Power ranking the top 10 players in the SEC after Week 12
Week 12 in the SEC brought us the upset of the college football season. Just as well all predicted before the season, it involved an LSU team with a losing record heading into The Swamp in early December and defeating an 8-1 Florida team in control of its College Football Playoff fate. The game raises fair questions about just how far Florida still has to go to be a national championship caliber program again, questions a good showing by the Gators in Atlanta will also help answer.
But the bigger question for our list’s purposes is this: When the usually automatic Evan McPherson missed his game-tying field goal by about the length of a cleat (sorry, too easy), did Kyle Trask’s Heisman chances fade away too? We will see, but the reality is he likely needed to win the SEC Championship game to win anyway.
As for other performances in the league — Sarah Fuller made “herstory,” Georgia seems to have found itself a quarterback, Alabama is a machine, Jeremy Pruitt and the Vols got back in the win column and Gus Malzahn went out a winner at Auburn. Now what we need is Gus to go full-midlife crisis with that buyout money. I’m talking the works: buy a Ferrari, start wearing Tommy Bahama instead of sweater vests and take a job as an “offensive analyst” on Butch Jones’ Arkansas State staff to get his groove back.
As for our list, we’ve almost reached the end, with only one more week of jockeying to figure out a final list.
Again, this is a list that rewards college productivity. If you want a mock draft that lists the 10 best NFL prospects in the SEC, google dot com is your friend.
Here’s our college list, honorable mentions (max 2 per school) first. Last week’s list is available here.
Honorable Mention: Patrick Surtain II, CB (Alabama); Christian Harris, LB (Alabama); Jalen Catalon, S (Arkansas); Treylon Burks, WR (Arkansas); Zakoby McClain, LB (Auburn); Smoke Monday, S (Auburn); Brett Heggie, C (Florida); Richard LeCounte III, S (Georgia); Ben Cleveland, G (Georgia); Darian Kinnard, OT (Kentucky); Jamar Watson, LB (Kentucky); Nick Bolton, LB (Missouri); Derek Stingley Jr., CB (LSU); Jabril Cox, LB (LSU); Jerrion Ealy, RB (Ole Miss); Matt Corral, QB (Ole Miss); Martin Emerson, CB (Miss State); Aaron Brule, LB (Miss State); Kevin Harris, RB (South Carolina); Bryce Thompson, CB (Tennessee); Henry To’o To’o, LB (Tennesee); DeMarvin Leal, Edge (Texas A&M); Jalen Wydermyer, TE (Texas A&M); Dayo Odeyingbo, DE (Vanderbilt).
10. Grant Morgan, LB (Arkansas)
Sam Pittman guided the Hogs to a 3-7 record in his first season at the helm in Fayetteville, which is not bad in a year most expected the Hogs to finish 0-10. Arkansas was a whisker from 5-5 as well, but for a referee error that handed Auburn a victory they didn’t deserve and a wild finish against Missouri that saw Arkansas drop a heartbreaker.
At the center of Arkansas’ encouraging first season under Pittman was Morgan, who enters the list for the first time on account of being the SEC’s leading tackler in 2020. Morgan called the shots for a much-improved Hogs defense, and his presence in the middle helped everyone around him, including an Arkansas secondary that led the league in interceptions and became the 2nd team to hold Mac Jones “touchdown-less” in the air this weekend.
Morgan finishes his 2020, barring a bowl game, with 111 tackles including 11 for loss, 2 sacks, 5 passes defended and a pick-6.
From former walk-on to one of the best 10 players in the SEC. What a story.
9. Kadarius Toney, WR (Florida)
Florida’s leading wide receiver in 2020 with 62 receptions for 831 yards, Toney ranks 3rd in the SEC in both receptions and receiving yards. He’s also added 9 touchdowns, which ranks 4th in the league even if it only ranks 2nd on his football team. On the season, Toney has over 1,100 all-purpose yards and has scored 11 touchdowns, with 9 receiving, 1 rushing and 1 in the return game.
On a senior night when most of the Gators neglected to show up, Toney collected 248 total yards on 13 touches, nearly willing Florida to a victory in a game it didn’t deserve to win.
