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National Signing Day is still one week away but it appears that the SEC will once again pull in its share of the nation’s top talent. In fact the two top quarterbacks in the class of 2016, as ranked by 247Sports, are already there.
The top signal-caller is Shea Patterson, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound pro style quarterback from Bradenton, Fla. He’s already enrolled at Ole Miss. Jacob Eason, a 6-foot-6, 208-pound pocket passer from Lake Stevens, Wash., is ranked the No. 2 quarterback in the country and has already enrolled at Georgia.
Patterson threw for 8,749 yards and 122 touchdowns in high school, and tossed just 14 interceptions in 714 pass attempts. He completed 449 of those for a completion percentage of 62.8. He also ran for 1,241 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Eason is the 2015 Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Ole Miss also has a commitment from the No. 5 overall player. Offensive tackle Gregory Little (6-6, 305) is from Allen, Tex., ranked as the nation’s top player at his position.
The nation’s top-rated player overall, according to 247Sports, DT Rashan Gary (6-5, 293) has not committed but does have four SEC teams on his radar. The New Jersey product is said to be leaning towards Michigan. However, SEC schools Auburn, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Georgia are reportedly still in the running.
Another top 10 player is also uncommitted but it appears as though the SEC is his destination. Derrick Brown (6-4, 317), the No. 6 overall player, is reported to be deciding between SEC schools Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, and Mississippi State.
If all goes well, the SEC could wind up nabbing five of the top six players in the country.
LSU leads the nation in the 247Sports team rankings, holding a slim lead over No. 2 Ohio State. Five SEC teams are ranked among the top eight. They include No. 5 Florida, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Alabama, and No. 8 Georgia.
Florida was aided by the surge of DE Antonneus Clayton, from Vienna, Ga., who soared from No. 226 overall to No. 50. He is considered the fastest edge-rusher in the 2016 class.
Alabama also got a boost from DT Kendell Jones (6-5, 375), from Killeen, Tex., who rose from No. 185 to No. 79.
But four other non-commits among the nation’s top 20 players could still shake things up. Ben Davis, a 6-3, 240-pound inside linebacker from Gordo, Ala., is ranked No. 13 overall and reportedly leaning towards Alabama or Georgia. Auburn and LSU remain on his radar as well.
Demetris Robertson, a 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver from Savannah, Ga., is ranked No. 16 overall and reportedly is down to four teams including SEC schools Alabama and Georgia. A 6-5, 300-pound OT Landon Dickerson, from Hudson, N.C., could go to Tennessee, although Auburn and others remain in the running.
Alabama could be the destination for 6-foot-2, 220-pound OLB Lyndell Wilson, from Montgomery, Ala., the No. 19 overall talent. However, Georgia and Florida are possibilities as well.
The final week should be interesting to monitor. There are 11 players in top 40, and 15 in the top 50 who have still not committed.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
