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Ranking the Top 10 players in the SEC entering Week 8

Neil Blackmon

By Neil Blackmon

Published:

Survive Saturday.

That’s what Week 7 was in the SEC.

A bundle of SEC programs with College Football Playoff aspirations were tested.

Alabama, Tennessee and LSU survived their tests. Texas aced theirs.

Alabama did it with a great stop on a 2-point conversion and a fortunate hands team on an onside kick.

Tennessee survived because Billy Napier exists. Yes, Dylan Sampson and James Pearce Jr. helped.

Ole Miss? Put those Playoff thoughts away until next season, in all likelihood. On a day when “Little Game” James Franklin finally won a big game at Penn State, Lane Kiffin lost another big game in Oxford. Kiffin is an offensive genius and a great portal recruiter, but once again the Rebels came up short against a more talented football team.

Credit LSU, which ranks 8th in the 247 talent composite to Ole Miss’ 20th. The Tigers did what they do in Death Valley, and fought to the end. The win, by the way, moves Brian Kelly to 9-2 in rivalry games at LSU, a testament to just how good he’s been in Baton Rouge despite not yet reaching rightful championship expectations.

As for Kiffin, he’s 39-17 at Ole Miss and 3-1 in the Egg Bowl. Is that enough to be coveted by the likes of Florida? Is that enough at a place that’s made the NIL investments Ole Miss has made? “The List” leans “yes” on both questions, but the reality is  a 2-loss Ole Miss is all but eliminated from the College Football Playoff in mid-October, and that’s a shame considering the expectations and roster this season in Oxford.

Another program that made it through “Survive Saturday” was Vanderbilt.

A win at Kentucky is no small feat for a program coming off one of the largest upset wins in the recent college football memory. It’s tough to survive a hangover. Clark Lea and Diego Pavia did it with style.

“The List” survived another week of fan mail by engaging in the comments section a bit last week. Because it is so easy to rank the best 10 players in the best college football conference, it’s hard to imagine ever leaving anything for debate or argument, but “The List” appreciates all those who engage in good faith. And for those who engage in bad faith … you are right. Obviously, I can’t stand your team and any omission from “The List” was intentional and not simply a product of having only 10 spots and a maximum of 2 players per school in the Honorable Mention section.

Special shout out this week to Florida quarterback Graham Mertz, who suffered a college career ending knee injury in the Gators’ overtime loss on Rocky Top. Mertz leaves the Gators leading the nation in completion percentage this season and ranked No. 2 in the SEC in passing success rate. That’s outstanding production, and it’s a shame to see him lost for the season. Get well soon, Graham.

I also want to point out that Whit Weeks was magnificent in LSU’s win over Ole Miss. The SEC Player of the Week honors were hard earned. That’s what makes the 2 per school Honorable Mention rule rough. But “The List” respects the rules.

Last week’s “List” is here. 

As always, Honorable Mentions are first this week.

Alabama: Jihaad Campbell, LB; Jalen Milroe, QB. Arkansas: Joshua Braun, OL; Landon Jackson, Edge. Auburn: KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR; Keldric Faulk, LB. Florida: Jason Marshall Jr., DB; Jake Slaughter, C. Georgia: Monroe Freeling, OL; Malaki Starks, S. Kentucky: D’Eryk Jackson, LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB. LSU: Will Campbell, OT; Garrett Nussmeier, QB. Mississippi State: Isaac Smith, S. Missouri: Luther Burden III, WR; Armand Membou, OT. Oklahoma: Robert Spears-Jennings, S. Ole Miss: Chris Paul Jr., LB;  Walter Nolen, DT. South Carolina: Dylan Stewart, Edge; Nick Emmanwori, S. Tennessee: Joshua Josephs, Edge; Jermod McCoy, CB. Texas: Quinn Ewers, QB, Anthony Hill Jr, LB. Texas A&M: Nic Scourton, Edge; Shemar Stewart, DL. Vanderbilt: Delfin Xavier Castillo, OL; CJ Taylor, S.

10. Carson Beck, QB (Georgia)

The Georgia quarterback threw for a career-high 459 yards and 3 touchdowns in Georgia’s 41-31 win over Mississippi State. Beck graded out as the nation’s best quarterback in Week 7 in the process, per PFF. On the season, Beck ranks 3rd in the conference in yards passing with 1,818 and 2nd in touchdowns with 15.

He’s done that against a formidable schedule that has already included games against Clemson, Alabama and Kentucky, 3 of the better defenses from a talent and production standpoint in college football. If you wrote him off after the Alabama loss, that was your mistake.

9. Ryan Williams, WR (Alabama)

The Crimson Tide freshman caught just 4 passes for 32 yards in Saturday’s win over South Carolina, a season-low in yards receiving. Williams was targeted 6 times, his lowest number of targets since Week 3 at Wisconsin. Despite this, the young star ranks No. 2 in the SEC in receiving yards and No. 1 in yards per reception — by a staggering 3.2 yards per catch among receivers with 15 receptions or more. His average yards per catch against Top 25 opposition is even better at a nation-best 29.5 yards per game. Have you heard he’s only 17?

