ESPN ranks top 25 returning SEC Players

[WizardofhOgZ]

3 Hogs make the list.

Spoiler . . . interesting to see that Frank Ragnow was rated as Pro Football Focus' top OL of the year.  Not center, but all of the OL.

http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/126395/secs-top-25-returning-players-for-2017

[Bacon_Bitz]

Tied with A&M for the second most returners on the list besides Bama.

[flagstaffhog]

Go HOGS Go!

[NuttinItUp]

Interesting that only 5 out of 25 are from the East.

[IMABIELEMA]

Ridiculous how many Bama players are on that list. Jalen Hurts?  Dude was garbage all year.  The Bama love is too much.  They aren't going to win the SEC next year after all they lost.

[wikipedia brown]

if you can't see the upside to jalen hurts you have to be blind. the kid is a bona fide "football player", incredibly athletic, with great decision making and good discipline to boot. he is all of maybe nineteen and played well enough to have his team win a natty  (as a freshman) defense in the fourth quarter let that one go.

[Love those Hogs]

Jalen Hurts garbage??   What are you smoking?  He may not be Peyton Manning, but he's a long way from garbage.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

The ESPN staff picks the top 25 SEC players returning for 2017. Naturally, this is opinion based and picking the most notable and most publicized players from each team is pretty easy.

The question is, are there other Hogs that you project to make such an impact that they might be considered among the top 25 in the conference by the end of the first week in December of 2017?

Whaley? Agim? Greenlaw? Liddell? Pulley? Coley? Others?

Even after players like Texas A&M's Myles Garrett, LSU's Leonard Fournette and Jamal Adams, Florida's Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson and Tennessee's Derek Barnett jumped to the pros, the SEC will have no shortage of star power this fall. Here is our ESPN.com SEC writers' list of the top 25 players returning to the conference this season.

8. Frank Ragnow, Arkansas: He's back after a dominant junior season where he allowed zero sacks and only 12 QB pressures. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the nation's best offensive lineman in 2016. -- S.K.

10. Rawleigh Williams, Arkansas: Williams' breakout sophomore season put him second among SEC running backs in rushing yards (1,360) and he's likely to have an encore in 2017. -- S.K.

17. Austin Allen, Arkansas: The league's toughest QB was also its most productive passer (league-high 3,430 yards) and if the Hogs can protect him better, he's likely to have an even better senior season. -- S.K.

Alabama-8 players
Arkansas-3 players
A&M-3 players
Auburn-2 players
LSU-2 players
Ole Miss-1 player
Miss St-1 player

20 of 25 out of the West.

The others are listed inside:

http://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/126395/secs-top-25-returning-players-for-2017

[southeasthog]

Interesting that Austin is behind Fitzgerald on that list. If our line would have held up and he could have continued on his early season success, he might have been top five.

[lilRockNDubb]

Interesting that Austin is behind Fitzgerald on that list. If our line would have held up and he could have continued on his early season success, he might have been top five.

...Or gone.

[Pig Worshipper]

Interesting that Austin is behind Fitzgerald on that list. If our line would have held up and he could have continued on his early season success, he might have been top five.

I believe Austin performed above expectations in the first part of the season but clearly struggled more as the season progressed. I never expected much from him in his first season as a starter against SEC defenses. Brandon also had a very tough first season as a starter. He will have a much better year this next season, hopefully aided by improved line play.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Obviously the O-Line is going to be built around the rock that is Ragnow at Center.

Wallace preferred being on the right side as I recall, so does he stay at RT or make the move to LT to replace Skipper?

We have to assume (at this point anyway) that since the Froholdt experience was pretty much forced last season that we will see him again at LG.

Colton Jackson did a good job at RG last season and Raulerson is versatile and with an entire off season to rest and heal his severely damaged ankle and spend more time in development in the weight room, he should be an asset in his final year of eligibility.

The NCAA shows that Paul Ramirez played in 4 games last season, but I thought that they put a RS on him last season to give him time in the weight room? He was listed at 6-6, 299 last season. Where he is now in terms of weight or development I don't know but I think he signed with 3 seasons to play coming into last season? Probably an OG?

How about Johnny Gibson? He has performed very well also.

Then there is Jake Heinrich who spent last season as a RS while building and developing. Not sure where his weight is now but he seemed to be highly thought of by the staff.

