Happy 4th of July, SEC fans: Saturday Down South's All-Fireworks Team
Independence Day. Following an afternoon of poolside tall boys, pitch-black skies are made for sparklers.
With that theme in mind, here is Saturday Down South’s All-Fireworks Team for 2016. These are the players at each position in the SEC capable of lighting up any stadium faster than a teenager with a Roman candle.
As we celebrate 240 years of liberty from those Brexiting Brits, today is the kind of day when he really appreciate the gunslingers, the home-run hitters and the slobberknockers we see on a weekly basis in the best conference in America — at least during football season. It’ll be here soon, people. Hang on tight.
The rocket’s red glare of a long touchdown pass from a gutsy quarterback to a speedy receiver. The bombs bursting in air when a blitzing linebacker obliterates a helpless tailback.
(Targeting penalty be damned.)
The Redcoats aren’t coming again any time soon. But if they do, SDS wants these guys charging into battle.
Quarterback
Chad Kelly, Ole Miss
Unquestionably the top QB in the SEC for this coming season, Kelly is also among the more explosive players in the country at the game’s most important position.
No signal caller still in the conference came close to Kelly with respect to making big plays down the field in 2015, as his 8.8 yards per attempt dwarfed the likes of LSU’s Brandon Harris (7.8) and Georgia’s Greyson Lambert (7.7). As far as TD passes are concerned, he threw more than twice as many (31) as Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs (15), who is second in the league among returning starters.
Kelly will have to do it all over again with a rebuilt receiving unit, as both Laquon Treadwell and Cody Core are in the NFL, but he has enough arm talent to do so.
Running Back
Nick Chubb, Georgia
LSU’s Leonard Fournette eventually gave way to Alabama’s Derrick Henry as the most productive runner in the SEC last year, but Chubb was every bit as good prior to his knee injury.
Even if LSU reserve Derrius Guice led the conference with 8.6 yards per attempt, he did a lot of his damage in garbage time after the aforementioned Fournette had already roughed up the enemy front seven. Chubb was averaging 8.1 yards per rush before exiting the Tennessee game unexpectedly, and he did so as the primary ball carrier for a run-first offense.
Chubb had a gain of at least 27 yards in all five of his starts, including an 83-yard romp to the end zone against the No. 1 rush defense in the nation, Alabama.
Wide Receiver
Antonio Callaway, Florida
Just a freshman, imagine what Callaway could have done statistically this past year had Treon Harris not proven to be so ineffective as a passer taking over for the suspended Will Grier.
Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Callaway racked up 678 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air on only 35 receptions, which means he gained 19.4 yards per catch — no SEC player, returning or departed, averaged more. Equally electrifying on special teams, the Miami native averaged 15.4 yards per punt return and was credited with 2 more TDs in the process.
With two-time transfer Luke Del Rio likely getting the first shot under center for the Gators, he’s sure to be looking Callaway’s direction early and often.
Tight End
O.J. Howard, Alabama
A matchup nightmare at 6-foot-6 and 242 pounds, the 15.8 yards per reception Howard averaged in 2015 was better than Mississippi State receivers Fred Ross and De’Runnya Wilson, who averaged 15.3 each.
One of the stars of the College Football Playoff Championship Game, Howard recorded 5 catches for 208 yards and 2 TDs in the 45-40 victory over Clemson. Each of his scoring efforts came from 50-plus yards out, which would be quite an achievement for a wideout, let alone a tight end.
Howard had another grab go for 63 yards against the Tigers, and the fact that it didn’t result in six points made it no less eye-opening.
All-Purpose
Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
The Aggies are loaded with pass-catching weapons in coach Kevin Sumlin’s wide-open offense, but Kirk is the one keeping defensive coordinators awake at night.
As a freshman last season, Kirk was tops on the team in catches (80), yards receiving (1,009) and touchdown receptions (7). Posting 726 additional yards as a return man — 341 on punts, 385 on kickoffs — and scoring 2 more TDs helped him to a third-place finish in the conference in all-purpose yards behind only Henry and Fournette.
Oklahoma transfer Trevor Knight now commands the huddle, and if he can settle the quarterback situation in College Station, expect Kirk to be even more of a big-play machine.
Defensive Tackle
Daylon Mack, Texas A&M
Rarely a glamorous job, the initial responsibility for most D-tackles is to occupy blockers in the trenches so D-ends and linebackers can make their fair share of highlight-reel plays.
Mack, on the other hand, racked up more tackles for loss last season (9.5) than any player at his position still in the league. And he did so without the benefit of a sack, meaning he was penetrating the line of scrimmage and blowing up ball carriers for negative yardage at an impressive clip.
Defensive End
Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
An intimidating presence at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Garrett is arguably the most dominant pass rusher in the country heading into 2016.
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
He already led the SEC in sacks last year with 12.5, topping the Crimson Tide tandem of defensive end Jonathan Allen (12.0) and linebacker Tim Williams (10.5). Should he put together a similar performance this season, then expect him to be in the conversation for No. 1 overall in next April’s draft.
Linebacker
Richie Brown, Mississippi State
Aside from South Carolina’s Skai Moore, who will miss his senior season with a herniated disc in his neck, no returning linebacker in the SEC had more tackles a year ago than Brown (109).
The Bulldogs will need Brown to be a sideline-to-sideline menace once again in 2016, as their offense most likely takes a step back due to the departure of face-of-the-program quarterback Dak Prescott. Hopefully he gets more help from his defensive front considering the fact that he also led MSU in sacks (6.5).
Cornerback
Jalen Tabor, Florida
Interceptions can sometimes be an overrated statistic for a defensive back, as passes defensed — a number that combines INTs and pass breakups — is a much more reliable measure of effectiveness.
Though Vernon Hargreaves was selected 11th overall in the draft a few months ago, insiders will tell you Tabor was actually the best corner in Gainesville last year. Not only did Tabor have more than twice as many PDs (18) as Hargreaves (8), but he also tied ex-Ole Miss safety Trae Elston for the SEC lead.
Safety
Eddie Jackson, Alabama
It’s one thing to pick off a pass, but nothing delivers a dagger quite like an interception returned all the way to paydirt.
Nobody in the conference intercepted more passes last season than Jackson (6), and twice he returned them to the house for touchdowns. He also led the league in INT return yardage (230), proving that he knows what to do with the pigskin once he gets his hands on it.
Kicker
Daniel Carlson, Auburn
Coaches want a sure thing in the kicking game, and Carlson’s 85.2-percent conversion rate on field goals led the SEC a year ago. He tied Alabama’s Adam Griffith for the lead with 23 field goals made, although Griffith had more than double the misses (9) as Carlson (4).
Punter
Trevor Daniel, Tennessee
With Drew Kaser out of eligibility at Texas A&M, Daniel is the SEC’s top returning punter with a 45.7-yard average in 2015. He averaged 45 yards or better in more than half of his games as a sophomore, and in nine contests he launched at least one punt 53 yards or longer.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South. You can send him an e-mail directly at jcrist@saturdaydownsouth.com or follow him on Twitter @SaturdayJC.
