldn't block Nick Fairley.
And that's what the Trojans would run into if they find themselves up against an SEC team next January in Miami.
It won't come down to Barkley. Sure, he'll make a few plays. He's legit. But what it will come down to is the group of guys blocking for Barkley, and that's where it always gets ugly against SEC defenses.
In the meantime, just make sure the Trojans get there. They've been known to stumble along the way, and what we're left with is a bunch of hollow chatter about what they would have done (or could have done) had they made it to the party.
We'll check the guest list in December and chat again then.
Oh, and winning national championships.
But as good as the defenses are in the SEC, what role does poor-to-middling offense play in that perception? As in, what would happen if those defenses played against a series of future NFL quarterbacks, as Pac-12 (and Big 12) defenses do?
The question before us is this: How would USC quarterback Matt Barkley do against those rough-tough SEC defenses?
Ted Miller: It’s sort of a chicken and the egg question. Are SEC defenses so good because they rarely play against A-list quarterbacks? Or do Pac-12 quarterbacks pile up eye-popping numbers because they don’t play against SEC defenses?
[+] Enlarge
Harry How/Getty ImagesWould Matt Barkley be as successful if he played against SEC defenses all season?
Harry How/Getty ImagesWould Matt Barkley be as successful if he played against SEC defenses all season?It’s hard to say. It’s likely a person’s home -- Los Angeles or Baton Rouge -- has a large influence on his or her opinion.
Pac-12 fans would be prone to point out: In 2005, LSU ranked No. 3 in the nation in passing efficiency defense. But in the Tigers' trip to Tempe that season, Arizona State’s Sam Keller completed 35 of 56 passes for 461 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 35-31 defeat.
Or this: LSU’s defense did a nice job against Oregon’s offense in the 2011 season opener. Of course, the Ducks scored more points on LSU than ANY OF THE OTHER 13 TEAMS LSU PLAYED.
Apologies for the caps lock. Reckless typing.
While we can all acknowledge the SEC -- at least the elite teams -- play better defense than the rest of the nation, it is also worth noting that when future first-round NFL draft picks played quarterback in the SEC, they put up good numbers, whether we’re talking about the Manning brothers, Matt Stafford or Cam Newton. And I’m sure, one day in the future --perhaps this decade! -- we’ll be able to add a name to that list.
There are some nice quartebacks in the SEC: Tyler Wilson, AJ McCarron and Aaron Murray. All three seem like they’d have a good chance of winning the backup job at USC. Maybe.
Chris Low: No way am I going to argue that Barkley wouldn't have success in the SEC.
He's a future pro and probably the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012.
The question is: How much success would he have, and would he hit the proverbial wall going against SEC defenses on a weekly basis?
My feeling is that all quarterbacks hit that wall. Any coach will tell you (ask your buddy Lane Kiffin) that what separates SEC defenses is the speed in the front seven, particularly in the defensive line. There are fast players all over the country in college football, but the SEC has cornered the market on fast, explosive defensive linemen and pass-rushers who also have the size and strength to overpower people.
That's the difference, and that's where Barkley would notice the greatest difference.
It wasn't a banner year for quarterbacks in the SEC last season. And, yes, I realize that's an understatement. But it was a banner year for premier defensive players. That's why the first round of the NFL draft next month is going to look like an SEC who's who. As many as 10 SEC defensive players could go in the first round.
Don't sleep on the SEC's quarterback class this coming season, either. Wilson may be a future first-rounder. Murray has thrown nearly 60 touchdown passes in his first two seasons, and we all saw what McCarron did in the BCS title game against an LSU defense that was outstanding.
Barkley's a big-time talent, no question. But it's a different game when you're trying to throw from your back.
And in this league, ALL QUARTERBACKS (sorry, my caps tend to lock up, too) encounter that problem.
Ted Miller: Truth is, Wilson, Murray and McCarron are good quarterbacks who look like guys with NFL futures. Loved how McCarron handled the pressure of the title game, and Murray has Pac-12-type talent.
[+] Enlarge
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesAlabama's defense smothered Jordan Jefferson and the LSU Tigers in the BCS championship game.
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesAlabama's defense smothered Jordan Jefferson and the LSU Tigers in the BCS championship game.And the reality of this debate is this: Barkley would be more challenged on a weekly basis by SEC defenses than by Pac-12 defenses -- which I believe are underrated but still a step behind the SEC for the reasons the Inimitable Low mentioned above. If Barkley played at Vanderbilt, Mississippi State or Kentucky, he'd just be the best quarterback in the history of those programs while leading those teams to "historic" seasons. Like a third-place finish in their divisions.
Yet what makes Barkley, Barkley is not just Barkley. It's USC. It's his supporting cast. It's receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, who will both have NFL careers. And two tight ends who will also. And a good offensive line, and a 1,000-yard rusher who averaged 6.9 yards per carry in 2011 (Curtis McNeal).
By the way, if you wonder where USC's true potential Achilles heel is this year, it's the defensive line. The Trojans have three A-listers -- guys who would be touted in the SEC -- but are thin thereafter. That's a problem for a team that views itself as a national title contender.
That's ultimately the rub here, too. If all goes according to plan, Barkley and USC should be in position to play for the national title. It's hard to imagine that wouldn't be against another SEC team.
Now, Chris, wouldn't it be fun if it were USC and LSU? Recall that in 2003, LSU won 1/16 of the national title when no one in the entire world thought LSU was better than USC, other than computers obviously loaded with all sorts of viruses.
Or USC-Alabama? Great history, and Saban versus Barkley & Co. would certainly attract plenty of eyeballs.
Chris Low: One of the most compelling things that could happen to college football next season would be for USC and Barkley to take their shot at an SEC defense in the money game.
Then, we could quit debating and let it play out on the field. As much as I knew that Alabama and LSU were the two best teams in the country last season, there was a part of me that wanted to see Oklahoma State against either the Alabama or LSU defense in the BCS title game.
It's the matchup we all want to see: A high-powered offense versus a suffocating defense.
Maybe that's what we'll be treated to this fall.
Of course, I go back to the 2010 national title game, and Oregon had been short-circuiting scoreboards all season long. The Ducks go up against an Auburn defense that had been opportunistic, but wasn't one of the best in the SEC that season statistically. But in that game, Auburn put the clamps on Oregon and won 22-19.
The Tigers won because the Ducks couldn't block Nick Fairley.
And that's what the Trojans would run into if they find themselves up against an SEC team next January in Miami.
It won't come down to Barkley. Sure, he'll make a few plays. He's legit. But what it will come down to is the group of guys blocking for Barkley, and that's where it always gets ugly against SEC defenses.
In the meantime, just make sure the Trojans get there. They've been known to stumble along the way, and what we're left with is a bunch of hollow chatter about what they would have done (or could have done) had they made it to the party.
We'll check the guest list in December and chat again then.
Everyone wants the five-stars. No recruiting collection would be complete without them.
But as we've seen over the years, not all of them really pan out, leaving fans and coaches pouting along the way. However, when one of those five-stars busts, there's always an unheralded recruit that finds a way to steal the scene.
Today, we'll look at some of the best signing class steals from the past few years. We'll use ESPN's player rankings and since the ESPN rankings go back to 2006, we'll only go back that far.
These are players who might not have been so highly recruited coming out of high school, but were stars at the college level. We could have gone on for days with this list, but it had to be shortened.
Here they are:
But as we've seen over the years, not all of them really pan out, leaving fans and coaches pouting along the way. However, when one of those five-stars busts, there's always an unheralded recruit that finds a way to steal the scene.