We need at least another couple of offensive linemen to step up and be vocal and "by example" leaders on the O-Line. Which one(s) do you see as having the best chance to gain 1st or 2nd team SEC honors by the end of next season?

[WizardofhOgZ]

Ridiculous how many Bama players are on that list. Jalen Hurts?  Dude was garbage all year.  The Bama love is too much.  They aren't going to win the SEC next year after all they lost.

You're anti-Bama hatred is coloring your view on Hurts.  Not an all-america, perhaps . . . but a damn good QB.

[Paul]

I believe Austin performed above expectations in the first part of the season but clearly struggled more as the season progressed. I never expected much from him in his first season as a starter against SEC defenses. Brandon also had a very tough first season as a starter. He will have a much better year this next season, hopefully aided by improved line play.

Seems like he got tentative after that injury caused by the late hit by Auburn's Carl Lawson

[Youngsta71701]

Ridiculous how many Bama players are on that list. Jalen Hurts?  Dude was garbage all year.  The Bama love is too much.  They aren't going to win the SEC next year after all they lost.

...Seriously, what the hell are you smoking?! I hope your joking or being sarcastic. Cause if not, I don't know what games you've been watching... Not the best QB in the world or the country for that matter but clearly a long ways from garbage.

[Youngsta71701]

Ridiculous how many Bama players are on that list. Jalen Hurts?  Dude was garbage all year.  The Bama love is too much.  They aren't going to win the SEC next year after all they lost.

Clearly I'm an Arkansas fan but hear me when I say this. Every Alabama player on that list is legit. Don't let the Bama hate affect your judgement.

[pigture perfect]

I call that very respectable. I'm believing for better results than last year.

[PorkSoda]

Tied with A&M for the second most returners on the list besides Bama.

too bad we cant recruit to arkansas

[redneckfriend]

if you can't see the upside to jalen hurts you have to be blind. the kid is a bona fide "football player", incredibly athletic, with great decision making and good discipline to boot. he is all of maybe nineteen and played well enough to have his team win a natty  (as a freshman) defense in the fourth quarter let that one go.

He isn't garbage but he isn't one of the best returning 25 either. He is athletic, he can run and turn the corner and he keeps his cool BUT what he is, is a quarterback and he did not show that he can pass the football. Alabama won more in spite of Hurts than because of him (although he didn't hurt them very often). The championship game said it all- when Scarbrough went out Clemson was on the ropes and primed for a knockout and Hurts couldn't finish. Next year will be Hurts make or break year-either he grows as a passer or the Tide will be a one dimensional team on offense, and Hurts will have job competition.

[IMABIELEMA]

Hurts can't throw the ball downfield.  How do you guys consider him good?  Kid should be playing RB.  He won't even start for Bama next year.  BOOK IT.  The incoming fresh from Hawaii will beat him out with ease.

[Hogwild]

You're anti-Bama hatred is coloring your view on Hurts.  Not an all-america, perhaps . . . but a damn good QB.

I don't think he is the  5th best player in the conference.

[WizardofhOgZ]

I don't think he is the  5th best player in the conference.

You're anti-Bama hatred is coloring your view on Hurts.  Not an all-america, perhaps . . . but a damn good QB.

I didn't say he was.  I was responding to another poster's claim that he (Hurts) was NOT one of the top 25 players returning in the SEC. 

Yes, the article had him ranked that high.  But that (being ranked 5th) is not what the poster argued against - it was having him in the top 25 at all.  Quoting my response to that implies that you feel I DO think Hurts is in the top 5, and I never said that.  Only that the other poster is wrong - IMO - to claim that Hurts is not amon the top 25 returning players.

[Amityvillehogger]

Hurts can't throw the ball downfield.  How do you guys consider him good?  Kid should be playing RB.  He won't even start for Bama next year.  BOOK IT.  The incoming fresh from Hawaii will beat him out with ease.

Sucking back on grandpas old cough medicine?

[IMABIELEMA]

Sucking back on grandpas old cough medicine?

You must have not watched any Bama games... he completes less than 20% on passes downfield over 20 yards.... He throws a pretty screen pass though...

[RME]

You must have not watched any Bama games... he completes less than 20% on passes downfield over 20 yards.... He throws a pretty screen pass though...

Link to support this claim? Or are you trying to pass opinion off as a fact?

