ESPN College Football

Our look at the SEC's most productive returning players in 2012 continues with wide receivers.

Past producers:

• Quarterback
• Running back

The SEC returns five of the top 10 statistical wideouts from a year ago. Top statistical receiver Jarius Wright has departed, but the No. 2 receiver in the SEC is back, which means he'll have a chance to claim the crown as the league's top wideout in 2012.

Here is the conference's top returning producer at receiver:

Da'Rick Rogers, Tennessee: While Rogers dealt with some issues last season that didn't pertain to football, he was still one of the best receiving threats in the SEC. He lead the league with 67 catches and was second with 1,040 receiving yards. He was also second in the conference with nine receiving touchdowns. Rogers finished the season averaging 15.5 yards per catch and hauled in six 100-yard receiving games, including having three in Tennessee's last four games. When he's totally invested, Rogers is a handful for defenders to stop. He's not only fast and can break away from defenders in a hurry but with his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, he's a much bigger load for defensive backs to handle.

The SEC returns four more of the top 10 statistical receivers from a year ago:

• Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt: He caught 41 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns, and averaged 19 yards per catch.
• Tavarres King, Georgia: He caught 47 passes for 705 yards and eight touchdowns, and averaged 15 yards per catch.
• Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia: He caught 45 passes for 665 yards and four touchdowns, and averaged 14.8 yards per catch.
• Emory Blake, Auburn: He caught 36 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns, and averaged 17 yards per catch.

Rogers will have his hands full trying to take the title of the SEC's best receiver, and it'll start in his own backyard, as big-time deep threat Justin Hunter is back from his ACL injury. Hunter might be the most gifted receiver in the league and he's showed in the past that it's hard to find a better deep threat with the speed and length he possesses. Quarterback Tyler Bray is no doubt salivating at the thought having both of these guys completely healthy for the fall.

Arkansas might have lost three NFL receivers from last year, but don't forget about Cobi Hamilton. Though he's been overshadowed at times, the senior-to-be has 85 career catches for 1,519 yards and 13 scores. He's fast and physical and with Tyler Wilson throwing the ball, he'll have plenty of chances to make a strong run as the league's best.

Odell Beckham at LSU came on strong as a true freshman last season, catching 41 passes for 475 yards and two touchdowns, and now that Rueben Randle is gone, Beckham should be LSU's top receiving target this fall. Florida's Andre Debose has yet to have a complete season at receiver, but he's the Gators best deep threat. If he can finally focus in a little more, he'll get more touches. Kentucky's La'Rod King was 11th in the league in receiving last year, and that was with major issues at the quarterback spot. A more settled QB situation in Lexington should help him move up the receiving chart.

As for some newcomers, Ryan Swope at Texas A&M is the first name you have to consider. He was third in the Big 12 in receiving, catching 89 passes for 1,207 yards and 11 touchdowns. He could have easily left for the NFL after last season. At Missouri, T.J. Moe returns as the Tigers' top receiver, but deep threat Marcus Lucas and incoming freshman Dorial Green-Beckham could also do some damage this fall. Lucas is a guy the coaches can't wait to let loose, but if Green-Beckham is as good as the coaches hope, he could be an instant star.

With LSU beefing up its passing game now that Zach Mettenberger is pulling the trigger, the Tigers are going to need a go-to receiver to emerge:

OUT: WR Rueben Randle. How important was Randle last season? He had more receiving yards than any other player in SEC games and was the only player in the league to surpass 600 receiving yards (629) in SEC contests. Five of his eight touchdown catches came in league games, and he averaged 19.1 yards per catch against SEC defenses. In short, when the Tigers needed a big play in the passing game, Randle was there to deliver. He led the Tigers with 53 catches in all games and just missed 1,000 receiving yards. He joined cornerback Morris Claiborne and defensive tackle Michael Brockers in giving up his senior season and declaring for the NFL draft.

IN: Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. and Russell Shepard. The good news for the Tigers is that they have some explosive players at the receiver position. They just don't have that one guy who's proven that he can be the featured target despite defenses trying to take him away. Beckham had an excellent freshman season and was second on LSU's team with 41 catches. He'll be even better his second time around. The guy to watch is Landry, who's oozing with talent. He's also a football player. If you don't think so, go back and watch how he blew up a few people on special teams last season. Don't forget about Shepard, either. This is his last chance to fulfill his potential. He caught four touchdown passes last season, but was suspended the first three games, and at one point, was planning on declaring for the NFL draft. He changed his mind and is back for his senior season. The Tigers need him to be a more consistent playmaker. And even though he's struggled to make the transition to receiver, Shepard is still plenty dangerous in the open field.