Today, we'll look at some of the best signing class steals from the past few years. We'll use ESPN's player rankings and since the ESPN rankings go back to 2006, we'll only go back that far.
These are players who might not have been so highly recruited coming out of high school, but were stars at the college level. We could have gone on for days with this list, but it had to be shortened.
Here they are:
- Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas: He was unranked in the 2007 class and was actually a tight end prospect. He received a grade of 40, but finished his Arkansas career as a top pass rusher, with 24 career sacks, 31 tackles for loss and forced eight fumbles.[+] Enlarge
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesNick Fairley was unheralded but broke out during in 2010 and was the nation's best lineman that season. - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State: He was a junior college transfer who wasn't highly sought after at all. But it didn't take Ballard long to make a name for himself as he quickly became a star for the Bulldogs in his two seasons, rushing for 2,157 yards and 28 touchdowns.
- Ahmad Black, S, Florida: He came out of high school as the No. 49 safety and wasn't ranked in his region. He started off as a cornerback for Florida, but moved to safety and became quite the player. Black finished his career with 244 tackles and 13 interceptions. He also returned three interceptions for touchdowns.
- Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia: He was rated the No. 41 corner and No. 267 in his region in 2008. At Georgia, he was a dangerous return man, ranking second all-time in the SEC in kickoff return yards (2,593) and is the only player in SEC history with three 100-yard plays of any kind. He was also a tremendous corner, recording nine interceptions, 18 pass breakups and 152 tackles. He was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2011.
- Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky: Cobb was ranked as the No. 86 athlete back in 2008 and was overlooked by just about everyone. He played just about everywhere in college and finished his Kentucky career with 1,661 receiving yards, 1,313 rushing yards, 689 passing yards and 1,700 return yards. He also had 42 total touchdowns.
- Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn: The JUCO transfer signed with Auburn in 2007, but didn't qualify and finally made it to the Plains in 2009. He wasn't a highly rated JUCO prospect and was actually the No. 32-rated OT in 2007. He was an absolute star in 2010, setting the Auburn single-season record with 24.0 tackles for loss and had 11.5 sacks. He also earned the Lombardi Award for the nation's best lineman.
- Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas: He was a relative nobody coming out of high school as an unranked wide receiver. All he did in his four years was lead the Razorbacks in tackles each year and finished second all-time at Arkansas with 376 total tackles in his career.
- Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt: He was unranked and received a grade of 40 as a safety prospect in 2008. He turned into one of the SEC's best cover corners with the Commodores and left Vanderbilt tied for first in school history with 15 interceptions.
- Brandon James, RB/KR, Florida: He was ranked as the 111th running back back in 2006 and ranked 345th in his region. James made his mark as a return man, as he finished his Florida career with four SEC and 11 Florida records for kickoff and punt returns. He is still the SEC career leader in return yards (4,089) and had five touchdowns on returns.
- Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama: He was ranked as the No. 28 offensive tackle back in 2008, but enters his senior year with the Crimson Tide as arguably the nation's best offensive lineman. His versatility really showed in 2011 when he played just about every position on Alabama's offensive line and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman.
- Tyrann Matheiu, CB, LSU: He was the No. 36 cornerback in 2010 and was unranked in his region with a grade of 77. LSU was his only major offer, but he's been one of the most exciting -- and dangerous -- players to watch on defense and in the return game the last two seasons. He was a Heisman finalist in 2011, led LSU in tackles (71), has forced 11 fumbles in two seasons and has 10 career takeaways.
- Dexter McCluster, RB, Ole Miss: He was ranked the No. 71 running back back in 2006 and was No. 189 in his region. McCluster became an all-purpose star in the SEC during his four years, totaling 1,703 receiving yards, 1,955 rushing yards and 23 offensive touchdowns.
- Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina: He was ranked the No. 99 defensive end back in 2006 and was No. 387 in his region, but he had quite the career at South Carolina, leaving with the all-time record in tackles for loss (54.5) and sacks (29). He finished his career with 255 tackles as well.
- Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky: He was an unranked linebacker with a grade of 40 coming out of high school in 2008. He became one of the league's top linebackers in his final two seasons, leading the SEC in tackles both seasons. He finished his career with 372 tackles.
- Prentiss Waggner, DB, Tennessee: He was the No. 50 corner in 2008 and was 305th in his region. Waggner has really been one of Tennessee's best defenders the past two seasons, playing both safety and corner. He has defended 11 passes, recording seven interceptions. He can be a shutdown corner and a ball-hawking safety.
- Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas: He came out of high school as the No. 44 wide receiver in 2008 and was ranked 115th in his region. His 2011 season, in which he led the SEC in receiving, gave him the single-season records in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He is also the Arkansas leader in career catches (168) and receiving yards (2,934).
We’re down to two weeks remaining in the regular season.
Georgia can clinch the Eastern Division championship this coming weekend with a win at home over Kentucky. LSU can wrap up the Western Division championship by winning at Ole Miss and then coming back home and taking care of Arkansas on Nov. 25.
Here’s a look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 11:
1. Path to a rematch is clearer: Alabama could still use a little more help, but two of the things the Crimson Tide needed to happen happened on Saturday. Boise State and Stanford both lost. Meanwhile, Alabama slugged its way to a 24-7 victory over Mississippi State and should check in at No. 3 or No. 4 later Sunday in the newest BCS standings, meaning a rematch with LSU remains very possible. The Crimson Tide were No. 3 last week. What they need now, outside of winning these last two games decisively over Georgia Southern and Auburn, is for Oklahoma State to lose. The unbeaten Cowboys play at Iowa State this Friday and then have an extra week to prepare for Oklahoma at home on Dec. 3. We’ve seen enough of the Crimson Tide this season to know what they are offensively. They’re not going to look pretty, but they’re physical and wear teams down in the second half with the running game. Kicking field goals remains an issue, which is never ideal in a close game, but that defense is as nasty as it gets and continues to play at a championship level.
2. Arkansas not out of it: The scenario that would blow everything out of the water in the SEC is Arkansas winning its next two games, including the regular-season finale at LSU on Nov. 25. The Hogs are certainly capable. They hammered Tennessee 49-7 on Saturday and have scored 93 points in their last two games. The running game is picking up with Dennis Johnson, and senior receivers Jarius Wright and Joe Adams are making big plays every time they step onto the field. This is a team that can score with anybody. The Hogs should also creep up in the newest BCS standings, probably to No. 6. So they’re in position. The key for them is going to be getting into the SEC championship game and winning, because it’s going to be difficult for them to move high enough in the polls if they’re not the SEC champion. For that to happen, Arkansas has to beat LSU and then hope the Tigers don’t fall behind Alabama in the BCS standings that come out on Nov. 27. If all three teams have one loss, they’re all going to be within five spots of each other, and the way the SEC tiebreaker reads in that scenario is that head-to-head competition between the two highest teams in the BCS standings will determine the division champion. Arkansas lost to Alabama in the regular season, which is why the Hogs need the Crimson Tide to be third.
3. Georgia’s Murray separating himself: Not only is Georgia playing its best football at the best time possible, but sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray is showing everybody why he entered the season as the SEC’s premier quarterback. Murray threw four more touchdown passes Saturday in Georgia’s 45-7 beatdown of Auburn, the Bulldogs’ eighth straight win. He has nine touchdown passes in his last two games and 27 for the season, which is the new school record. Murray’s like a jump shooter right now in basketball, and the rim looks like a crater on the moon. He can’t miss, and he’s spreading the ball around, too. All four of his touchdown passes Saturday went to different players, as Georgia built a 35-7 halftime lead. It was sweet revenge for Murray, who was battered last season by Auburn’s defense and speared in the back by former Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley in a game that turned dirty.
