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As we make the midseason turn in the SEC, it’s time to revisit some preseason and early-season takes, many of the simmering variety.
The Alabama dynasty under Nick Saban is dead, no? That’s what Greg McElroy suggested after Alabama’s Week 2 loss to Texas. On a scale of Jamie Newman for Heisman (deeply false) to Kirby Smart (absolute truth), I give this take 3.5 Newmans. True, the Crimson Tide haven’t had a player on “The List” since Week 2, something that would be unthinkable even 2 seasons ago. But Alabama can win a championship the way it is currently constituted, with Jalen Milroe making plays with his arm and legs and a defense, led by linebacker Dallas Turner (more below!) good enough to limit every offense that the Tide face down the stretch. Alabama in 2023 under Saban is “different,” but the Tide dynasty isn’t remotely “dead.”
Speaking of dynasties, Georgia isn’t going to be good enough at the quarterback position to 3-peat, right?
This common take throughout the early season is worth 2.5 Newmans, and it may become even more preposterous as Georgia’s Carson Beck gains more and more experience and confidence. Beck is an asset, not a liability, and if he’s a game manager, well, every school would be so lucky.
Beck was nearly flawless on Saturday in top-ranked Georgia’s romp over No. 20 Kentucky, connecting on 28-for-35 passes for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns — all to different receivers. He was also explosive, connecting on 5-for-9 attempts of 20+ yards. If Beck is going to do that with his very particular set of skills, well, to quote the man on the phone to Liam Neeson in Taken, “Good Luck.”
Finally, remember when LSU was the preseason SEC West favorite and a legitimate Playoff contender?
A quick 3.5 Newmans to this claim, thanks to a sieve of a defense that features double-digit 4- and 5-star players but hadn’t been able to get stops against anyone until Saturday in CoMo, when they finally made game-changing, game-winning plays in LSU’s zany 49-39 win at No. 21 Missouri. Harold Perkins getting on track with a critical interception and tackle for loss was the biggest thing to come out of that comeback win, but before LSU fans get too excited, the Tigers still gave up 527 yards, 7.75 yards per play, and 39 points. Yikes.
These are but a few of the reasons they play the games. Through half of them, we’ve never had a “List” of the 10 best players in the (traditionally) best conference in the sport more volatile than this one. Through 6 weeks, “The List” has had 3 No. 1 players, more than 5 different players in the Top 3, and weeks with 2 players from schools that have not won the SEC ever (Missouri) or since integration (Kentucky). However you interpret that, it’s been a strange year, and that’s before we acknowledge that at present, the SEC, at least midway through the season, is probably the 3rd-best league in America in 2023, behind the Pac-12 and the ACC.
Will it stay that way? Who knows? That’s why they play the games.
Honorable mentions first, as always.
Honorable Mention: Alabama: DB Kool-Aid McKinstry, K/P Will Reichard; Arkansas: DL Trajan Jeffcoat, LB Jaheim Thomas; Auburn: LB Eugene Asante, DL Marcus Harris; Florida: QB Graham Mertz, LB Shemar James; Georgia: C Sedrick Van Pran, DB Kamari Lassiter; Kentucky: LB D’Eryk Jackson, RB Ray Davis; LSU: WR Brian Thomas Jr., OT Emery Jones Jr.; Missouri: RB Cody Shrader, OT Javon Foster; MSU: OT Percy Lewis, LB Jett Johnson; Ole Miss: QB Jaxson Dart, RB Quinshon Judkins; SC: QB Spencer Rattler, WR Xavier Leggette; Tennessee: LB Aaron Beasley, DL James Pearce Jr.; Texas A&M: LB Edgerrin Cooper, DL Shemar Turner; Vanderbilt: S CJ Taylor, OL Bradley Ashmore.
10. Carson Beck, QB (Georgia)
The Bulldogs have a weapon at quarterback. That’s the lesson we learned Saturday night in No. 1 Georgia’s drubbing of Kentucky. Beck’s nearly flawless performance, spoiled only by a Maxwell Hairston interception with the game no longer in doubt, put an exclamation point on 6 quarters of football where the Dawgs’ offense has churned out 68 points. If this Georgia team is going to score over 10 points a quarter, they are going to win a 3rd consecutive national championship. It’s that simple. On the season, Beck now ranks No. 2 in the SEC in passing yards, No. 4 in passing efficiency, and grades out as the league’s 2nd-best quarterback, per PFF.
9. Dallas Turner, LB (Alabama)
The Crimson Tide junior had a sack and 4 pressures in Alabama’s win in College Station. On the season, Turner leads the SEC with 7 sacks and has forced 2 fumbles. He is the most productive defender on a defense that ranks 2nd in the SEC in sacks and pressures (Texas A&M). An Arkansas offensive line that has been erratic throughout 2023 is up next for Alabama’s biggest breakout star of the season.