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.

Just because a team is projected to have a top-five finish doesn't mean it's perfect. No matter how good you think your team is, we're here to bring it down a notch.

And that's exactly where Brian Fremeau of Football Outsiders/ESPN.com comes into play. He has taken a look at ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's 2012 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25 and broken down the weaknesses of Schlabach's top 5.

It just so happens that three of them are SEC teams (imagine that!). Here's what Fremeau had to say about them:

2. Alabama

"Alabama's defense will take a step back with the roster turnover, but the question is how big a step -- (Nick) Saban's past four teams at Alabama have ranked in the top 10 in opponent points per drive.

"The learning curve will be steep. The Crimson Tide will open the year against the Michigan Wolverines in Dallas, an offense led by Denard Robinson that was more efficient than any opponent Alabama faced a year ago. Special teams needs to be a point of emphasis, as well -- Alabama was below average on field goals, punts, kickoffs and kickoff return efficiency a year ago."

3. LSU

"The big question is whether LSU can take a step forward on offense. The offense was completely smothered by Alabama in the title game, but generating first downs plagued the Tigers at times throughout the year. LSU earned at least one first down on only 69 percent of its drives (49th-best rate nationally) and ranked 101st in producing 'methodical drives' (possessions of at least 10 plays). All eyes will be on transfer quarterback Zach Mettenberger in spring practice."

5. Georgia

"The focal point for next season has to be about finishing games and drives. On methodical drives of ten or more plays, Georgia scored a pathetic 1.5 points per possession (119th nationally and 2.3 points fewer than the national average). Late drives stalled in the bowl game loss to Michigan State due to conservative play calling and execution breakdowns. Georgia also needs to win the field position battle next year -- the Bulldogs were 63rd in field position advantage on the season, and all four losses a year ago were due in part to field position mismanagement."

My thoughts:

• Alabama will lose some key pieces to its defense in 2012, but I don't think you'll see the same team we all saw in 2010. That defense was susceptible to the big play, and the Tide isn't exactly returning a group of youngsters. Alabama's defense will be made up mostly of juniors and seniors next season, but there's no denying the talent gone. I am also interested to see who steps up in the leadership department now that guys like Dont'a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw and Josh Chapman are gone.
• At LSU, all eyes will be on Mettenberger, but it should be interesting to see what those young receivers do during the offseason, too. Russell Shepard is the lone senior returning to the starting lineup at receiver, and if his post-championship Twitter escapade was any indication, he still has some maturing to do before next season. A lot more will be expected from rising sophomores Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Beckham was LSU's No. 2 receiver last season, so he could move to No. 1 before the season starts. People think Landry can be a real playmaker in LSU's offense.
• Obviously, a lot of the focus in Athens, Ga., this offseason will be on running back Isaiah Crowell. His nagging injury issues became a problem for the Bulldogs, and the running game was inconsistent because of it. Georgia has pretty good depth at the running back position, but Crowell is the headliner and if he's going to be the guy again, he has to become more reliable for the Bulldogs to repeat as SEC Eastern Division champs.

Even as we turn our attention to the 2012 football season, there's always time to check back with the past from time to time.

The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.

For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?

Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.

Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.

Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..

Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.

Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.

Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.

Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.

Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.

Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.

Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.

SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)

• Since 2006, more than half of the slots in the BCS National Championship Game have been taken by SEC teams (7 of 12). The Big Ten and the Big 12 have two each and the Pac-12 has one.

• An SEC team has led or tied for the lead at the end of 20 of the last 24 quarters of BCS National Championship Game play.
• Since 2006, an SEC team has been ranked first in the weekly BCS standings in 26 of the 48 weeks, with four different teams holding the top spot. Florida was first for seven weeks, Alabama for six weeks, Auburn for three and LSU for 10 weeks, including all eight polls of this season.
• The SEC has had more teams ranked in the BCS standings for the most times than any other conference since 2006. The league has had 11 of its 12 teams ranked at one time or another since 2006 for a total of 238 times. The SEC breakdown: LSU (45), Alabama (35), Florida (33), Auburn (29), Georgia (23), Arkansas (23), South Carolina (21), Tennessee (14), Mississippi State (8), Kentucky (4) and Ole Miss (3).
• Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 9-3 record in BCS bowl games, more wins and a higher winning percentage (.750) than any other conference. The win total equals that of the next two highest conferences.