4. Vanderbilt best team in the state? As Vanderbilt senior defensive end Tim Fugger said Saturday after the Commodores’ 38-8 rout of Kentucky, “We’d kill to beat Tennessee, but that’s not going to change our mindset.” The Commodores moved to within one game of becoming bowl eligible with their demolition of the Wildcats, and nothing would be sweeter for them than to get that sixth victory in Knoxville over the reeling Vols this coming Saturday. First-year Vanderbilt coach James Franklin has already gone a long way toward changing the culture of the program. A win over Tennessee would be another huge step, especially since Franklin has secured commitments from three of the top 10 prospects in the state, including offensive lineman Andrew Jelks, whose parents have been Tennessee season-ticket holders for years. It’s been that kind of season for the Vols, who’ve suffered through a glut of injuries and are off to an 0-6 start in the SEC for the first time ever. Their 49-7 loss to Arkansas on Saturday was their second worst beating in the modern era. It’s already been a bad ride for them, but it becomes a full-fledged wreck if they lose at home to Vanderbilt.
5. Mediocrity at the bottom: With two weeks left in the regular season, the bottom half of the SEC looks as mediocre to bad as it has in a long time. Six of the teams already have five losses overall, and there’s still a decent chance that we may end the regular season with six of the 12 teams finishing .500 or worse. Four of those teams are in the East. Kentucky and Tennessee already have six losses, while Florida and Vanderbilt have five apiece. It’s not a given that the SEC will be able to fill all of its bowl tie-ins this season, either, especially with the top two teams almost certainly heading to BCS bowls. Not counting the Allstate BCS National Championship Game, the SEC has nine bowl tie-ins.
Georgia can clinch the Eastern Division championship this coming weekend with a win at home over Kentucky. LSU can wrap up the Western Division championship by winning at Ole Miss and then coming back home and taking care of Arkansas on Nov. 25.
Here’s a look at what we learned in the SEC in Week 11:
1. Path to a rematch is clearer: Alabama could still use a little more help, but two of the things the Crimson Tide needed to happen happened on Saturday. Boise State and Stanford both lost. Meanwhile, Alabama slugged its way to a 24-7 victory over Mississippi State and should check in at No. 3 or No. 4 later Sunday in the newest BCS standings, meaning a rematch with LSU remains very possible. The Crimson Tide were No. 3 last week. What they need now, outside of winning these last two games decisively over Georgia Southern and Auburn, is for Oklahoma State to lose. The unbeaten Cowboys play at Iowa State this Friday and then have an extra week to prepare for Oklahoma at home on Dec. 3. We’ve seen enough of the Crimson Tide this season to know what they are offensively. They’re not going to look pretty, but they’re physical and wear teams down in the second half with the running game. Kicking field goals remains an issue, which is never ideal in a close game, but that defense is as nasty as it gets and continues to play at a championship level.
2. Arkansas not out of it: The scenario that would blow everything out of the water in the SEC is Arkansas winning its next two games, including the regular-season finale at LSU on Nov. 25. The Hogs are certainly capable. They hammered Tennessee 49-7 on Saturday and have scored 93 points in their last two games. The running game is picking up with Dennis Johnson, and senior receivers Jarius Wright and Joe Adams are making big plays every time they step onto the field. This is a team that can score with anybody. The Hogs should also creep up in the newest BCS standings, probably to No. 6. So they’re in position. The key for them is going to be getting into the SEC championship game and winning, because it’s going to be difficult for them to move high enough in the polls if they’re not the SEC champion. For that to happen, Arkansas has to beat LSU and then hope the Tigers don’t fall behind Alabama in the BCS standings that come out on Nov. 27. If all three teams have one loss, they’re all going to be within five spots of each other, and the way the SEC tiebreaker reads in that scenario is that head-to-head competition between the two highest teams in the BCS standings will determine the division champion. Arkansas lost to Alabama in the regular season, which is why the Hogs need the Crimson Tide to be third.
3. Georgia’s Murray separating himself: Not only is Georgia playing its best football at the best time possible, but sophomore quarterback Aaron Murray is showing everybody why he entered the season as the SEC’s premier quarterback. Murray threw four more touchdown passes Saturday in Georgia’s 45-7 beatdown of Auburn, the Bulldogs’ eighth straight win. He has nine touchdown passes in his last two games and 27 for the season, which is the new school record. Murray’s like a jump shooter right now in basketball, and the rim looks like a crater on the moon. He can’t miss, and he’s spreading the ball around, too. All four of his touchdown passes Saturday went to different players, as Georgia built a 35-7 halftime lead. It was sweet revenge for Murray, who was battered last season by Auburn’s defense and speared in the back by former Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley in a game that turned dirty.
4. Vanderbilt best team in the state? As Vanderbilt senior defensive end Tim Fugger said Saturday after the Commodores’ 38-8 rout of Kentucky, “We’d kill to beat Tennessee, but that’s not going to change our mindset.” The Commodores moved to within one game of becoming bowl eligible with their demolition of the Wildcats, and nothing would be sweeter for them than to get that sixth victory in Knoxville over the reeling Vols this coming Saturday. First-year Vanderbilt coach James Franklin has already gone a long way toward changing the culture of the program. A win over Tennessee would be another huge step, especially since Franklin has secured commitments from three of the top 10 prospects in the state, including offensive lineman Andrew Jelks, whose parents have been Tennessee season-ticket holders for years. It’s been that kind of season for the Vols, who’ve suffered through a glut of injuries and are off to an 0-6 start in the SEC for the first time ever. Their 49-7 loss to Arkansas on Saturday was their second worst beating in the modern era. It’s already been a bad ride for them, but it becomes a full-fledged wreck if they lose at home to Vanderbilt.
5. Mediocrity at the bottom: With two weeks left in the regular season, the bottom half of the SEC looks as mediocre to bad as it has in a long time. Six of the teams already have five losses overall, and there’s still a decent chance that we may end the regular season with six of the 12 teams finishing .500 or worse. Four of those teams are in the East. Kentucky and Tennessee already have six losses, while Florida and Vanderbilt have five apiece. It’s not a given that the SEC will be able to fill all of its bowl tie-ins this season, either, especially with the top two teams almost certainly heading to BCS bowls. Not counting the Allstate BCS National Championship Game, the SEC has nine bowl tie-ins.
Hightower, Upshaw finalists for Lombardi
November, 11, 2011
11/11/11
11:57
AM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Alabama linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw have been named as two of the four finalists for the 42nd Rotary Lombardi Award, which goes to the top linebacker or interior lineman in college football.
The other two finalists are Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly and Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin.
The selection of two players from Alabama marks just the sixth time in the 42-year history of the award that there have been two finalists from one team.
Hightower and Upshaw are the eighth and ninth Crimson Tide players to be named finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award. They are also the third and fourth Alabama players selected as finalists in the past four years, joining Terrence Cody in 2009 and Andre Smith in 2008. Former All-America linebacker Cornelius Bennett is the only Alabama player to win the Lombardi Award, capturing the honor in 1986.
Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley won the Lombardi Award last season.
The other two finalists are Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly and Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin.
The selection of two players from Alabama marks just the sixth time in the 42-year history of the award that there have been two finalists from one team.
Hightower and Upshaw are the eighth and ninth Crimson Tide players to be named finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award. They are also the third and fourth Alabama players selected as finalists in the past four years, joining Terrence Cody in 2009 and Andre Smith in 2008. Former All-America linebacker Cornelius Bennett is the only Alabama player to win the Lombardi Award, capturing the honor in 1986.
Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley won the Lombardi Award last season.
