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Don’t look now, but Dak Prescott is making his move. It’s a been a running back-only party at the top of our list all season long, but Mississippi State’s record-breaking quarterback is stepping back into the spotlight after a six-touchdown game and making us all remember why he was a Heisman contender for much of 2014.
The Bulldogs lost twice early this season, but with games against Alabama and Ole Miss still ahead, they could still make things messy in the West. If they do, expect Prescott to continue his ascent here.
For first-timers, here’s our mission statement:
We’re endeavoring to sort out the conference’s best players by taking into account all the things the Heisman Trophy voters tend to leave out. To top our list, you don’t need to be a household name playing for a national title contender — though, if we’re being honest, it doesn’t hurt. We aim to find the best player in the conference who is also his team’s most indispensable piece.
We consider a player’s track record because past results tend to be a pretty good predictor of future performance, but as we move deeper into the season, the reputation a player has developed over the course of a career will fade in the equation, replaced proportionately by what they’ve done for their teams lately.
On to top 10:
10. KENTRELL BROTHERS, MISSOURI
Last week: Not ranked
In actuality, there’s no way Brothers will finish the season as the SEC MVP. The Tigers offense is blame for that. On the other side of the ball, the Brothers-led unit continues to play some of the best defense in the country. The senior linebacker leads the nation in tackles (103) and tackles per game (12.9), while leading a group that ranks first in the SEC in scoring defense and passing defense, and ranks second to Alabama in total defense.
9. EDDIE JACKSON, ALABAMA
Last week: 10
The conference leader in interceptions didn’t have a big game last week after missing much of the first half due to a knee injury. Nonetheless, he remains the head of a secondary that has improved steadily throughout the season and leads the SEC in pass defense efficiency.
8. LEWIS NEAL, LSU
Last week: 8
Neal had his first quiet game in some time last week, but showed the athleticism that’s made him LSU’s most productive defensive lineman with a pair of pass breakups. He’s currently ranked second in the conference with seven sacks.
7. LAQUON TREADWELL, OLE MISS
Last week: 9
Each week, Treadwell looks more and more like the player he was prior to last season’s gruesome injury. After five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown last week, he now leads the SEC in receptions (54) and receiving yards (756).
6. VERNON HARGREAVES III, FLORIDA
Last week: 6
The fact that the Gators didn’t play Saturday just means it was another week in which nobody threw at the SEC’s best cornerback.
5. MYLES GARRETT, TEXAS A&M
Last week: 4
Garrett held his own against Ole Miss’ Laremy Tunsil last week and though he didn’t record a sack for just the second time this season, he intercepted a pass and recorded six tackles. He remains the SEC leader with 8.5 sacks on the season.
4. REGGIE RAGLAND, ALABAMA
Last week: 3
The unquestioned leader of the best front seven in the SEC — if not the country — Ragland led the Tide on Saturday with 12 tackles against Tennessee. He ranks third in the conference with 71 tackles, but the senior’s impact goes far beyond the box score.
3. DERRICK HENRY, ALABAMA
Last week: 2
Henry’s slight dip this week is no reflection of his performance. The junior running back is the man who makes the Alabama offense work, steadily crashing into opposing defenses like a 240-pound sledgehammer until they eventually break. He carried 28 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee — his fourth straight game with at least 26 carries and his 13th in a row with a touchdown.
2. DAK PRESCOTT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
Last week: 5
Leonard Fournette has been the best player in the country, and he’d have to be to keep Prescott out of the top spot on this list. The Bulldogs’ senior quarterback ranks first in the SEC in completion percentage, second in passing yards and passing touchdowns, and has thrown just one interception this season. He also has nearly twice as many rushing yards as the Mississippi State’s leading running back and is tied for sixth in the conference in rushing scores.
1. LEONARD FOURNETTE, LSU
Last week: 1
Fournette ran for 150 yards and a touchdown last week, and it was his worst game of the season. In case you require further evidence for his placement here, the sophomore leads the nation in rushing by nearly 200 yards despite playing in one fewer game than the four guys chasing him. There are only 39 teams in the country (three in the SEC) that surpass his 193 yards per game.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
