Buying or selling hype on 10 SEC freshmen in 2016
We know another Calvin Ridley has arrived, somewhere, ready to make a splash as a true freshman in 2016. Identifying him before his first college game is the tricky part.
Which freshmen will rise, fall, star or stumble? We buy or sell the hype on 10, starting with the biggest of all.
Jacob Eason, QB, Georgia
Buy/sell the hype: Buy.
Why? Several reasons. First, the hype is real; 93,000 fans didn’t show up for the spring game to hear Kirby Smart talk. They came to get a glimpse of the future. If Eason were a stock, you’d buy, and buy a lot, understanding it’s a long-term investment and not worrying about the early two-interception games that are sure to happen in 2016. You’d buy for 2017 and 2018.
Gregory Little, OT, Ole Miss
Buy/sell the hype: Buy.
Why: It’s about as rare for a true freshman tackle to start in the SEC as it is for a quarterback. Quarterbacks are overwhelmed mentally; tackles physically. You can speed the QB’s learning curve by streamlining the playbook and protecting him from things he hasn’t quite learned. There’s no shortcut to becoming a man and no protecting a left tackle in the SEC. So Little’s challenge in 2016 is huge — maybe the biggest for any freshman in the conference — but fortunately, so is his talent.
So 5 star OT @Thegreglittle Greg Little is headed to #OleMiss and will plug in nicely for Tunsil. Huge get. pic.twitter.com/IL9k8PGIZx
— Mike Farrell (@mfarrellsports) December 16, 2015
Saivion Smith, CB, LSU
Buy/sell the hype: Buy.
Why? He enrolled early and already impressed his teammates and coaches. He also is all in on LSU’s “DBU” reputation. The Tigers’ secondary is loaded and includes fellow freshman Kristian Fulton, a five-star corner ranked higher than Smith, but Smith is too talented to not find a role somewhere in 2016 before stepping into a starring role in 2017.
Ben Davis and Lyndell Wilson, LBs, Alabama
Buy/sell the hype: Sell.
Why? Both might be as good as advertised, but Alabama doesn’t lean on true freshman linebackers. Both might become contributors in the rotation in 2016, but there are veteran studs in front of each. Their time will come, but it won’t be in 2016.
Tyrie Cleveland, WR, Florida
Buy/sell the hype: Buy.
Why? Just like Alabama’s situation impacts Davis and Wilson’s immediate future, so too will Florida’s with Cleveland. The Gators are desperate for a playmaker on the outside, and with Antonio Callaway’s future very much in limbo, Cleveland will get every opportunity this summer to show he’s ready. At nearly 6-3 and 190 pounds, he already has SEC size. He was the No. 2-ranked receiver in the class, and receivers have proven time and again they can step in and star.
A brief #Gators National Signing Day reflection, on Tyrie Cleveland and selling dreams. https://t.co/lrFReTtrXG pic.twitter.com/wA0aBlWlVB
— Alligator Army (@AlligatorArmy) February 4, 2016
Jalen Hurts, QB, Alabama
Buy/sell the hype: Buy
Why? You get the feeling Nick Saban got tired of watching electric dual-threat quarterbacks give his defense fits, so he went out and got a real one. Hurts is part of the mix in 2016 and he’s certainly fun to watch, even when he’s testing Saban’s patience with playground-type plays instead of managing the clock. The Deshaun Watson comparisons are already happening. And they’re real.
Brandon McIlwain, QB, South Carolina
Buy/sell the hype? Buy.
Why? Football coaches always talk about adversity. Baseball players live with it every day. You learn quickly to move on to the next at-bat, and that approach carries over to other sports. That helps explain McIlwain’s poise, which is uncommonly high for a freshman. It might be his best attribute, and that’s saying something given his skill-set. He won over his teammates this spring, even if he hasn’t officially won the starting job.
Brandon McIlwain @Mc11wain made strong debut in spring game. Check out large gallery https://t.co/lUsLbksU2U pic.twitter.com/Rtj0AudG26
— Ryan Bethea (@RyanBethea_) April 10, 2016
Elijah Holyfield, RB, Georgia
Buy/sell the hype? Sell.
Why? Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. As long as they’re healthy, there’s no need to rush Holyfield into the mix. Save those knees for 2017, when Chubb and Michel likely will be in the NFL and Georgia will need Holyfield to carry the load.
Feleipe Franks, QB, Florida
Buy/sell the hype? Sell.
Why? He appears to be overmatched from a schematic standpoint, and the more time he needs to learn, the more fresh faces enter the battle for the starting job he covets. Florida’s quarterback situation appears stable in 2016. Franks seems to have fallen behind 2016 classmate Kyle Trask, and the Gators already have a commitment from four-star pro-style passer Jake Allen in 2017.