Editor’s note: SDS is ranking the 25 best SEC players — at any position — of the last decade. LSU CB Patrick Peterson is next up in a 25-part daily series.

12.) LSU CB PATRICK PETERSON (2008-10)

USA Today’s High School Defensive Player of the Year in 2007, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native and five-star originally committed to Miami, but after a winding recruitment eventually signed with LSU.

Peterson started the final four games of his true freshman season, showing signs of the disruptive athlete he’d become in Baton Rouge.

He emerged as one of the best in the SEC as a true sophomore in 2009, returning an interception and a blocked field goal for touchdowns. He also helped hold Georgia’s A.J. Green and Alabama’s Julio Jones to a combined eight catches during the season. Peterson emerged as a pure cover corner, but still made 52 tackles, as adept at playing physical against the run as he was at locking down No. 1 receivers.

Peterson entered his true junior season as one of the safest NFL prospects, already convincing many NFL personnel folks of his high floor. The clear top cover corner in the country, teams mostly stayed away from Peterson in the passing game. He made four interceptions despite the lack of attention.

Doubling as a return specialist in 2010, Peterson led the SEC in punt return average (16.1 yards) and kickoff return average (29.1 yards). He returned two punts for touchdowns that season.

But Peterson’s raw numbers can’t account for his next-level athleticism. His speed, elite return ability, physicality, leaping ability and timing jumped out even to casual fans not qualified to judge defensive back talent. It’s rare that an SEC cornerback can match athleticism with a Green and a Jones at the college level, but that’s what Peterson did.

The sure-fire NFL prospect has made the Pro Bowl in all four of his professional seasons. He returned four different punts at least 80 yards for a touchdown in his rookie year and intercepted seven passes in 2012.

Career numbers: Started 30 of 39 games for LSU, making 135 tackles and seven interceptions as a defensive back.

Individual superlatives: 2009 — Second-team All-SEC; 2010 — Thorpe Award winner, Bednarik Award winner, unanimous All-American, first-team All-SEC, SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

NFL Draft: No. 5 overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2011.

Defining moment: Against a ranked West Virginia in 2010, Peterson blocked a field goal, then returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown, striking a Heisman pose and drawing all sorts of comparisons to Charles Woodson.