Toney’s evolution from gimmicky playmaker to all-purpose weapon and front-runner for the Paul Hornung Award (given annually to the most versatile player in college football) is a great story and a testament to his work ethic and commitment to getting better.
8. Isaiah Spiller, RB (Texas A&M)
COVID-19 forced a bye week for the Aggies in Week 12, which meant Isaiah Spiller missed out on the chance to face an Ole Miss run defense that is among the worst in college football. That’s a shame, because when Spiller goes off, the Aggies are brutally tough to beat. Texas A&M is 9-0 when Spiller has 100 yards rushing in his career, and in 2020, the sophomore’s 897 rushing yards have kept defenses honest enough to allow a banged-up wide receiver and tight end corps to make just enough plays downfield to make the offense balanced and dangerous. Better days are to come for Spiller, but his value to his team right now can’t be understated.
7. Elijah Moore, WR (Ole Miss)
If the Rebels’ season ends early due to COVID-19, the biggest shame will be that we don’t see Elijah Moore again. A year ago, Moore was best known for a ridiculous celebration penalty. Under Lane Kiffin and a new staff a season later, there’s been almost no one better in college football at catching the football.
Moore continues to lead the SEC in receptions despite playing only one game in the last month. He ranks 2nd in the league in receiving yards, behind only DeVonta Smith, and will finish in the top 10 in touchdown receptions, currently sitting at 8. Almost certain to be an All-American, Moore is the best redemption story in college football in 2020.
6. Jamin Davis, LB (Kentucky)
The best linebacker in the SEC and the guy who should beat out Nick Bolton and others for SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Davis led Kentucky in tackles this season with 89, a number that was good for 3rd in the SEC. He also posted a sack, multiple tackles for loss, quarterback pressures and passes defended and forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, intercepted 2 passes and scored a defensive touchdown. He graded out as the best linebacker in the Power 5, per Pro Football Focus, and will play on Sundays next should Kentucky elect not to play a bowl game.
5. Kyle Trask, QB (Florida)
Trask picked a tough time to finally look human in 2020. His 3 first-half turnovers gave LSU belief and hope, a dangerous thing to provide a team with upper-echelon talent. Trask was terrific in the second half, and finished the game with 474 yards passing and 4 total touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a shocking home defeat.
Trask can still finish first on this list, especially if the Gators upset Alabama on Saturday night. The season he’s had has been storybook stuff, and it’s worth remembering that in a conference-only schedule he remains ahead of Joe Burrow’s 4 touchdown a game pace and has thrown 1 less interception. He still ranks in the top 5 in the nation in passing efficiency, yards per pass attempt and he leads the nation in passing yards per game.
His spot at the edge of the top 5 this week is more about just how great a year it has been for offenses in the SEC than a knock on Trask, who is magnificent.
4. Mac Jones, QB (Alabama)
Alabama fans took umbrage with Dan Mullen calling Mac Jones a “game manager” this week, which was a strange flex given the whole context of the remarks, which included Mullen comparing Jones to his own Heisman-candidate quarterback, Kyle Trask.
“He’s a guy that has had a great year, very similar to Kyle (Trask),” Mullen said of Jones. “He does a great job managing their offense, distributing the ball to all the different playmakers, getting them in the right place at the right time, taking what the defense gives him.”
There’s nothing in there that’s inaccurate, or that denies that Jones, who throws the best deep ball in college football, is a game-changer (just like Trask, who also profiles as a bit of a game manager).
I don’t think Jones needs the motivation, but maybe it will serve as yet another motivator ahead of the SEC Championship Saturday night.
Jones threw no touchdown passes against Arkansas on Saturday, but the Tide won by 7 touchdowns anyway and Jones continues to lead the country in yards per pass attempt, pass efficiency rating and is very much the conductor of an offense that is ranks 1st in the nation in scoring and S&P+ efficiency.
3. Kyle Pitts, TE (Florida)
Pitts falls a spot after missing the LSU game, but you could argue the result means he should move up.