Bowls

• Since 2006, the SEC has accrued more bowl wins (36) and appearances (55) than any other conference. The conference’s .655 bowl winning percentage is third behind the Big East (23-10, .697) and Mountain West (20-9, .690) during that time.
• In January bowl games, the SEC is 22-10 (.688) against nonconference competition. Since 2008, the league is 16-6 (.727) against nonconference opponents in January bowls.
• In seven 2011-12 bowl games against nonconference teams, SEC defenses held opponents to less than its scoring average in five of those games. One of the two other games were in overtime (Michigan State-Georgia) and the other was Auburn holding Virginia to 24 points, when the Cavaliers season average was 23.2 points per game.

Random

• Over the last five seasons, Alabama owns the SEC's best winning percentage with a 50-12 record (.806). LSU has the most wins with 53, while Vanderbilt owns the league's lowest winning percentage (.355). LSU owns the best winning percentage over the last 10 years (.795) with a 105-27.
• SEC teams were 20-28 on the road against SEC opponents last season. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt failed to win on the road against conference opponents.
• LSU led the SEC with a touchdown efficiency on drives of 34.8. Alabama led in scoring efficiency (46.8). Ole Miss was last in scoring efficiency (20.1) and Kentucky was last in touchdown efficiency (13.2).
• LSU led the SEC with 129 fourth-quarter points and a fourth-quarter scoring margin of plus-95. Ole Miss was last with 41 points and a scoring margin of -36.
• Arkansas led the SEC in yards per scoring drive (61.9).

For those of you hoping you’ve heard the last of Les Miles and his LSU Tigers, think again.

While LSU came up short with a poor performance in its 21-0 loss to Alabama in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game Monday, the Tigers won’t be going anywhere.

In fact, they might be right back in the national title picture next season.

LSU returns most of the talent that helped the Tigers get to New Orleans, so that trip to South Beach for next year’s championship game is very much in play.

The quarterback position should receive an upgrade with Zach Mettenberger taking over, top receiving threats Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham return and LSU’s defense should return mostly intact.

“When you look at that you think we pretty much have the same team,” said sophomore defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who had 54 tackles, including 10 for loss last season. “There are little voids in our team, but they can be filled. That’s the best part about it.”

What might be the scariest part about LSU is the fact that along with Brockers, defensive linemen Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo and Bennie Logan were sophomores in 2011. So were defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid, along with linebacker Kevin Minter.

Offensive players around the SEC all just shuddered at once at the thought of that, but it gets worse. Cornerback Tharold Simon, who defended 12 passes and had two interceptions, will be a junior, and defensive linemen Anthony “Freak” Johnson, Ego Ferguson and Jermauria Rasco will only be sophomores.

Offensively, LSU brings back all four members of its bullish running team. Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Alfred Blue were all sophomores last season and combined for 2,002 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Oh, and freshman Kenny Hilliard might have the most talent of any of his running back partners. He came on late and rushed for 336 yards and eight touchdowns during his first season.

Beckham appears to be a real budding star in the SEC. He was second on the team with 41 catches for 475 yards and two touchdowns. He showed deep threat ability along the way, but has tremendous hands. He can really go up and get passes.

Also, keep an eye on rising sophomore receiver Jarvis Landry. He only caught four passes this season, but he flashed some pretty good speed at times in 2011 and with his 6-foot, 190-pound frame, he’ll be able to get pretty physical with opposing defensive backs.

With the recruiting class Miles hauled in 2011, there will naturally be more names that emerge in 2012, and this year's recruiting class looks to be another stellar one for The Hat.

Monday was rough for the Tigers, but Mathieu said there is hope for the immediate future. There is certainly motivation in the loss to the Crimson Tide after what was turning into a truly historic season, but the Tigers will have no problem picking their heads up in 2012.

“Those guys are ready to get on the field, ready to make their mark,” Mathieu said. “That’s something to lean on right now.”

“We gotta get the ball back rolling and be in the same position next year and hopefully win it.”

It looks like the youth movement in the SEC is pretty strong.

According to Scouts Inc.'s Todd McShay, the future truly is now as eight players from the SEC made his list of the top 25 freshmen . The SEC led all conferences in participants, while the Pac-12 had the second-most with five.

