The SEC has several elite players for 2016, and a few of those are being mentioned on every Heisman Trophy preseason watch list in the country.
ESPN is the latest to unveil its Heisman contenders from the SEC, with three main contenders on the list and three sleepers.
LSU RB Leonard Fournette, Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly and Georgia RB Nick Chubb are the three main contenders, and Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett, Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd and Alabama WR Calvin Ridley are the three sleepers.
But how many of those can actually win win the award?
Fournette has to have the best chance, knowing LSU will have an elite team and he’ll lead the offense. There are certainly more questions for Chad Kelly and Nick Chubb. Kelly’s Rebels will have to win the SEC West and likely the SEC Championship, and he’ll have to duplicate his season from a year ago, which was Heisman worthy. Chubb, on the other hand, will have to be healthy the entire season, starting from the get-go.
Myles Garrett likely doesn’t have a shot, being a defensive player. He’ll get some Heisman love and deserves to be mentioned, but defensive players just don’t win the award. Calvin Ridley will need to have a monster season to be considered, and Alabama would have to win the SEC Championship again. If Ridley has a big season, the Alabama quarterbacks will also have a big season.
However, Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd is an interesting name. While he’s getting some preseason love, he has Alvin Kamara to help share the load, and a team with more than enough talent to make a run at an SEC Championship.
Saturday Down South is a leading destination for college sports discussion and news.