LSU gets early nod as SEC's best defense
September, 13, 2011
9/13/11
9:20
AM ET
By
Chris Low | ESPN.com
Two weeks into the 2011 college football season, there’s a familiar sight atop the defensive statistical rankings.
Four SEC teams -- Alabama (No. 5), Florida (No. 6), LSU (No. 12) and Arkansas (No. 16) -- rank among the top 16 in the country in total defense.
And in scoring defense, four SEC teams -- Florida (No. 1), Arkansas (No. 4), Kentucky (No. 9) and Alabama (No. 13) -- rank among the top 13 nationally.
The cyclical nature of the SEC is a fact of life. Teams go from winning national and/or conference championships to struggling to have winning seasons. Look at Georgia and Tennessee.
Teams also go from wading in mediocrity and specializing in coaching carousels to winning championships. Look at Alabama and LSU.
It changes fast in this league, and if you blink, you’re going to get left behind.
What doesn’t change is the importance of playing good defense if you’re going to have a chance to win a championship in this league.
In fact, the only SEC national champion in the BCS era that hasn’t finished in the top 10 nationally in either total defense or scoring defense was Auburn last season.
The Tigers bucked the trend a little bit. They weren’t a dominant defense, necessarily, but were lights-out in the second half and had the most dominant interior defensive lineman in college football last season in Nick Fairley.
So yes, you still win with defense in this league, which brings us to the present.
Who has the best defense this season?
Alabama and LSU were expected to fight it out for that distinction coming into the season, and we’ve seen nothing to dispute that two games into the season.
John Chavis’ LSU defense clamped down on Oregon’s high-powered offense in the opener and combines one of the most talented defensive lines with one of the deepest defensive backfields in the league, which includes one of the league's pre-eminent defensive playmakers in sophomore nickelback Tyrann Mathieu. Throw in a dizzying amount of speed across the board, and you’ve got the LSU defense.
The Tigers have passed the stiffest test to this point, so they probably deserve the top spot two games into the season.
Of course, we all know it’s a debate that will rage all season.
Alabama leads the SEC and is ranked fifth nationally in total defense. The Crimson Tide, fresh off a 27-11 win over Penn State in Happy Valley, are allowing just 170.5 yards per game. Their opponents are averaging just 2.45 yards per play, which ranks second nationally.
Moving the ball against this Alabama defense is a lot like beating your head into a cement wall. The Crimson Tide have the best group of linebackers in the league (maybe in college football) and a talented secondary led by one of the best safeties in America -- Mark Barron.
In the past, when discussing defense in this league, Arkansas didn’t enter the conversation.
But don’t sleep on the Hogs this season. Not only is this Bobby Petrino’s best defense, it’s one of the best defenses in the conference.
Arkansas is loaded across the defensive front and able to rotate players in and out of the game. The other thing that sticks out about this defense is its experience. Guys like defensive end Jake Bequette, linebacker Jerry Franklin and safety Tramain Thomas have seemingly been playing forever. Don’t discount how important the addition of junior college linebacker Alonzo Highsmith was to this group, either.
The Hogs have only given up one touchdown in two games, but they also haven’t been tested. That’s obviously going to change in two weeks when they travel to Tuscaloosa.
The SEC defense with the best stats through two games is Florida, which will also receive its first test of the season Saturday when Tennessee brings its red-hot passing game to the Swamp.
The Gators are as talented as any team in the league in their front seven and should get even better this week with sophomore defensive end Sharrif Floyd returning from his two-game suspension.
Florida has yet to give up a touchdown through two games and leads the country in third-down defense. The Gators have allowed just three third-down conversions in 23 attempts. The jury’s still out on their young secondary, but shouldn’t be for long. The Vols will probably throw it 40-plus times this weekend.
So if you asked me to pick the top five defenses in the SEC right now, keeping in mind that the key showdowns (Arkansas at Alabama, LSU at Alabama, and Arkansas at LSU) are still to come, this is how I would rank them:
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Arkansas
5. Vanderbilt
Check back in a month to see how much this list has changed, although I don’t see the top two budging.
And yes, that's Vanderbilt I have at No. 5. First-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop has a creative scheme, a veteran and talented secondary that gives him a lot of options and a defense that's playing with a lot of confidence right now.
Four SEC teams -- Alabama (No. 5), Florida (No. 6), LSU (No. 12) and Arkansas (No. 16) -- rank among the top 16 in the country in total defense.
And in scoring defense, four SEC teams -- Florida (No. 1), Arkansas (No. 4), Kentucky (No. 9) and Alabama (No. 13) -- rank among the top 13 nationally.
The cyclical nature of the SEC is a fact of life. Teams go from winning national and/or conference championships to struggling to have winning seasons. Look at Georgia and Tennessee.
Teams also go from wading in mediocrity and specializing in coaching carousels to winning championships. Look at Alabama and LSU.
[+] Enlarge
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireTyrann Mathieu headlines one of the deepest and most talented defensive backfields in the SEC.
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireTyrann Mathieu headlines one of the deepest and most talented defensive backfields in the SEC. What doesn’t change is the importance of playing good defense if you’re going to have a chance to win a championship in this league.
In fact, the only SEC national champion in the BCS era that hasn’t finished in the top 10 nationally in either total defense or scoring defense was Auburn last season.
The Tigers bucked the trend a little bit. They weren’t a dominant defense, necessarily, but were lights-out in the second half and had the most dominant interior defensive lineman in college football last season in Nick Fairley.
So yes, you still win with defense in this league, which brings us to the present.
Who has the best defense this season?
Alabama and LSU were expected to fight it out for that distinction coming into the season, and we’ve seen nothing to dispute that two games into the season.
John Chavis’ LSU defense clamped down on Oregon’s high-powered offense in the opener and combines one of the most talented defensive lines with one of the deepest defensive backfields in the league, which includes one of the league's pre-eminent defensive playmakers in sophomore nickelback Tyrann Mathieu. Throw in a dizzying amount of speed across the board, and you’ve got the LSU defense.
The Tigers have passed the stiffest test to this point, so they probably deserve the top spot two games into the season.
Of course, we all know it’s a debate that will rage all season.
Alabama leads the SEC and is ranked fifth nationally in total defense. The Crimson Tide, fresh off a 27-11 win over Penn State in Happy Valley, are allowing just 170.5 yards per game. Their opponents are averaging just 2.45 yards per play, which ranks second nationally.
SportsNation: SEC defenses
With so many of college football's best defenses calling the SEC home, how would you seperate the good from the great? Rank 'Em!
In the past, when discussing defense in this league, Arkansas didn’t enter the conversation.
But don’t sleep on the Hogs this season. Not only is this Bobby Petrino’s best defense, it’s one of the best defenses in the conference.
Arkansas is loaded across the defensive front and able to rotate players in and out of the game. The other thing that sticks out about this defense is its experience. Guys like defensive end Jake Bequette, linebacker Jerry Franklin and safety Tramain Thomas have seemingly been playing forever. Don’t discount how important the addition of junior college linebacker Alonzo Highsmith was to this group, either.
The Hogs have only given up one touchdown in two games, but they also haven’t been tested. That’s obviously going to change in two weeks when they travel to Tuscaloosa.
The SEC defense with the best stats through two games is Florida, which will also receive its first test of the season Saturday when Tennessee brings its red-hot passing game to the Swamp.
The Gators are as talented as any team in the league in their front seven and should get even better this week with sophomore defensive end Sharrif Floyd returning from his two-game suspension.
Florida has yet to give up a touchdown through two games and leads the country in third-down defense. The Gators have allowed just three third-down conversions in 23 attempts. The jury’s still out on their young secondary, but shouldn’t be for long. The Vols will probably throw it 40-plus times this weekend.
