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5 candidates for the unofficial title of ‘2025 SEC Comeback Player of the Year’
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Call it a comeback. That’s right. Do actually call it a comeback.
To be a candidate for the unofficial “2025 SEC Comeback Player of the Year,” you need to fall into 2 camps. You were either a disappointing player in 2024, or you got hurt and you’re coming back from injury. If you were a breakout candidate who didn’t live up to the hype (Oscar Delp), you don’t qualify for this because what are you really coming back from?
That’s tricky because usually in college, guys who have early success and a disappointing following season are already off to the next level, which would mean a “comeback” season isn’t in play. That means the majority of this list will be guys who got hurt last year. That’s OK.
There are plenty of household names who are prime candidates to take home that title in 2025:
Texas RB CJ Baxter
Before you tell me that Baxter isn’t a candidate because he hasn’t been a star yet, tell me this. How many returning SEC running backs have had 100 scrimmage yards in a Playoff game? Two. Baxter did it in 2023, and his Texas teammate, Tre Wisner did it last year. Baxter was the go-to back once Jonathon Brooks went down late in 2023. I predicted that he’d lead the SEC in rushing, but then he went down with a torn ACL in fall camp. So maybe this is jinxing him again, but Baxter should be at full go by the time fall camp rolls around.
Here’s something to consider — Steve Sarkisian has 6 consecutive seasons of producing a 1,000-yard rusher. Just for a little perspective, Georgia’s last 1,000-yard rusher was D’Andre Swift back in 2019. In the last 4 NFL Drafts, Sarkisian had the first running selected drafted 3 times. His scheme plus Baxter’s talent will be a lethal combination, and even in the likely event that Wisner still gets plenty of work, there’s still a lot to like with the former 5-star recruit with all eyes on Arch Manning.
LSU LB Harold Perkins Jr.
Look, I’m not setting the expectation that he’ll be an All-American playing in that STAR role in LSU‘s defense. I won’t even put him as a preseason first-team All-SEC guy because he hasn’t looked like that since his breakout true freshman season in 2022. Even if he makes more splash plays, I’m acknowledging that he could have some tough moments in coverage wherein quarterbacks identify pre-snap mismatches and it’s an automatic first down. My guy Max Toscano did a nice thread on this risk of Perkins’ position:
But Perkins is still a worthy inclusion coming off his injury-shortened 2024. He’s still in a defense that’s led by Blake Baker, who knows how to maximize the potential of pass-rushers. Perkins won’t be rushing the passer at the frequency that LSU fans probably want, but is a guy who has double-digit TFLs for a Playoff team a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year? You bet. Perkins is too talented to be disregarded for this and in a unit wherein he probably shouldn’t be at the top of the scouting report anymore — Whit Weeks has earned that title — perhaps he can benefit from that.
LSU WR Nic Anderson
Anderson was a member of my “All-Bang The Drum Team” last year after he was the only Power Conference player to average 20 yards per catch with double-digit receiving touchdowns in 2023. But he got hurt in fall camp and then went down again when he returned in September. It was a lost year for Anderson and really the entire Oklahoma receiver room as a whole (more on that in a minute). He then transferred to LSU to link up with preseason Heisman Trophy favorite Garrett Nussmeier. Anderson figures to be the perfect complement to the speedy Aaron Anderson and Kentucky transfer Barion Brown.
It’ll be interesting to see how Anderson fits into a deep group after such a herky-jerky start to his career. Even if the 6-4 wideout is to LSU what a healthy Bru McCoy was at Tennessee, he could still have a major impact on a high-octane passing offense. If he’s able to make a full return, he’ll be a tough cover in the red zone. Another 10-touchdown season is very much in play.
Oklahoma WR Deion Burks
I haven’t sold my Burks stock. No chance. Like seemingly every other Oklahoma receiver, he got hurt last year. Burks had that 3-touchdown game in the opener, but then got hurt against Tennessee. Burks is an athletic freak who would’ve greatly improved a passing game that lost weapons by the day last year. There’s all sorts of potential for him to be a go-to guy for Washington State transfer John Mateer, who loves to keep a play alive and throw into tight windows. Burks stands to benefit from that. Covering that guy for 5-6 seconds will be a tall task for any defense.
Burks is going to be a target monster in a new-look offense. Last year, Kyle Williams put up 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns with Mateer as his quarterback. Burks figures to line up in the slot more than Williams, who lined up there 24% of the time. Still, though. Burks’ ability to get separation and force miss tackles will be a revelation after his absence fueled a historically awful OU offense.
Florida WR Tre Wilson
On a team that had Ricky Pearsall, Wilson was Florida‘s best receiver for about a month as a true freshman in 2023, which was why there were extremely high hopes for him in 2024, especially with the possibility of DJ Lagway stepping in. But Wilson just couldn’t stay healthy. First, it was the knee, then it was the hip. In 2025, he and Lagway could end up being the SEC’s best quarterback-receiver duo. Wilson’s ability to play across the formation and stretch downfield will open things up in what still figures to be a somewhat run-heavy offense.
Wilson would benefit from Florida dipping into the portal to add another plug-and-play receiver, but his play-making ability will stand out no matter what his surroundings are. If he’s ignored in the preseason All-SEC conversations, it’ll be a mistake. A healthy Wilson — and a healthy Lagway — could produce Florida’s first 1,000-yard receiver since 2002.
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.