The Gators gained 609 yards against LSU, second-most (Alabama) of any opponent for the Tigers this season. Florida couldn’t finish in the red zone, however, failing to score touchdowns on 3 of their 7 trips. The largest reason for that was Florida’s decision to sit Pitts, who was dealing with a lingering injury from the Tennessee game.
Florida had been the nation’s best red-zone offense entering the LSU game, which shows you just what Pitts means to them if it wasn’t already obvious.
Pitts has only played 6.5 games this season, but the Gators have simply been a better, more efficient offense with Pitts, who Nick Saban said this week “might be the best football player we’ve faced in a long time.”
2. Najee Harris, RB (Alabama)
In most other seasons, we’d be talking about Harris as the front-runner for the Heisman trophy. He has 1,084 yards rushing on 5.9 a pop, leads the country with 22 rushing touchdowns and has added 27 receptions in the passing game, tying a career-high. Harris added 2 more touchdowns against Arkansas last weekend in the Tide’s 52-3 victory, pacing an Alabama offense that ran for over 200 yards in the win.
Most Career TD – Alabama History
Shaun Alexander – 50
Najee Harris – 49 (2 today) ⬆️
Mark Ingram – 46
Derrick Henry – 45 pic.twitter.com/EusmorPYoN— Alabama Crimson Tide | BamaInsider.com (@bamainsider) December 12, 2020
He will become the all-time leader at Alabama in touchdowns with only 2 more, and there’s a good chance he accomplishes that Saturday in Atlanta.
1. DeVonta Smith, WR (Alabama)
It was an uncharacteristically quiet Saturday for Smith in the passing game, as he caught only 3 passes for 22 yards. Nevertheless, while Arkansas did a nice job on him in coverage, Smith still made his presence felt, this time going full Desmond Howard in the return game:
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1337817729944924162?s=20
That play woke up Alabama from a sluggish start, proving yet again that Smith does what great players do and makes plays when his team needs them the most. After Smith’s return, the rout was on.
Only Pitts grades out better than Smith in college football this season, per Stats Solutions and Pro Football Focus, and Smith will finish the season as the nation’s leading receiver (yards) and will battle Elijah Moore for the lead in receptions. He’s the first receiver with a decent shot at winning the Heisman Trophy in over a decade and it’s possible he could win the thing Saturday in Atlanta against a Gators secondary that has surrendered explosive plays all season.
I said it last week and I’ll say it again here: This is the best player in college football.
Toney is too low.
1. DeVonta Smith
2. Kyle Pitts
3. Najee Harris
4. Kyle Trask
5. Mac Jones
6. Elijah Moore
7. Isaiah Spiller
8. Jamin Davis
9. Kadarius Toney
10. Nick Bolton
Jones is a total game manager. His team puts up 52 points and he has 0 TD passes and 0 TD runs. Conversely, Trask IS the Florida offense, with 2 TD passes and 2 TD runs.
And 3 turnovers…
76% CMP, over 3k yards, 27 TD’s..and you’re calling him a game manager. How is it his fault that Najee can also score and has 22 TD’s? lol. How is it his fault Devonta is returning punts to the house?
Trask right now – with an all-SEC schedule – has more TDs per game than Burrow and fewer interceptions.
He also has more losses than Burrow did…
UGA2012 “He also has more losses than Burrow did.”
Burrows also didn’t play an all-SEC 10-game schedule. LOL.
Given that in 2019 LSU played and beat Bama, Auburn, Florida, and Georgia, I’m not sure another two SEC games would have changed the outcome of that season.
I disagree. The SEC is the toughest conference, and on an off day a better team can easily lose (see LSU-UF game). The more games you play the more chances to be beat by an inferior team on your off day.
So does two losses mean you had two off days or that you just weren’t as good as you though you were?
I guess I forgot to mention LSU destroyed both Oklahoma in the playoffs and Clemson in the NC. Adding two more SEC East teams to their schedule wouldn’t have changed anything (they already beat all the West teams plus UF, UGA and Vandy from the East). In 2019 would Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri, or Kentucky have beaten LSU? LOL, nope.