8. Maxwell Hairston, CB (Kentucky)
Hairston did all he could to keep Kentucky in the game on Saturday night against No. 1 Georgia. Hairston had a team-high 8 tackles, missing 0 . He also intercepted a Carson Beck pass early in the 3rd quarter and returned it 48 yards, desperately attempting to inject life into a Kentucky team that was bulldozed by the Dawgs in the opening half.
MAXWELL HAIRSTON DID THAT ?
pic.twitter.com/iTBeNObgDI— Cats Coverage (@Cats_Coverage) October 8, 2023
The sophomore shares the SEC lead with 4 interceptions through 6 games, and he’s added 4 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to those numbers, proving to be one of the league’s best defensive players.
7. Jaylin Simpson, DB (Auburn)
Auburn was off in Week 6, which means that Simpson could not add to his SEC lead of 4 interceptions, which he now shares with Hairston. The Auburn captain did get a week to nurse an injury suffered late in the Georgia game, and while Simpson has not engaged in contact at practice, Hugh Freeze is hopeful his star defensive back will be available Saturday night against LSU.
6. Malik Nabers, WR (LSU)
The junior hauled in 6 passes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns in LSU’s stirring comeback win over No. 21 Missouri in CoMo. He also showed his ability to use his size and physicality to make difficult catches in traffic and gain yards after the catch.
Malik Nabers is a special talent folks
pic.twitter.com/rqNGktuVAN— Joe O’Leary (@TheHQNerd) October 7, 2023
That ability to do a little of everything, including block on the perimeter in the run game, makes him one of the nation’s finest receivers even before you look at the raw numbers: 46 receptions, 771 yards and 6 touchdowns.
5. Connor Tollison, C (Missouri)
Tollison posted 3 pancakes in Missouri’s loss to LSU, which saw running back Cody Schrader find the end zone 3 times on his way to 114 yards rushing.
Three touchdowns in three games for Missouri running back Cody Schrader #MIZ ?
— Oliver Hodgkinson (@ojhodgkinson) October 7, 2023
The Missouri sophomore grades out as the 2nd-best center in the country, per PFF, and his run blocking, as his punishing block on the run above demonstrates, is the best among college football centers (87.9 grade). Missouri gained 7.75 yards a snap against LSU, which is .75 larger than their season average of 7 yards a play, which ranks 14th in the country. Tollison also leads Missouri in snaps played, an essential figure on the SEC’s best offensive line.
4. Luther Burden III, WR (Missouri)
Burden III caught 11 passes for a game-high 149 yards in the Tigers’ 49-M39 loss to LSU. It was his 5th consecutive 100-yard game. On the season, Burden leads the SEC in receiving yards (793) and receptions (54). His 5 touchdowns rank 4th in the league. His production paces a Missouri passing attack that ranks 12th in the country in yards per game, and Missouri’s success rate numbers are even better in the air, ranking 2nd in the SEC behind only LSU.
3. Malaki Starks, S (Georgia)
The sophomore grades out just ahead of Auburn’s Simpson as the nation’s top safety, per PFF. Starks’ 84.9 grade against the run is No. 10 in America for a safety, and he showed that ability Saturday night, making 3 solo tackles of Kentucky running back and SEC leading rusher Ray Davis. This season, Starks’ 23 tackles, 4 pass breakups and 2 interceptions all rank 2nd on the Georgia defense, as the do-it-all former 5-star recruit appears ready to cruise to All-American honors.
2. Jayden Daniels, QB (LSU)
The Heisman contender produced a staggering 389 yards (259 passing, 130 rushing) and 4 touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) of offense in LSU’s win over Missouri. Daniels grades out 5th nationally among college quarterbacks, per PFF. The Tigers now lead the SEC in total offense, success rate and yards per play, ranking in the top 5 nationally in each category. His dual-threat capabilities are the biggest reason LSU left CoMO with a big win, and they’ll likely be the biggest factor as the Tigers face a salty Auburn defense in Baton Rouge this weekend.
1. Brock Bowers, TE (Georgia)
Bowers followed up his 157-yard career-high day against Auburn with 132 yards and a touchdown in Georgia’s demolition of Kentucky. Bowers’ 37 receptions and 545 yards lead the Bulldogs, who appear to finally be finding their feet offensively after a slow September. Bowers is also a critical cog in the Georgia running game, grading out as a top 20 run blocking tight end, per PFF. He also continues to do incredible passing game things against double teams and plenty of contact, as we saw on his touchdown Saturday night.
Brock Bowers doing Brock Bowers things #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/ulYw94IcxQ
— Thumser (@JeffreyThumser) October 8, 2023
Only 2 SEC tight ends in the PFF era have graded out as a top-20 receiving and blocking tight end, and both (Kyle Pitts of Florida in 2020 and OJ Howard of Alabama in 2016) went on to become first-round draft picks. Bowers is as close to a mortal lock as one can be to join Pitts as 1 of the only 2 tight ends selected in the top 5 of the NFL Draft. He’s that special.
Neil Blackmon covers Florida football and the SEC for SaturdayDownSouth.com. An attorney, he is also a member of the Football and Basketball Writers Associations of America. He also coaches basketball.