For a conference known more for its defense, McShay had five offensive players to just three defensive players from the SEC.

Also, real shocking that LSU led the SEC with three members. Georgia was second with two.

Here is how the SEC fared and some added analysis from McShay:

2. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: Clowney will continue to get bigger and stronger, but he already looks like a grown man in pads, has an outstanding frame and is well-proportioned for his age. He's not an elite speed rusher but shows the versatility to rush off the edge as well as inside.

4. Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia: Crowell shows quick feet and the ability to stop and start quickly, and his patience and feel for running lanes is impressive for such a young back. He lacks elite top-end speed but has burst through the hole and can bounce inside runs to the sideline once he hits the second level. Crowell also runs hard and with good balance, but he'll need to get stronger to break more tackles in the future.

8. Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia: A tall, lean player with confidence and big-time talent, Mitchell shows great body control and can climb the ladder in jump-ball situations. He is a bit robotic in his routes at times, but he's a playmaker who should become more savvy with experience and already knows how to adjust to the football. He excels on back-shoulder fades and comeback routes, and he gets upfield quickly after the catch.

9. Chaz Green, OT, Florida: Green possesses a thick, massive frame along with natural strength. Once in position he flashes the ability to get movement as an inline blocker in the running game, and he's an above-average athlete who packs a powerful punch in pass sets.

10. Odell Beckham, WR, LSU: Beckham's size is just average and he didn't show breakaway speed on film, but a combination of above-average hands, ability to produce after the catch and toughness lands him on this list. Though he dropped a bullet on a quick-hitter in the Tennessee game, Beckham extends his arms and plucks the ball out of the air more often than not.

14. Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU: Johnson needs to play with more consistent pad level and is still developing in terms of finding and reacting to the play. However, he is on this list because he has a very high ceiling. He is physically mature beyond his years and possesses a well-proportioned frame, shows natural brute strength and flashes exceptional power to shock and control blockers.

17. A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee: Johnson is a tough between-the-tackles run stuffer who uses his hands to keep blockers from getting to his frame. He shows above-average discipline and rarely is caught out of position. While he's an average athlete and is exposed in space on occasion, he's a strong wrap-up tackler who doesn't let ball-carriers slip though his grasp once he's latched on.

25. Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU: Hilliard is a bruiser who came on late in the season. While he lacks elite top-end speed and elusiveness, he does have nimble feet and runs with upper-echelon power and balance. Hilliard consistently shows the ability to absorb hits, stay on his feet and churn out hidden yardage. He is effective in short-yardage situations and can be a nightmare to bring down when he gains a head of steam in the open field.

The coaches have spoken with their own SEC All-Freshman team, so we here at the SEC blog decided to come up with our own team.

We couldn't fit all of the youngsters on the list, and some tough cuts had to be made.

Honestly, our list wasn't much different from the coaches' list. There were a couple of changes, but nothing extreme.

One tough cut we made was Vanderbilt wide receiver Chris Boyd. He was Vandy's second wide receiver, catching 29 passes for 404 yards and seven touchdowns. He had a very solid first year in Nashville, Tenn., but we decided to go with LSU's Odell Beckham, who caught seven more passes and had 33 more yards. Although, Boyd had five more touchdowns. In the end, we felt he was more valuable to LSU's offense this season.

LSU also led the way with five selections, while Tennessee was second with four selections.

Here's our freshman team:

OFFENSE

QB -- Maxwell Smith, Kentucky
RB -- Kenny Hilliard, LSU
RB -- Isaiah Crowell, Georgia
WR -- Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia
WR -- Odell Beckham, Jr., LSU
TE -- Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State
OL -- Chaz Green, Florida
OL -- Marcus Jackson, Tennessee
OL - A.J. Cann, South Carolina
OL -- Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
C -- Reese Dismukes, Auburn

DEFENSE

DL -- Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
DL -- Anthony Johnson, LSU
DL -- Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina
DL -- Trey Flowers, Arkansas
LB -- A.J. Johnson, Tennessee
LB -- Curt Maggitt, Tennessee
LB -- Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss
CB -- Marcus Roberson, Florida
CB -- Tevin Mitchel, Arkansas
S -- Brian Randolph, Tennessee
S -- Vinnie Sunseri, Alabama

SPECIAL TEAMS

K -- James Hairston, LSU (He handled kickoff duties for the Tigers.)
P -- Brad Wing, LSU
RS -- Tre Mason, Auburn

Any time you do a ranking of players in this league, there are always going to be deserving players who are left off.