1. Actually 1. One pick was nowhere near a defender, rather to a UF receiver who bobbled the ball in the direction of a defender, it hit the defender’s helmet and was redirected to a second defender who caught it. If you think that’s on Trask you’ve obviously never put on the pads. The fumble was due to the offensive line not holding.
2. Trask right now – with an all-SEC schedule – has more TDs per game than Burrow and fewer interceptions.
Thanks for playing, Bubba. It’s always fun.
So, you think Trask would win the award over Burrows (assuming Burrows was still playing)?
The fumble was due to Trask letting go of the football before he was down.
@UGA2012 Riiight. Trask deliberately let the ball go loose before he was down. What a dunce. The ball was knocked loose by the pass rusher.
@JTF The point, which you can’t handle, is that Trask’s stats match very well and in some instances exceed Burrow’s stats.
@UGA2010 Yes, Burrow had no losses. He also had a far superior team, perhaps one of the greatest ever. For one, Burrow had a running game; Trask doesn’t. For two, Burrow had a defense; Trask doesn’t.
Thanks for playing, bois.
Never said he let go of the ball on purpose there chief. He fumbled the ball, you can pull a Mullen and blame everyone else if you want but that doesn’t change the fact that Trask was the one with the ball in his hands when the fumble occurred.
So you decide to diminish what Burrow and Jones did because they had more talent around them? Don’t blame them, blame Mullen for not building a better team around Trask.
The 3 turnovers is a fact.. You can try to spin it all you want but he helped his team lose to a 3 win LSU by turning the ball over…
Scribe you’re clinging to sterilized statistics and covering your comments with snark and aggression.
LSU had a potent run game in 2019 so Burrow didn’t have to be the sole source of TDs. Trask just lost to a 3-win team. Burrow’s mobility and ability to improvise were legendary. Trask is a statue who gets happy feet under pressure. Please, though, aggressively recite more statistics.
Here’s one: Jones had 0 TD passes and 0 TD runs against a 3-win team this past Saturday. You like 3-win team stats so I thought I’d let you know.
And not a single turnover…
Here’s another stat from this weekend and it’s arguably the most important stat to a QB in football. Jones went 1-0 while Trask went 0-1
Here is a great stat. Jones didn’t throw a TD pass against a 3 win team. Bama won by 49. Trask threw for 3 TD passes against a 3 win (4 now) and lost by 3. Jones led his team to 45 points in the 1st half with 3 TD passes against the same LSU team. Should point out that Jones threw 19 passes in the 1st half against LSU while Trask threw it 47 times the whole game. Stats are a fickle mistress.
1. Devonta Smith
2. Kyle Pitts
3. Kyle Trask
4. Mac Jones
5. Najee Harris
6. Elijah Moore
7. Kadarius Toney
8. Isaiah Spiller
9. Jamin Davis
10. Nick Bolton
Ben Cleveland isn’t even the best O-lineman on UGA, yet Monty Rice and Azeez Ojulari don’t even make your honorable mentions?
Hey Kirby– I only take two honorable mentions per school. Cleveland graded out higher nationally at guard than the other linemen did at their spots, so I went that direction. Very easily could have gone Ojulari, and probably will next week.
1. Devonta Smith
2. Najee Harris
3. Kyle Pitts
4. Mac Jones
5. Kyle Trask
6. Elijah Moore
7. Isaiah Spiller
8. Azeez Ojulari
9. Patrick Surtain Jr.
10. Jordan Davis.
I remember saying after Bama played Miss State that Smith should win the Heisman trophy. Back then the debate was between Lawrence and Fields. It wasn’t until later that Mac and Trask starting gaining steam. Now about 4 weeks later, people are starting to agree with me. 1327 yards, 15 TDs, 16 yds per reception, a rushing TD and now a return TD. Best player in the SEC. Perhaps the country. Will have to see.
Of course, and if not Smith or Jones surely it must be another Alabama player.
Of course, Trask is a much better football player than Smith. I can’t wait to see an athlete like Trask return punts & kick offs. You do understand that your post is hypercritical. A Bama fan can’t give his opinion about the Heisman but you can pump up a Gator player. You notice Rolltide989 didn’t disparage any other player. They just stated an opinion. You have to tear down a player to pump up your favorite.