8. Reuben Fatheree II, OT (Texas A&M)

If there is a more vastly improved unit in the SEC this year than Texas A&M’s offensive line, “The List” welcomes all emails and commentary. Fatheree, who has ranked among the best 5 linemen in the SEC all season, per PFF, is the best run blocker for the nation’s 9th ranked rushing offense. The Aggies are 5-1 and College Football Playoff contenders thanks to an offense that limits mistakes and a tenacious defense. With Conner Weigman back, Fatheree II and this offensive line will continue to play a starring role in a potential surprise run to the College Football Playoff.

7. James Pearce Jr., Edge (Tennessee)

The Volunteers collected just the program’s 3rd win over Florida in 20 years on Saturday night and would not have won but for Pearce’s heroics. The Tennessee junior forced a goal-line fumble by Graham Mertz to halt one scoring drive in the first half and forced a 3rd-down stop to limit the Gators to a field goal on another Florida red-zone possession. Pearce also got home for a big 3rd-down sack of DJ Lagway to force a Florida punt late in the game. He also batted down 2 passes in the Volunteers’ 23-17 overtime win. On the season, Pearce has 21 pressures and 12 quarterback hits, both of which rank in the top 5 in the SEC, per PFF. He also frequently faces double teams (22% of his snaps, per Stats Solutions). That’s freed up talented Joshua Josephs to be one of the SEC’s most productive edge rushers this season, all part of  the schematic advantage from Tim Banks’ embarrassment of riches up front.

6. Kyle Kennard, Edge (South Carolina)

Kennard’s production continues to be prolific. The Georgia Tech transfer was brilliant in South Carolina’s narrow loss to Alabama, collecting 7 tackles, including 2 sacks to push his SEC leading total to 7.5 on the year. (Only 3 Gamecocks have reached 10 sacks in a season, and none since Jadeveon Clowney set the school record with 13.0 in 2012.) Kennard’s 23 pressures rank 3rd in the SEC and he’s missed just 2 tackles in run support on the edge, proving his value as more than a pass rush specialist. South Carolina’s defense is vastly improved this season with Kennard as the centerpiece.

5. Bradyn Swinson, Edge (LSU)

Swinson set a career-high with 8 tackles, including 3 tackles for loss, in LSU’s 29-26 overtime win over Ole Miss. Swinson also batted down 2 passes and collected 2 sacks in the comeback victory.

https://twitter.com/EJunkie215/status/1846208192755200343

Swinson’s 4th-quarter sack of Jaxson Dart also helped assure LSU got the ball back with plenty of time to force overtime. On the season, Swinson ranks No. 2 in the SEC in sacks with 7 and quarterback pressures (25). LSU ranks 5th nationally in sacks, a huge reason this is a markedly improved defense in 2024.

4. Tre Harris, WR (Ole Miss)

Harris did all he could do to keep Ole Miss in the Playoff conversation Saturday night in Baton Rouge. The senior caught 7 passes for 102 yards playing in his home state of Louisiana, scoring on this acrobatic touchdown catch in good coverage.

Harris leads the nation with 987 yards receiving, already his career high in receiving yardage. (AJ Brown’s single-season record of 1,320 clearly is within reach.) With 59 receptions, he also leads the SEC and ranks No. 2 nationally.

3. Kelvin Banks, OT (Texas)

The Texas All-American has allowed just 1 pressure this season manning the Quinn Ewers/Arch Manning blindside. The Longhorns rank 7th in scoring offense, 11th in yards per play and 8th in success rate behind Banks and a line named to the midseason Joe Moore Award honor roll as 1 of the nation’s 22 best offensive lines. The biggest test yet comes Saturday when Texas hosts Georgia. Banks should close the year as the 25th Texas player to earn unanimous All-American honors, having already secured midseason unanimous marks from CBS Sports.

2. Dylan Sampson, RB (Tennessee)

Sampson’s outstanding second half and overtime helped Tennessee rally from a 10-point 3rd-quarter deficit to defeat rival Florida. Sampson scored all 3 of Tennessee’s touchdowns, moving the pile on 2 of them with his phenomenal leg drive.

His 15 touchdowns this season rank No. 2 in the country behind Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty and are within 3 of the single-season Tennessee record, held by Gene McEver, who played for General Neyland himself in 1929. Reggie Cobb set UT’s modern era (post integration) record: 17 touchdowns in 1987. Sampson might break that record this weekend against an Alabama defense that has struggled mightily against the run of late.

1. Diego Pavia, QB (Vanderbilt)

The legend of Diego continues to grow at Vanderbilt, as the Commodores won a second consecutive game in Lexington for the first time this century last weekend. Pavia was marvelous, completing 15-of-18 passes for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns and adding 53 hard fought yards on the ground against an outstanding Kentucky defense. Pavia threw his first interception of the season, but he also took the soul and fight out of Kentucky with this physical 31-yard run in the 4th quarter.

Pavia remains the only SEC quarterback to lead his team in passing and rushing. He now has a Vanderbilt team with a projected win total of 2.0 at the beginning of the season 2-1 in the SEC and nearly bowl eligible before the end of October.

That’s turnt.

Neil Blackmon

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.

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