In the case of LSU receiver Odell Beckham, he wasn't left off our ranking of the top 15 true freshmen in the SEC this season on purpose. Instead, it was simply a mistake. He was on our list, and we had him slotted somewhere in the top 10. We just fumbled and didn't list him.

So our apologies to Beckham, who was a big part of that LSU offense this season. A starter in eight games, he's second on the team with 36 catches for 437 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned kickoffs and punts for the Tigers.

Again, Beckham was solidly among the top 10 true freshmen in the league this season and right there on the cusp of breaking into the top 5.

That said, here are a few other true freshmen from this season that didn't make our top 15, but will be worth keeping an eye on in 2012:

• DeAnthony Arnett, WR, Tennessee
• Nickolas Brassell, WR/DB, Ole Miss
• Quan Bray, WR, Auburn
• Serderius Bryant, LB, Ole Miss
• Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky
• Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
• La'El Collins, OT, LSU
• Brey Cook, OG, Arkansas
• Trey DePriest, LB, Alabama
• Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia
• Erique Florence, S, Auburn
• Kiehl Frazier, QB, Auburn
• Dee Hart, RB, Alabama
• Amarlo Herrera, LB, Georgia
• Marcus Jackson, OG, Tennessee
• P.J. Jones, DT, Mississippi State
• Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama
• Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU
• Nick Marshall, CB, Georgia
• Tre Mason, RB/KR, Auburn
• Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida
• Kelcy Quarles, DT, South Carolina
• Jermauria Rasco, DE, LSU
• Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina
• Jerron Seymour, RB, Vanderbilt
• Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky
• Mitch Smothers, OT, Arkansas
• Jermaine Whitehead, CB, Auburn
• Marquel Wade, WR, Arkansas
• Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn

The SEC coaches announced their selections for the 2011 SEC All-Freshman Team Thursday.

LSU led the way with five selections, while Tennessee and Arkansas both had four selections.

The coaches also made Arkansas tight end Garrett Uekman, who died suddenly last month, Honorary Captain.

South Carolina placed three on the team, including SEC Freshman of the Year Jadeveon Clowney.

Here is the 2011 SEC All-Freshman Team:

OFFENSE

HONORARY CAPTAIN
Garrett Uekman, Tight End, Arkansas

TE - Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State
OL - A.J. Cann, South Carolina
OL - Marcus Jackson, Tennessee
OL - Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama
OL - Chaz Green, Florida
C - Reese Dismukes, Auburn
WR - Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia
WR - Odell Beckham Jr., LSU
QB – Maxwell Smith, Kentucky
RB – Isaiah Crowell, Georgia
RB – Kenny Hilliard, LSU
AP - Bruce Ellington, South Carolina

DEFENSE

DL - Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
DL - Trey Flowers, Arkansas
DL - Anthony Johnson, LSU
DL - Kaleb Eulls, Mississippi State
LB - A.J. Johnson, Tennessee
LB - Curt Maggitt, Tennessee
LB - Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss
DB - Brian Randolph, Tennessee
DB - Vinnie Sunseri, Alabama
DB - De'Ante Saunders, Florida
DB - Tevin Mitchel, Arkansas

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - James Hairston, LSU
P - Brad Wing, LSU
RS – Marquel Wade, Arkansas

• I'm actually surprised to see Saunders get the nod over teammate Marcus Roberson. Roberson was easily Florida's best cornerback this season. He has the makings of being a talented cover corner, but he did get overly aggressive throughout the season. I guess coaches paid attention to flags he earned.
• It had to be tough when the coaches looked at the quarterback position. Smith was probably the best of the bunch, and even he threw just four touchdowns to four interceptions. Still, Kentucky's offense moved down the field much better when he was on the field.
• Remember when all the talk in Oxford, Miss., before the season centered around how great true freshman linebacker C.J. Johnson was going to be? Well, he had a solid first year, but it was Bryant who really came on as one of the young guys on defense. He saw tremendous playing time and was fourth on the team with 61 tackles.

LSU punter Brad Wing is easily the most popular Aussie on the Bayou these days, and he knows a bad impression of an Australian accent when he hears one.

He’s heard some real winners ever since his starring role last Saturday in LSU’s 9-6 overtime conquest of Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

People that Wing doesn’t even know have been coming up to him on campus and trying out their “G’day mate … great kick.”