So if you asked me to pick the top five defenses in the SEC right now, keeping in mind that the key showdowns (Arkansas at Alabama, LSU at Alabama, and Arkansas at LSU) are still to come, this is how I would rank them:
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Arkansas
5. Vanderbilt
Check back in a month to see how much this list has changed, although I don’t see the top two budging.
And yes, that's Vanderbilt I have at No. 5. First-year defensive coordinator Bob Shoop has a creative scheme, a veteran and talented secondary that gives him a lot of options and a defense that's playing with a lot of confidence right now.
In the spirit of next month’s ESPYS, we at the SEC blog have come up with our own version of the awards show but with an SEC twist.
Auburn headlines the SEC in the ESPYS with five nominations, but how with the Tigers fair in our award ceremony?
Take look at the winners:
Best athlete: QB Cam Newton, Auburn: There really isn’t much more to say about Newton and the magical season he had in his first -- and only -- season at Auburn. The Heisman Trophy winner passed for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the SEC with 1,473 rushing yards and 20 more scores. Outside of his statistics, Newton was one of the toughest athletes in the country for defenders to corrale. At 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Newton barreled through defenses while maintaining impressive elusiveness.
Best championship performance: DT Nick Fairley, Auburn: Oregon coach Chip Kelly said Fairley was the difference in the national championship game and that his Ducks simply couldn't block him. Fairley finished the game with five tackles, including three for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
Breakthrough athlete: RB Knile Davis, Arkansas: Fairley could have won this, but we went outside the box. Davis was one of the most consistent players in the league toward the end of last season and led all running backs with 1,322 rushing yards and had 13 touchdowns. He rushed for more than 100 yards in six of the 13 games he played (all in the last seven games) and averaged 101.7 yards per game.
Record-breaking performance: Newton, Auburn: Newton had a SEC record 4,327 total yards of offense last season. His 1,473 rushing yards set the SEC single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He became the third player in league history with at least 4,000 yards in a season and the first in SEC history with 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
Best game: Auburn coming back from a 24-0 deficit to beat Alabama 28-27: Alabama had all of the momentum until Newton connected with Emory Blake for a 36-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. The Tigers then outscored the Tide 21-3 in the second half to stun Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Best upset: South Carolina taking down No. 1-ranked Alabama: Alabama was the preseason No. 1 and had won 19 in a row entering the game, but held the lead for just three minutes against South Carolina in Columbia. The Gamecocks, led by three touchdowns from quarterback Stephen Garcia rolled over the Tide in a 35-21 win. It was Alabama's first SEC loss since the 2008 SEC championship against Florida and the Tide's first regular-season loss since losing to Auburn to close the 2007 regular season.
Best moment: Nick Bell's mother ringing a cowbell to end the moment of silence for her son in the first game following his death : Mississippi State lost the defensive end, who was 20, after his short battle with cancer last fall. Before the Arkansas game the Mississippi State marching band formed Bell's No. 36 on the field as it prepared to play the national anthem. The crowd then observed a moment of silence in honor of Bell and Linda Bell closed by ringing her cowbell. Mississippi State athletic director Scott Stricklin said it was one of the most moving things he's seen at a sporting event.
Best team: Auburn: The Tigers went 14-0 and took home the crystal ball. Doesn’t get any better than that.
Best coach: Gene Chizik, Auburn: The Tigers’ second-year coach went from being booed when he arrived in Auburn to winning a national championship in just two seasons. Auburn was 8-5 in his first year and went undefeated in 2010.
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesQuarterback Cam Newton, 2, and coach Gene Chizik, center, led Auburn to a magical season.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesQuarterback Cam Newton, 2, and coach Gene Chizik, center, led Auburn to a magical season.Take look at the winners:
Best athlete: QB Cam Newton, Auburn: There really isn’t much more to say about Newton and the magical season he had in his first -- and only -- season at Auburn. The Heisman Trophy winner passed for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the SEC with 1,473 rushing yards and 20 more scores. Outside of his statistics, Newton was one of the toughest athletes in the country for defenders to corrale. At 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, Newton barreled through defenses while maintaining impressive elusiveness.
Best championship performance: DT Nick Fairley, Auburn: Oregon coach Chip Kelly said Fairley was the difference in the national championship game and that his Ducks simply couldn't block him. Fairley finished the game with five tackles, including three for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
Breakthrough athlete: RB Knile Davis, Arkansas: Fairley could have won this, but we went outside the box. Davis was one of the most consistent players in the league toward the end of last season and led all running backs with 1,322 rushing yards and had 13 touchdowns. He rushed for more than 100 yards in six of the 13 games he played (all in the last seven games) and averaged 101.7 yards per game.
Record-breaking performance: Newton, Auburn: Newton had a SEC record 4,327 total yards of offense last season. His 1,473 rushing yards set the SEC single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He became the third player in league history with at least 4,000 yards in a season and the first in SEC history with 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
Best game: Auburn coming back from a 24-0 deficit to beat Alabama 28-27: Alabama had all of the momentum until Newton connected with Emory Blake for a 36-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. The Tigers then outscored the Tide 21-3 in the second half to stun Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Best upset: South Carolina taking down No. 1-ranked Alabama: Alabama was the preseason No. 1 and had won 19 in a row entering the game, but held the lead for just three minutes against South Carolina in Columbia. The Gamecocks, led by three touchdowns from quarterback Stephen Garcia rolled over the Tide in a 35-21 win. It was Alabama's first SEC loss since the 2008 SEC championship against Florida and the Tide's first regular-season loss since losing to Auburn to close the 2007 regular season.
Best moment: Nick Bell's mother ringing a cowbell to end the moment of silence for her son in the first game following his death : Mississippi State lost the defensive end, who was 20, after his short battle with cancer last fall. Before the Arkansas game the Mississippi State marching band formed Bell's No. 36 on the field as it prepared to play the national anthem. The crowd then observed a moment of silence in honor of Bell and Linda Bell closed by ringing her cowbell. Mississippi State athletic director Scott Stricklin said it was one of the most moving things he's seen at a sporting event.
Best team: Auburn: The Tigers went 14-0 and took home the crystal ball. Doesn’t get any better than that.
Best coach: Gene Chizik, Auburn: The Tigers’ second-year coach went from being booed when he arrived in Auburn to winning a national championship in just two seasons. Auburn was 8-5 in his first year and went undefeated in 2010.
DESTIN, Fla. -- The "year after" for Auburn is markedly different than it was for the two national champions that preceded the Tigers out of the SEC.
Florida won in 2008 and was the overwhelming pick to win again in 2009. The Gators ended up losing in the SEC championship game to Alabama.
Alabama won in 2009 and was the pick to win again in 2010. The Crimson Tide didn't even get to the SEC championship game.
Auburn, coming off its 14-0 march to the 2010 national championship, isn't on anybody's radar to repeat in 2011. The Tigers lost just about everybody from a year ago, including the Heisman Trophy winner (quarterback Cam Newton) and Lombardi Award winner (defensive tackle Nick Fairley).
Only six starters return from their national championship team, which means the competition for positions will be fierce once preseason camp begins.
It also means there won't be nearly the sense of entitlement for some of the players that was maybe the case at Alabama last season and Florida in 2009.
"It’s a different dynamic than maybe Florida or Alabama had," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "Our guys are hungry. There’s no question that they’ve really, really worked hard in the last four months or so since January. It’s really been a joy for me to watch, guys coming back and getting back into it that fast, being hungry and being excited about competing and trying to win a job. That’s where we’re at."
