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The SEC is loaded with talent. There are talented players at every position in the conference, but some positions have more talent that others.
Here are the three position groups that stood out this season as the most talented in the conference:
RUNNING BACKS
How many Heisman Trophy races have a semifinal round play out in the regular season? It happened this year when LSU faced Alabama in Week 10. Tigers RB Leonard Fournette entered the game as the media’s frontrunner, but was contained by the Crimson Tide defense (19 carries, 31 yards). Meanwhile, Alabama RB Derrick Henry vaulted into the lead, and never looked back, with a 38-carry, 210-yard night that reshaped the SEC West and the Heisman race.
Henry (1,986 yards) and Fournette (1,741 yards), both Doak Walker Award (top running back) nominees, are ranked the No. 1 and No. 3 rushers in the FBS this season. Fournette’s total is especially impressive considering LSU’s Week 1 game was canceled due to weather. The conference had three more of the FBS’ top-35 runners: No. 14 Arkansas RB Alex Collins (1,392 yards), No. 33 Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd (1,158 yards) and No. 35 Vanderbilt RB Ralph Webb (1,152 yards).
LINEBACKERS
Five linebackers were nominated for this year’s Butkus Award, and three came from the SEC: Georgia’s Leonard Floyd (66 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks), LSU’s Deion Jones (80 tackles, 10.5 TFL and 4 sacks) and Alabama’s Reggie Ragland (90 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks). Somewhat surprisingly, the award snubbed the SEC’s leading tackler, Missouri LB Kentrell Brothers (152 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks).
DEFENSIVE LINE
In ProFootballFocus’ first 2016 mock draft, five SEC defensive linemen are listed as first-round picks: No. 7 Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche (26 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks), No. 14 Florida DL Jonathan Bullard (60 tackles, 18 TFL, 6.5 sacks), No. 22 Alabama DE A’Shawn Robinson (42 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks), No. 28 Alabama DT Jarran Reed (53 tackles, 4.5 TFL, sack) and No. 32 Mississippi State DT Chris Jones (31 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks).
Despite all the love for Alabama’s defensive line, PFF’s list doesn’t include the Crimson Tide’s sack leader, DE Jonathan Allen (10). The conference’s overall sack leader is sophomore Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett (12).
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