And, yes, his teammates have been getting into the act, too.

For the record, freshman receiver Odell Beckham has the best fake Aussie accent. Junior receiver Russell Shepard has the worst, and apparently, it’s not even close.

“Russell’s is shockingly bad,” Wing said. “I tell Odell we could probably pass for brothers over in Australia, but maybe not.”

Wing said even LSU coach Les Miles will take a crack at it every once in a while.

“His is OK. We’ll just leave it at that, but Russell takes the cake for the worst one ever,” Wing said.

Of course, with the way Wing is punting the ball, he could be speaking in Russian and nobody would mind.

“I can’t tell you what a weapon it is when you have a punter like (Wing) who can put the ball where he can,” LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis said.

How good has Wing been this season for the Tigers?

He’s punted the ball 37 times, and 19 of those have been downed inside the 20-yard line. LSU opponents have been limited to a total of 7 punt return yards all season.

Against Alabama, Wing kept the Crimson Tide pinned in deep just about the entire game. He sailed one punt out of bounds at the Alabama 5, had another one downed at the Alabama 4 and a third one fair caught at the Alabama 11.

But it was Wing’s 73-yard punt in the fourth quarter that was the big blow for the Tigers. LSU was backed up on its own 9-yard line in a 6-6 game, and it looked like Alabama was about to get the ball near midfield.

Wing, standing in his own end zone, had other ideas. He launched a missile that just kept going and landed well over Marquis Maze’s head, rolling all the way down to the Alabama 18.

“I hadn’t hit any like that in the games,” Wing said. “Back in high school, I hit one like that. It was just good to do it in the game.”

Prior to this season, Wing had played just two years of American football. He grew up playing Australian Rules Football, but came to Baton Rouge prior to his senior year in high school as part of an exchange program.

His father, David Wing, punted for the Detroit Lions in 1990 and also punted in NFL Europe.

In just one season at Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge, Wing showed enough promise that LSU offered him a scholarship.

Initially, he was planning to be in the United States for only one year, but that all changed when the Tigers offered the full ride.

“It’s all happened so fast,” said Wing, who’s averaging 43.4 yards per punt. “In two years, my life has taken a complete turn. Just to be a part of a program like this is unbelievable. To come from Australia and be a part of the No. 1 team in the country is crazy. It’s like a dream come true.”

The best news for the Tigers is that he’s just getting started.

A redshirt freshman, Wing has been kicking a ball since he was 5 years old. But he didn’t kick a football until two years ago. For that matter, he knew very little about American football, period, and what he did know was about the NFL.

“I probably could have named three or four quarterbacks,” Wing said. “I definitely didn’t know about college football. I’m still learning all the rules. I still don’t know them all, but we’ll get there, I think.”

Wing had a 44-yard touchdown run on a fake punt nullified against Florida earlier this season when he briefly stuck out his arms to celebrate before crossing the goal line.

Even though the call was borderline at best, Wing is quick to add, “I learned that rule pretty quick. I’ve got that one down.”

He’s still adjusting to the spiral style of punting, but has the pooch kicks down pat.

“That kick is my Australian kick, the kick we use to pass around to one another, so I’m very comfortable with that kick,” Wing said. “That’s the type of kick I’ve been doing ever since I could stand up. That’s why I look so relaxed.

“I’m still working on the consistency of the longer kick, but am more comfortable with the end-over-end kick.”

Just in the last few weeks, Wing’s family moved to Baton Rouge from Australia to be with him during his college career. His father along with his mother, Kathleen, and younger brother, Tom, are digging the whole college football experience every bit as much as Wing.

“They’re beginning to understand just how big a deal college football is in the United States,” Wing said.

That’s fitting because it didn’t take Wing long to understand just how big a deal the kicking game is at LSU.

“Special teams are huge around here,” Wing said. “We start off every single day with special teams. Coach Miles really holds special teams in high regard, and we take it just as serious as an offensive or defensive snap.

“Guys are fighting to get on special teams here, and we take huge pride in it.”

The fake Aussie accents are a different story.

Making the rounds in the SEC with some links.

