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SEC is well-represented on ESPN’s list of most exciting college football players
By Keith Farner
Published:
As expected, the SEC was well-represented in an ESPN list of 15 most exciting players in college football.
Alex Scarborough of ESPN put it this way: The qualifications are simple: If you can’t take your eyes off them — even if it’s an offensive lineman — they qualify.
They are current stars, and even a budding star in the big LSU freshman tight end Arik Gilbert, as many of these names burst on the scene from a national perspective last season. While linemen qualified, it’s these largely skill players that made the cut from the SEC.
ESPN analyst Desmond Howard has mentioned Jaylen Waddle of Alabama as a possible Heisman Trophy contender because of his versatility. Scarborough agreed.
“Waddle gets the slight edge here because of his versatility as a specialist,” he wrote. “Over the past two seasons, he has more punt return yards (720) than anyone and is tied for the most punt return touchdowns (two) in college football. When he has the ball in open space, look out. Just look at the way he exposed a top-shelf Auburn defense last season, going off for 230 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns (three receiving, one kickoff return). Waddle’s 12.3 yards after the catch average was best in the nation by a wide margin.”
Here are the SEC players listed:
1. Jaylen Waddle, WR/PR, Alabama
4. Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
7. George Pickens, WR, Georgia
9. Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
13. Kadarius Toney, WR/RB, Florida
15. Arik Gilbert, TE, LSU
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
