Hidden gems. Under the radar players. Unsung heroes.
Call them what you want, but here’s a list of the SEC’s breakout performers this season and their impact to their respective teams. We’ve excluded true freshmen from the list since most of the league’s impact rookies were all heralded recruits expected to produce at a high level:
5. Josh Robinson, Mississippi St., RB: While the second half of the season wasn’t impressive as the first, 1,128 yards rushing was a career-best and a much higher total than the Bulldogs expected out of their tank-sized running back.
4. Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, WR: Cooper emerged as one of the SEC’s top playmakers as a sophomore, leading the SEC East in receiving yards and finishing second in catches and touchdown receptions. Cooper made things happen receiver and in the Wildcat, averaging just under 14 yards per touch.
3. Martrell Spaight, Arkansas, LB: On a better team, Spaight’s a defensive player of the year candidate in the SEC after posting a league-best 123 total tackles. The former JUCO transfer started only two games in 2013 and managed 22 tackles, but no player had such rapid development in the middle of the defense than this 6-foot-2, 230-pounder.
2. Cameron Artis-Payne, Auburn, RB: The senior ballcarrier faced immense pressure in Gus Malzahn’s run-heavy offense as Tre Mason’s primary replacement this fall and didn’t disappoint, rushing for a league-best 1,482 yards on 277 carries.
1. Shane Ray, Mizzou, DL: This pass rusher was an efficient player as a sophomore last season, but played less than 50 percent of his team’s snaps thanks to Michael Sam and Kony Ealy’s dominance off the edge. As a featured starter however, Ray dominated, en route to first-team All-SEC honors after a league-high 12.5 sacks and 21 tackles for losses. He’ll be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