• It's now a one-game season for Alabama each week from here on out.
• Tennessee freshman DeAnthony Arnett is fitting into the Volunteers' cast of wide receivers.
• After last year's close call, Mississippi State certainly isn't going to take UAB lightly Saturday.
• Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier has a chance to shine when he returns home to Arkansas.
• Rachel George of The Orlando Sentinel writes that Florida's third straight loss to Alabama shows that the Gators have fallen behind.
• South Carolina's entire offense supports new starting quarterback Connor Shaw.
• There seems to be no fear in Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron.
• LSU freshman wide receiver Odell Beckham has become an immediate impact for the Tigers' offense.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley's mother gets all riled up over talk about his son's seat in Knoxville being hot this season.
• Georgia players will wear helmet stickers to honor Bulldogs fullback Bruce Figgins' mother, Kim Devita Figgins, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Well, we saw some interesting things in the first half of the Kentucky-LSU game this afternoon.

First, Jordan Jefferson made his season debut and on his first and only touch of the game he scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run to give the Tigers the 7-0 lead. Jefferson hasn't done anything since, but he made his presence known on his one play.

But we've also seen Kentucky's defense step up against the No. 1 team in the country. LSU might lead 14-0, but is just 3-of-10 on third downs. Jarrett Lee has 124 passing yards and a 51-yard touchdown pass to freshman Odell Beckham, but he has completed just 6-of-18 passes.

LSU had 77 rushing yards at the half, but Michael Ford and Spencer Ware combined for just 9 yards on eight carries. Alfred Blue leads LSU with 39 yards on eight carries.

Kudos to Kentucky's defense for not being pushed around by that physical LSU offense.

As for Kentucky's own offense, things are pretty much the same for the Wildcats. The offense is still pretty lackluster, with only 45 total yards. Quarterback Morgan Newton has 12 passing yards and freshman Josh Clemons leads all rushers with 40 yards. Kentucky is 0-for-7 on third downs, but hasn't turned the ball over, so that's a plus.

Kentucky isn't totally out of this one, but if the Wildcats want a shot at upsetting the nation's top team, the offense has to do something, anything, and the defense needs to force turnovers. Let's see what happens in the second half.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- One of the stats that stands out so far in the first half of the West Virginia-LSU game is starting field position.

Each team has had five possessions. LSU has averaged starting from the West Virginia 42. West Virginia has averaged starting from the LSU 16. Two of West Virginia's five possessions have started from inside its 5-yard line thanks to excellent punts from Brad Wing. That has made a clear difference as No. 2 LSU has jumped out to a quick 20-7 lead midway through the first half.

The longest touchdown drive of the game for the Tigers was 61 yards on its most recent score -- a 52-yard pass from Jarrett Lee to Odell Beckham Jr. on a play-action fake. Meanwhile, West Virginia has had a difficult time driving 90-plus yards on one of the best defenses in the nation.

The SEC league office has announced its top performers for Week 3:

CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Chris Rainey, running back, Florida

Rainey accounted for a season-high 233 all-purpose yards – 108 rushing, 104 receiving, 21 on punt returns – in Florida’s 33-23 win over Tennessee.

He is just the second player in the country to tally a 100-yard rushing and receiving performance (Orwin Smith, Georgia Tech) this season.

Rainey became just the second Gator in program history to go over 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game (Percy Harvin, 2007 vs. Vanderbilt).

Marcus Lattimore, running back, South Carolina

Lattimore rushed for a career-high 246 yards on 37 carries in the Gamecocks’ 24-21 win against Navy.

It was the fourth-best single-game rushing performance in school history, just 32 yards shy of the record. He also tied his career high with three touchdowns.

It was his second career 200-yard rushing game and his seventh career 100-yard rushing effort (third this season in as many games).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Trey Wilson, defensive back, Vanderbilt

Wilson intercepted two Ole Miss passes, returning one for a 52-yard touchdown, in the Commodores’ 30-7 win over the Rebels.

It was Wilson’s second interception return for a touchdown this season (previous against Elon).

Wilson’s performance also included breaking up three other passes in the game.

Vanderbilt held Ole Miss to 234 total offensive yards, including just 85 on the ground. Ole Miss had 93 of its 149 passing yards in the fourth quarter.

Wilson leads the SEC in interceptions (second nationally) and is tied for third in the SEC in passes defensed with four.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Caleb Sturgis, Placekicker, Florida

Sturgis scored a career-high 15 points with four field goals and three point-after touchdowns, in Florida’s 33-23 win over Tennessee.

He went a perfect 4-for-4 in field goals with a long of 46. He also collected field goals of 42, 30 and 28 yards.

The four field goals were a career-best and he is currently 9-for-9 in attempts this season. The percentage and 3.00 field goals per game this season are tops in the nation.