I guess I should have been more specific. Smith is definitely the best WR in the country. I think he is the best player and that’s an opinion. Trask is a hell of a player and one of the best QBs, if not the best this year. Jones is also a hell of a player and one of the best QB’s. If any of those three I mentioned, Jones, Trask, or Smith, were to win the Heisman they would totally deserve it. I have watched all of Alabama’s games this year so of course I am going to be biased toward Alabama’s players.
I’m not saying he should have made the top 10, although there’s a fairly good argument to be made, but I’d at least have Tank Bigsby on the honorable mentions. As a true freshman, he posted 4 100yd+ games. Historically (at Auburn) only Bo Jackson, Cadillac Williams,and Mike Dyer achieved that feat. He just had over 190 yds against the 4th best run defense in the SEC. He also got 834 yards this year, which is even more impressive considering the first few games were a RB by committee approach as well as him being injured for a couple. Again, not saying he should definitely be top 10, but I believe he should at least be honorable mention.
Actually per carry he averaged more yards then Najee Harris. He was by far the best back in the SEC at yards after contact.
The kid has a bright future that’s for sure.
Oh, he’s good. But I don’t think you can rank him ahead of Harris or Spiller (and remember Spiller’s stats are for only 8 games, not 10).
I’m not saying I’d rank him ahead of spiller or Najee, but I’d at least have him in the top 15. Keep in mind that Bigsby only got a handful of carries the first few games, then missed almost the entire TN game due to getting injured on the 2nd play. I’m not sure there’s another RB in the SEC who’s broken as many tackles this season as Tank, and as far as importance for team success I think it’s fair to say that Tank ranks number 1.
Funny you’d say that. Spiller had more carries then Tank did. Yet Tank averaged more yards per carry. Tank hardly played in the first two games. In fact he only had 14 total carries in the first two games.
Then he got hurt and only had 3 carries in the Tenn. game and was used sparingly until the final game against Miss State.
Only one running back had a higher average per carry then Tank and it wasnt Najee.
Nor was it Spiller
Agreed. He is fun to watch and a super hard runner. I see Sunday playing time in the future. Missing some playing time due to injury and playing hurt (especially in the IB) may have hurt his standing.
Likely so. Plus AU was worth really watching this year so alot of people dont know what they missed. He hardly played in the A&M game because of the injury against Tenn. But he averaged almost 9 yards a carry on 9 carries against them.
In the Bama game it was obvious he was hurt. Didnt have his burst but gave it a try before being pulled out.
wasnt worth watching i mean
Any list that doesn’t include Tank in the top 10 is garbage
But is he really one of the 10 best in the entire SEC?
Duh yes
He averaged more yards per carry the Najee Harris. Is Najee on that list? Tank was likely the best back in the SEC this year.
Cant help that Chad Morris didn’t know how to use him
Doesn’t mean he’s top 10 among all SEC players. There’s loads of talented linebacker, DBs, and corners, to say nothing of the respective talent across OLs and DLs. Tank is absolutely among the top 3 backs in the SEC. But I don’t think he’s one of the top 10 of all players. Yards per carry isn’t alone sufficient and neither is referencing Najee’s placement on this list.
You can be wrong if you want. I expect that from a Georgia fan. This list has two running backs on it. Tank is certainly more valuable to his team and a better running back then Spiller.
Arrogant and stubborn. Winning combination. Enjoy the beginning of your program death spiral. Maybe in the 2030s you’ll finally find a winning coach. And just for you, I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Tank transfers to a program that can develop him into the player you apparently think he already is.
It’s amazing how Najee Harris is a top 10 player and another running back with near identical stats playing on a much worse team isn’t.
If Tank ran behind Bamas line or even A&M lines, or for that matter Auburns 2019 line he likely would lead the country in yardage
If….
I’m pretty sure Goblin was talking about Kevin Harris. Tank Bigsby isn’t quite at that level yet.
Toney above pitts