The Best Player on Every SEC Football Team in 2019
By Scott Rogust
NCAA Football kicks off in a little over a week, and that means there's nonstop football until early 2020. Every college football fan knows the SEC is the place to look in terms of CFP National Championship contenders.
The home of some of the best teams in college football, the SEC features some incredibly talented players. Here is the best player on each team in the Southeastern Conference.
1. Alabama: Tua Tagovailoa
This one shouldn't come as a surprise. Although Tua Tagovailoa was hindered by injuries last season, you can't look over the fact that he's a Heisman runner-up. Not only that, but he's arguably the top quarterback prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft Class. Throwing for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns and just six interceptions on a 69.0 completion percentage will do that.
2. Arkansas: McTelvin Agim
The No. 20 overall recruit in 2016, McTelvin Agim is looking to build upon his draft stock entering his senior season. In 12 games, Agim recorded 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one pass defensed, earning him third-team All-SEC honors.
3. Auburn: Derrick Brown
Derrick Brown is the cream of the crop in terms of defensive linemen in the SEC. Brown lived up to his No. 9 overall recruit ranking in 2016, as he possesses freakish strength against solo blockers, while also being a nuisance against opposing running backs. Last season, Brown recorded 48 tackles (10.5 for loss) and 4.5 sacks.
4. Florida: CJ Henderson
CJ Henderson is a lanky corner who possesses problems for wide receivers in man coverage, and is arguably the best at his position. Just last season, Henderson posted 38 tackles (five for loss), five pass breakups, three sacks, and a pair of interceptions.
5. Georgia: Andrew Thomas
Many would list Jake Fromm as the best player on the Gerogia Bulldogs roster. We're going to throw in a bit of a wild card and talk about Fromm's blindside protector, Andrew Thomas. He's 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, and displays tremendous footwork and speed. Thomas is far and away the top offensive tackle in the country, and could potentially become a top-10 pick in the 2020 draft.
6. Kentucky: Logan Stenberg
The Kentucky Wildcats suffered a mass exodus in talent this offseason. One of them being running back Benny Snell, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the offensive line remains relatively the same, and one of the key contributors in all three of Snell's 1,000-plus yard seasons was guard Logan Stenberg, whom was named as a third-team All-SEC offensive player this preseason.
7. LSU: Grant Delpit
Grant Delpit is at the top of the mountain in regards to defensive talent entering the upcoming season. Delpit was a unanimous All-American last season, due to his ability to play effectively all over the field. In 2018, Delpit recorded 74 tackles (9.5 for loss), nine passes defensed, five sacks, and an SEC-leading five interceptions.
8. Mississippi State: Erroll Thompson
Mississippi State saw top defensive stars in Montez Sweat, Jeffery Simmons, and Jonathan Abram selected in the first round of this year's NFL Draft. While those losses sting, the Bulldogs will have linebacker Erroll Thompson returning for his junior season. Last season, Thompson recorded 87 tackles (10 for loss), four sacks, and two interceptions, earning All-SEC honors.
9. Missouri: Albert Okwuegbunam
Albert Okwuegbunam might have had many of run-ins with the injury bug, but he's the best player on Missouri. Last season, Okwuegbunam caught 43 passes for 466 yards and six touchdowns. If he's healthy, Missouri and new quarterback Kelly Bryant will succeed.
10. Ole Miss: Benito Jones
Ole Miss' defense was tormented last season, but if they can take solace in one thing, it's that Benito Jones is returning for his senior year. Jones was the best defender for the Rebels last season, as his nine tackles for loss and three sacks were both the second-most on the team. On top of that, Jones posted 34 tackles and six quarterback hurries in 12 games.
11. South Carolina: Javon Kinlaw
Although he was hampered due to a hip injury last season, Javon Kinlaw brings plenty of upside to South Carolina's defense. In ten games last year, Kinlaw recorded 30 tackles (nine for loss), five passes defensed, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. Not to mention, Kinlaw earned second-team All SEC honors this preseason, so the expectations are high entering his senior season.
12. Tennessee: Trey Smith
Trey Smith joined the Vols squad with plenty of hype as the top recruit in the entire state of Tennessee. However, his collegiate career has been derailed due to issues with blood clots. When he's on the field, the stud o-lineman is a bully at the line of scrimmage. Without him, the offense doesn't move down the field.
13. Texas A&M: Kellen Mond
Texas A&M's best player is, no surprise, quarterback Kellen Mond. Ranking as the third-best dual threat signal caller in the 2017 recruiting class, Mond still has room to grown under head coach Jimbo Fisher. In 13 games last season, Mond threw for 3,107 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions on a rather low 57.0 completion percentage. On the ground, Mond rushed for 474 yards and seven scores on 149 carries.
14. Vanderbilt: Ke'Shawn Vaughn
While many look at Georgia and Alabama for rushing talent, they've missed out on Ke'Shawn Vaughn. As a junior last season, after transferring from Illinois, Vaughn rushed for 1,244 yards, while averaging 7.9 yards per carry, which led the entire conference. Vaughn will have eyes on him from running back-needy NFL teams.