Chizik said Jan. 10 seems like forever ago, especially with how drastically different Auburn's depth chart looks now compared to what it looked like going into the BCS National Championship Game matchup with Oregon.
"It’s different for us," Chizik said. "What you’re going to see at Auburn is a lot of new faces and a lot of new names. We’ve got guys just fighting for jobs continuously on our roster.
"There are very few positions settled on our roster. Our players understand that we’ve put (the 2010 national title) in our rear-view mirror and have moved on."
Florida won in 2008 and was the overwhelming pick to win again in 2009. The Gators ended up losing in the SEC championship game to Alabama.
Alabama won in 2009 and was the pick to win again in 2010. The Crimson Tide didn't even get to the SEC championship game.
Auburn, coming off its 14-0 march to the 2010 national championship, isn't on anybody's radar to repeat in 2011. The Tigers lost just about everybody from a year ago, including the Heisman Trophy winner (quarterback Cam Newton) and Lombardi Award winner (defensive tackle Nick Fairley).
Only six starters return from their national championship team, which means the competition for positions will be fierce once preseason camp begins.
It also means there won't be nearly the sense of entitlement for some of the players that was maybe the case at Alabama last season and Florida in 2009.
"It’s a different dynamic than maybe Florida or Alabama had," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "Our guys are hungry. There’s no question that they’ve really, really worked hard in the last four months or so since January. It’s really been a joy for me to watch, guys coming back and getting back into it that fast, being hungry and being excited about competing and trying to win a job. That’s where we’re at."
Chizik said Jan. 10 seems like forever ago, especially with how drastically different Auburn's depth chart looks now compared to what it looked like going into the BCS National Championship Game matchup with Oregon.
"It’s different for us," Chizik said. "What you’re going to see at Auburn is a lot of new faces and a lot of new names. We’ve got guys just fighting for jobs continuously on our roster.
"There are very few positions settled on our roster. Our players understand that we’ve put (the 2010 national title) in our rear-view mirror and have moved on."
The SEC is perennially brimming with great defensive players.
And while Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley was a big surprise a year ago, you knew at the beginning of the season that Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson would both be strong candidates for SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
It's a little trickier looking ahead to the 2011 season.
Alabama has several candidates, including linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw and safety Mark Barron. Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin, Vanderbilt linebacker Chris Marve and Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan have all been extremely productive. The same goes for cornerbacks Morris Claiborne of LSU, Stephon Gilmore of South Carolina, Brandon Boykin of Georgia and Casey Hayward of Vanderbilt.
If you're looking for top pass-rushers, Arkansas' Jake Bequette, South Carolina's Devin Taylor and Tennessee's Malik Jackson all come to mind.
There are sure to be other premier defenders who emerge as well. In particular, keep an eye on some of that young talent on Florida's defensive line.
Tell us what you think and vote in our poll on who will be the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. I'll go over the results next week in a post. And, yes, there are plenty of other deserving candidates than just the five listed. But we can only have five.
So vote away.
It's a little trickier looking ahead to the 2011 season.
Alabama has several candidates, including linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw and safety Mark Barron. Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin, Vanderbilt linebacker Chris Marve and Kentucky linebacker Danny Trevathan have all been extremely productive. The same goes for cornerbacks Morris Claiborne of LSU, Stephon Gilmore of South Carolina, Brandon Boykin of Georgia and Casey Hayward of Vanderbilt.
If you're looking for top pass-rushers, Arkansas' Jake Bequette, South Carolina's Devin Taylor and Tennessee's Malik Jackson all come to mind.
There are sure to be other premier defenders who emerge as well. In particular, keep an eye on some of that young talent on Florida's defensive line.
Tell us what you think and vote in our poll on who will be the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. I'll go over the results next week in a post. And, yes, there are plenty of other deserving candidates than just the five listed. But we can only have five.
So vote away.
A closer look at why there’s hope in the camp of the defending national champion Tigers and why there’s concern:
Biggest reason for hope: Talented sophomore class
With so many of the key players from last season’s national championship team gone (Cam Newton, Nick Fairley, Lee Ziemba, Darvin Adams, Josh Bynes, etc.), the Tigers are going to need reinforcements fast. The good news is they have a ton of talent waiting in the wings, and some of that talent has already been on display. Running back Mike Dyer, receiver Trovon Reed, offensive guard Ed Christian, defensive end Corey Lemonier, defensive end Craig Sanders, defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker, defensive tackle Kenneth Carter and middle linebacker Jake Holland are all part of that star-studded 2010 signing class and will play increased roles this fall. With a little experience, it’s the kind of nucleus the Tigers can start building around toward another championship run.
Biggest reason for concern: Unsettled quarterback situation
There wasn’t enough separation between Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley for the Tigers to name a starting quarterback coming out of the spring, and coach Gene Chizik made it clear that he wants to see more consistency at the position -- period. In fairness to both Trotter and Moseley, when you’re replacing an offensive machine like Newton, everything looks a little inconsistent. Trotter probably has a little bit of an edge because he’s been in the system longer, although Moseley made enough strides in the spring to make it a battle. The wild card will be incoming freshman Kiehl Frazier, who’s a run-pass threat in the mold of Newton and was rated among the top prep quarterbacks in the country last year. The chances of Frazier winning the job in August probably aren’t real high, but he’s talented enough to play his way into a starting role at some point during the season once he gets comfortable with the playbook. Either way, it looks like offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will earn that $1.3 million salary next season, but he’s proven in the past that his offenses can put up big numbers even when there are certain limitations at quarterback.
Biggest reason for hope: Talented sophomore class
With so many of the key players from last season’s national championship team gone (Cam Newton, Nick Fairley, Lee Ziemba, Darvin Adams, Josh Bynes, etc.), the Tigers are going to need reinforcements fast. The good news is they have a ton of talent waiting in the wings, and some of that talent has already been on display. Running back Mike Dyer, receiver Trovon Reed, offensive guard Ed Christian, defensive end Corey Lemonier, defensive end Craig Sanders, defensive tackle Jeffrey Whitaker, defensive tackle Kenneth Carter and middle linebacker Jake Holland are all part of that star-studded 2010 signing class and will play increased roles this fall. With a little experience, it’s the kind of nucleus the Tigers can start building around toward another championship run.
Biggest reason for concern: Unsettled quarterback situation
There wasn’t enough separation between Barrett Trotter and Clint Moseley for the Tigers to name a starting quarterback coming out of the spring, and coach Gene Chizik made it clear that he wants to see more consistency at the position -- period. In fairness to both Trotter and Moseley, when you’re replacing an offensive machine like Newton, everything looks a little inconsistent. Trotter probably has a little bit of an edge because he’s been in the system longer, although Moseley made enough strides in the spring to make it a battle. The wild card will be incoming freshman Kiehl Frazier, who’s a run-pass threat in the mold of Newton and was rated among the top prep quarterbacks in the country last year. The chances of Frazier winning the job in August probably aren’t real high, but he’s talented enough to play his way into a starting role at some point during the season once he gets comfortable with the playbook. Either way, it looks like offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will earn that $1.3 million salary next season, but he’s proven in the past that his offenses can put up big numbers even when there are certain limitations at quarterback.
Looking back at 2010 first-round predictions
May, 3, 2011
5/03/11
9:00
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
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:
And here's how the first round 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
By hoisting the crystal football in January, Auburn cemented itself as the best team college football last fall. The Tigers went undefeated in the nation's toughest conference (the SEC) and brought home a national championship.
There was a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Cam Newton, a freak of a defensive tackle in Nick Fairley and four All-SEC selections from the 2010 team.
But after looking at how the Tigers did in the NFL draft this weekend, it's hard to argue that last year's team relied on Newton more than people thought. And that says a lot.