He has made 12 consecutive field goals (dating back to last season), while Florida kickers have made 14 in a row.

Sturgis averaged 65.4 yards per kickoff with three touchbacks and has seven touchbacks on the season.



OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

Wesley Johnson, center, Vanderbilt

Johnson anchored a Commodore attack that produced 281 rushing yards and 387 total yards, in Vanderbilt’s 30-7 win against Ole Miss.

The 281 rushing yards was Vanderbilt’s highest output against an SEC opponent in 17 seasons, dating back to Oct. 15, 1994 against Georgia.

Johnson started every game last season at left offensive tackle, earning Freshman All-SEC honors, and moved to center this season.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK

Bennie Logan, defensive tackle, LSU

Logan registered five tackles, including 3.5 tackles for losses, in LSU’s 19-6 win over Mississippi State. Included in the tackles for loss is a half-sack for minus 5 yards.

Led an LSU defensive front that held Mississippi State to just 52 rushing yards, 269 yards below their season average.

The Bulldogs entered the game rated first in the SEC in total offense and rushing yards. The Tigers limited the Bulldogs to only 193 total yards, nearly 400 yards below their season average

For the game, the Tigers registered 15 tackles for losses and five sacks.

This season, Logan is tied for seventh in the SEC in tackles for loss with 3.5.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Odell Beckham, receiver, LSU

Beckham led LSU with eight catches for 61 yards in Tigers’ 19-6 win over Mississippi State.

The eight catches were the most by an LSU true freshman since Michael Clayton caught eight balls in 2002 Sugar Bowl.

Four of his 8 receptions resulted in first downs for the Tigers, who had 21 in the game.

A true freshman, Beckham has started two of LSU’s first three games and he leads the team with 15 receptions.

OTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES FROM WEEK 3

RB Trent Richardson (Alabama) -- Rushed for a career-high 167 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries (15.2 ypc) against North Texas.

LB Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) -- Totaled four solo tackles in shutout of North Texas, including 3.0 tackles for loss and led the team with three QB hurries.

RB Ronnie Wingo, Jr. (Arkansas) -- Rushed for 109 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns and had three catches for 20 yards and another score against Troy.

LB Jerry Franklin (Arkansas) -- Led Razorbacks with nine total tackles with 0.5 for loss (-1) and a pass deflection against Troy.

RB Michael Dyer (Auburn) -- Rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries against Clemson.

P Steven Clark (Auburn) -- Four of six punts placed inside-the-20 with a net average of 41.3 yards per attempt against Clemson.

LB Jon Bostic (Florida) -- Tied career-high with eight total tackles and a sack (minus 7 yards) against Tennessee.

SE Malcolm Mitchell (Georgia) -- Had career-high six catches for 43 yards and a touchdown against Coastal Carolina.

PK Blair Walsh (Georgia) -- Had kick of 56 yards (longest in SEC this season) and connected on all eight PAT tries against Coastal Carolina.

QB Morgan Newton (Kentucky) -- Completed 27-of-41 passes for 255 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against Louisville.

LB Danny Trevathan (Kentucky) -- Led Wildcats with 12 total tackles including a sack (-6 yards) and a forced fumble against Louisville.

QB Jarrett Lee (LSU) -- Completed 21-of-27 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown and intercption against Mississippi State.

LB Mike Marry (Ole Miss) -- Led Rebels with 11 total tackles with two for losses (-13 yards), including a sack (-10 yards) against Vanderbilt.

P Tyler Campbell (Ole Miss) -- Averaged 44.5 yards on six attempts, with three of those inside-the-20 yard line, against Vanderbilt.

SS Charles Mitchell (Mississippi) -- Led Mississippi State with 16 total tackles (seven solos) against LSU.

PK Derek DePasquale (Mississippi State) -- Hit both field goal attempts, including a 42-yarder, against LSU.

SPUR Antonio Allen (South Carolina) -- Led Gamecocks with 10 total tackles (eight solos) with a forced fumble and interception against Navy.

QB Tyler Bray (Tennessee) -- Completed 26-of-48 passes for 288 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions against Florida.

LB A.J. Johnson (Tennessee) -- Totaled seven tackles (all solos) with a forced and recovered fumble against Florida.

RB Zac Stacy (Vanderbilt) -- Rushed for a career-high 169 yards (10th highest rushing total in school history) on 11 carries against Ole Miss.