Despite having a senior-laden team (and returning only six starters this spring), the Tigers weren't well represented in this year's NFL draft. Outside of Newton going first overall to the Carolina Panthers and Fairley going 13th to the Detroit Lions, Auburn's only other two draft selections came in the seventh round. Defensive tackle Zach Clayton went to the Tennessee Titans with pick No. 212 and offensive tackle Lee Ziemba went 244th to the Panthers.
Auburn's BCS opponent, Oregon, produced just one draft selection this year: linebacker Casey Matthews, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Florida had just three players drafted -- wide receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, and tight end Cornelius Ingram -- in the 2009 NFL draft following the Gators' Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma, but returned a majority of that team for the 2009 season.
Oklahoma had the lowest amount of draft selections for a defending champ since 2000, with just two draftees -- linebacker Torrance Marshall and quarterback Josh Heupel -- in 2001.
The SEC's seven national champions since 2000 have produced 37 draft picks, with LSU leading the way with 14 of those selections and Florida having a SEC-high nine selections in the 2007 draft.
There was a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Cam Newton, a freak of a defensive tackle in Nick Fairley and four All-SEC selections from the 2010 team.
But after looking at how the Tigers did in the NFL draft this weekend, it's hard to argue that last year's team relied on Newton more than people thought. And that says a lot.
Despite having a senior-laden team (and returning only six starters this spring), the Tigers weren't well represented in this year's NFL draft. Outside of Newton going first overall to the Carolina Panthers and Fairley going 13th to the Detroit Lions, Auburn's only other two draft selections came in the seventh round. Defensive tackle Zach Clayton went to the Tennessee Titans with pick No. 212 and offensive tackle Lee Ziemba went 244th to the Panthers.
Auburn's BCS opponent, Oregon, produced just one draft selection this year: linebacker Casey Matthews, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Florida had just three players drafted -- wide receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, and tight end Cornelius Ingram -- in the 2009 NFL draft following the Gators' Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma, but returned a majority of that team for the 2009 season.
Oklahoma had the lowest amount of draft selections for a defending champ since 2000, with just two draftees -- linebacker Torrance Marshall and quarterback Josh Heupel -- in 2001.
The SEC's seven national champions since 2000 have produced 37 draft picks, with LSU leading the way with 14 of those selections and Florida having a SEC-high nine selections in the 2007 draft.
The first round of the 2011 NFL draft on Thursday night had a definitive SEC flavor to it.
It opened with an SEC player being selected and then closed several hours later with an SEC player being selected.
All told, there were 10 players from the SEC taken in the first round, which was one shy of the league record set in 2007.
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was the No. 1 pick overall and went to the Carolina Panthers. It’s the third time in the past five drafts that the SEC has produced the top overall pick. Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford went No. 1 overall to the Detroit Lions in 2009, and LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell went No. 1 overall to the Oakland Raiders in 2007.
Here’s a quick rundown of the 10 SEC first-round selections:
The SEC has had five picks in the top 20 of the first round five straight years now.
Newton became the eighth SEC quarterback to be drafted in the first round in the past 10 years.
One of the biggest surprises of the first round was Carpenter going 25th to the Seahawks. Carpenter played left tackle at Alabama the past two seasons and was thought to be more of a second-round selection. But he helped himself at the Senior Bowl by showing that he could also play guard.
Fairley, the No. 5 prospect on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper’s Big Board, dropped to 13th and was taken by the Lions. Fairley will be paired in Detroit with 2010 rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh.
Sherrod had to wait until the final pick of the first round to hear his name called. But in going 32nd overall to the Packers, he ended a long drought for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs had gone 14 straight years without a first-round pick.
Alabama became the first team in the SEC to produce four first-round NFL draft selections since Auburn did it in 2005.
Over the past three years, Alabama has produced seven first-rounders, the most in the SEC. That’s after going eight years in a row without any first-round selections.
Nick Saban has now recruited and signed 15 players during his nine seasons as an SEC head coach who’ve gone on to become first-round selections. He was responsible for signing all nine of LSU’s first-round choices from 2004-09 and signed six of Alabama’s seven first-rounders over the past three years.
Tennessee was shut out of the first round for the first time since 2005. The Vols were the only team in the SEC that had produced a first-rounder each of the past five years prior to Thursday night’s festivities.
The draft resumes on Friday night with the second and third rounds.
Among those SEC players expected to get a call Friday are Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb, Georgia outside linebacker Justin Houston, Georgia inside linebacker Akeem Dent, Georgia offensive guard Clint Boling, LSU inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba, Florida offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert and Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker.
It opened with an SEC player being selected and then closed several hours later with an SEC player being selected.
All told, there were 10 players from the SEC taken in the first round, which was one shy of the league record set in 2007.
Auburn quarterback Cam Newton was the No. 1 pick overall and went to the Carolina Panthers. It’s the third time in the past five drafts that the SEC has produced the top overall pick. Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford went No. 1 overall to the Detroit Lions in 2009, and LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell went No. 1 overall to the Oakland Raiders in 2007.
Here’s a quick rundown of the 10 SEC first-round selections:
- 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
The SEC has had five picks in the top 20 of the first round five straight years now.
Newton became the eighth SEC quarterback to be drafted in the first round in the past 10 years.
One of the biggest surprises of the first round was Carpenter going 25th to the Seahawks. Carpenter played left tackle at Alabama the past two seasons and was thought to be more of a second-round selection. But he helped himself at the Senior Bowl by showing that he could also play guard.
Fairley, the No. 5 prospect on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper’s Big Board, dropped to 13th and was taken by the Lions. Fairley will be paired in Detroit with 2010 rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh.
Sherrod had to wait until the final pick of the first round to hear his name called. But in going 32nd overall to the Packers, he ended a long drought for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs had gone 14 straight years without a first-round pick.
Alabama became the first team in the SEC to produce four first-round NFL draft selections since Auburn did it in 2005.
Over the past three years, Alabama has produced seven first-rounders, the most in the SEC. That’s after going eight years in a row without any first-round selections.
Nick Saban has now recruited and signed 15 players during his nine seasons as an SEC head coach who’ve gone on to become first-round selections. He was responsible for signing all nine of LSU’s first-round choices from 2004-09 and signed six of Alabama’s seven first-rounders over the past three years.
Tennessee was shut out of the first round for the first time since 2005. The Vols were the only team in the SEC that had produced a first-rounder each of the past five years prior to Thursday night’s festivities.
The draft resumes on Friday night with the second and third rounds.
Among those SEC players expected to get a call Friday are Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb, Georgia outside linebacker Justin Houston, Georgia inside linebacker Akeem Dent, Georgia offensive guard Clint Boling, LSU inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba, Florida offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert and Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker.
ESPN's Mel Kiper has unveiled his final NFL mock draft, and if he's right, get ready to hear a bunch of SEC players' names right away on Thursday night from Radio City Music Hall.
Kiper is predicting that five of the first six picks in the draft will be SEC players, led by Auburn quarterback Cam Newton going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
The only non-SEC player in Kiper's top six is Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller going No. 2 to the Denver Broncos.
After that, Kiper has Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus going No. 3 to the Buffalo Bills, Georgia receiver A.J. Green going No. 4 to the Cincinnati Bengals, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson going No. 5 to the Arizona Cardinals and Alabama receiver Julio Jones going No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns.
Also in the top 10, Kiper projects that Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley will go No. 8 to the Tennessee Titans.
That would be six SEC players in the top 10 picks, which would be a record.
The SEC has produced four of the top 10 players in the draft on two different occasions. In 2008, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden went No. 4, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey No. 5, Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey No. 8 and Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo No. 10. In 2005, Auburn running back Ronnie Brown went No. 2, Auburn running back Cadillac Williams No. 5, South Carolina receiver Troy Williamson No. 7 and Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers No. 9.
Overall, Kiper has nine SEC players going in the first round this year. The SEC record for first-rounders is 11, which was set in 2007.
Rounding out the SEC players projected to go in the first round, Kiper has Florida offensive center/guard Mike Pouncey going No. 15 to the Miami Dolphins, Alabama running back Mark Ingram going No. 28 to the New England Patriots and Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod going No. 29 to the Chicago Bears.
Kiper is predicting that five of the first six picks in the draft will be SEC players, led by Auburn quarterback Cam Newton going No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
The only non-SEC player in Kiper's top six is Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller going No. 2 to the Denver Broncos.
After that, Kiper has Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus going No. 3 to the Buffalo Bills, Georgia receiver A.J. Green going No. 4 to the Cincinnati Bengals, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson going No. 5 to the Arizona Cardinals and Alabama receiver Julio Jones going No. 6 to the Cleveland Browns.
Also in the top 10, Kiper projects that Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley will go No. 8 to the Tennessee Titans.
That would be six SEC players in the top 10 picks, which would be a record.
The SEC has produced four of the top 10 players in the draft on two different occasions. In 2008, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden went No. 4, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey No. 5, Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey No. 8 and Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo No. 10. In 2005, Auburn running back Ronnie Brown went No. 2, Auburn running back Cadillac Williams No. 5, South Carolina receiver Troy Williamson No. 7 and Auburn cornerback Carlos Rogers No. 9.
Overall, Kiper has nine SEC players going in the first round this year. The SEC record for first-rounders is 11, which was set in 2007.
Rounding out the SEC players projected to go in the first round, Kiper has Florida offensive center/guard Mike Pouncey going No. 15 to the Miami Dolphins, Alabama running back Mark Ingram going No. 28 to the New England Patriots and Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod going No. 29 to the Chicago Bears.
Carolina Panthers general manager Marty Hurney hasn’t asked me, and something tells me he won’t.
But if he did, my advice would be simple.
Forget about Cam Newton and forget about Marcell Dareus.
Rather, take that No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft and select the guy who’s going to come in and make the most profound impact over the next 10 seasons -- LSU’s Patrick Peterson.
There’s no such thing as a sure thing in any draft. But the closest thing to that in this draft is Peterson, a 218-pound freak of an athlete who can lock down on the best receivers in the game and then turn around and change the game with an electrifying punt return for a touchdown.
To me, Newton is a serious reach with the No. 1 overall pick.
He had an unbelievable season a year ago at Auburn, and I could see using a pick later in the first round to get him, especially if he gets in the right system. But no way would I take him with the first pick in the draft.
Dareus would be No. 3 on my board, just a shade behind Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
But my clear No. 1 would be Peterson, who just also happens to be No. 1 on Mel Kiper’s final Big Board.
As I’ve said many times after watching Peterson play the past three seasons in the SEC, there just aren’t many guys like him anywhere on the planet.
He’s pushing 220 pounds, runs a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, tackles like a linebacker and has that edge about him all the great defenders possess.
He’s also one of those rare guys who could play cornerback, nickel or safety in the NFL and be a star at all three positions. And if he gets his hands on the ball, good luck in getting him on the ground.
On special teams, Peterson’s a big play waiting to happen. He led the SEC last season in kickoff return average and punt return average and took two punts back for touchdowns.
When you’re picking first in the NFL draft, you’re looking for a guy who can come in and transform your franchise, a guy who can be a cornerstone for years to come.
That guy wore No. 7 for the LSU Tigers the past three seasons.
If the Panthers are smart, he’ll be wearing one of their uniforms next season.
But if he did, my advice would be simple.
Forget about Cam Newton and forget about Marcell Dareus.
Rather, take that No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft and select the guy who’s going to come in and make the most profound impact over the next 10 seasons -- LSU’s Patrick Peterson.
There’s no such thing as a sure thing in any draft. But the closest thing to that in this draft is Peterson, a 218-pound freak of an athlete who can lock down on the best receivers in the game and then turn around and change the game with an electrifying punt return for a touchdown.
To me, Newton is a serious reach with the No. 1 overall pick.
He had an unbelievable season a year ago at Auburn, and I could see using a pick later in the first round to get him, especially if he gets in the right system. But no way would I take him with the first pick in the draft.
Dareus would be No. 3 on my board, just a shade behind Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
But my clear No. 1 would be Peterson, who just also happens to be No. 1 on Mel Kiper’s final Big Board.
As I’ve said many times after watching Peterson play the past three seasons in the SEC, there just aren’t many guys like him anywhere on the planet.
He’s pushing 220 pounds, runs a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, tackles like a linebacker and has that edge about him all the great defenders possess.
He’s also one of those rare guys who could play cornerback, nickel or safety in the NFL and be a star at all three positions. And if he gets his hands on the ball, good luck in getting him on the ground.
On special teams, Peterson’s a big play waiting to happen. He led the SEC last season in kickoff return average and punt return average and took two punts back for touchdowns.
When you’re picking first in the NFL draft, you’re looking for a guy who can come in and transform your franchise, a guy who can be a cornerstone for years to come.
That guy wore No. 7 for the LSU Tigers the past three seasons.
If the Panthers are smart, he’ll be wearing one of their uniforms next season.
Despite the lockout, the NFL announced Monday that a record 25 players will attend the first round of the NFL draft festivities on Thursday night at Radio Music City Hall in New York City.
Of those 25 players scheduled to attend, nine are from the SEC -- Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Alabama receiver Julio Jones, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, Florida offensive center/guard Mike Pouncey, Georgia receiver A.J. Green, Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Here's the entire list:
Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara
UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers
Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn
Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb
Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
Auburn DT Nick Fairley
Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert
Georgia receiver A.J. Green
Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich
Alabama running back Mark Ingram
California defensive end Cameron Jordan
Alabama WR Julio Jones
Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan
Illinois DT Corey Liuget
Texas A&M LB Von Miller
UCLA safety Rahim Moore
Auburn QB Cam Newton
LSU CB Patrick Peterson
Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey
Missouri DE Aldon Smith
USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith
Baylor DT Phil Taylor
Baylor guard Danny Watkins
Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt
Virginia Tech RB Ryan Williams
Of those 25 players scheduled to attend, nine are from the SEC -- Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Alabama receiver Julio Jones, Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, Florida offensive center/guard Mike Pouncey, Georgia receiver A.J. Green, Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Here's the entire list:
Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara
UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers
Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn
Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb
Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus
Auburn DT Nick Fairley
Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert
Georgia receiver A.J. Green
Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich
Alabama running back Mark Ingram
California defensive end Cameron Jordan
Alabama WR Julio Jones
Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan
Illinois DT Corey Liuget
Texas A&M LB Von Miller
UCLA safety Rahim Moore
Auburn QB Cam Newton
LSU CB Patrick Peterson
Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey
Missouri DE Aldon Smith
USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith
Baylor DT Phil Taylor
Baylor guard Danny Watkins
Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt
Virginia Tech RB Ryan Williams
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Chris Low
Low joined ESPN.com in 2007 after 10 years with The (Nashville) Tennessean covering the University of Tennessee and SEC. The Rock Hill, S.C., native lives with his wife in Knoxville and has three sons.
Edward Aschoff
Aschoff joined ESPN.com in 2011 after spending four years covering the University of Florida for The Gainesville Sun. He grew up in Oxford, Miss., before attending UF, graduating with a B.S. in journalism.
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