[clutch]

You must have not watched any Bama games... he completes less than 20% on passes downfield over 20 yards.... He throws a pretty screen pass though...

He was also a true freshman. His passing wasn't great this year, but he showed the ability to be a productive passer at times. That will develop with age more than likely. A lot of his problems were that he held onto the ball too long. Once he ages, the game will slow down and he will release the ball sooner.


It's not really fair to judge him based off of the Clemson game. They had a great defense. He did look pretty bad in that game though.

[bosshog84]

Ridiculous how many Bama players are on that list. Jalen Hurts?  Dude was garbage all year.  The Bama love is too much.  They aren't going to win the SEC next year after all they lost.

People keep saying this year after year.

[Pork Twain]

too bad we cant recruit to arkansas

Surely you see the deference between 3 players and 85 players full of high quality depth.

[Pork Twain]

Obviously the O-Line is going to be built around the rock that is Ragnow at Center.

Wallace preferred being on the right side as I recall, so does he stay at RT or make the move to LT to replace Skipper?

We have to assume (at this point anyway) that since the Froholdt experience was pretty much forced last season that we will see him again at LG.

Colton Jackson did a good job at RG last season and Raulerson is versatile and with an entire off season to rest and heal his severely damaged ankle and spend more time in development in the weight room, he should be an asset in his final year of eligibility.

The NCAA shows that Paul Ramirez played in 4 games last season, but I thought that they put a RS on him last season to give him time in the weight room? He was listed at 6-6, 299 last season. Where he is now in terms of weight or development I don't know but I think he signed with 3 seasons to play coming into last season? Probably an OG?

How about Johnny Gibson? He has performed very well also.

Then there is Jake Heinrich who spent last season as a RS while building and developing. Not sure where his weight is now but he seemed to be highly thought of by the staff.

We need at least another couple of offensive linemen to step up and be vocal and "by example" leaders on the O-Line. Which one(s) do you see as having the best chance to gain 1st or 2nd team SEC honors by the end of next season?

I think that this last season, the upcoming Spring and Fall, will give us a very seasoned and deep OL.  I am pretty excited about what they will do this year.

[Pork Twain]

Link to support this claim? Or are you trying to pass opinion off as a fact?

Greatest ever? No
Garbage?  Definitely no and the guy you are responding to is def talking out of his butt or just based on a couple of games.  It should not be discounted that this kid is a freshmen and will likely get a lot better as well.

19/57 724 yds 33% - 20+
10-19 596 yds 50% - 10-19
68/94 527 yds 72% - 0-9

https://www.seccountry.com/alabama/jalen-hurts-greatest-true-freshman-qb-all-time-crimson-tide-football

[LRRandy]

People keep saying this year after year.

they sure do. One day I want it to be true.

[mizzouman]

No Drew Lock, wow. 

[BRHogfan]

I hope next season we have some defensive players on the list. 

[nchogg]

17. Austin Allen, Arkansas: The league's toughest QB was also its most productive passer (league-high 3,430 yards) and if the Hogs can protect him better, he's likely to have an even better senior season. -- S.K.

My thoughts exactly.

[Justagp]

People keep saying this year after year.

If my memory serves me correctly, it did happen within the past 10 years.  They wound up in the Capital One Bowl and beat the mother jumper out of Michigan State.

[RME]

Greatest ever? No
Garbage?  Definitely no and the guy you are responding to is def talking out of his butt or just based on a couple of games.  It should not be discounted that this kid is a freshmen and will likely get a lot better as well.

19/57 724 yds 33% - 20+
10-19 596 yds 50% - 10-19
68/94 527 yds 72% - 0-9

https://www.seccountry.com/alabama/jalen-hurts-greatest-true-freshman-qb-all-time-crimson-tide-football

Great find. I was looking for something like this but nothing was coming up.

[JOKERHOG]

Funny The Aubarn War Eagle Tigers only have two on the list 

[theshiva]

No Pulley? He gonna be all Sec.

[HamSammich]

Obviously the O-Line is going to be built around the rock that is Ragnow at Center.

Wallace preferred being on the right side as I recall, so does he stay at RT or make the move to LT to replace Skipper?

We have to assume (at this point anyway) that since the Froholdt experience was pretty much forced last season that we will see him again at LG.

Colton Jackson did a good job at RG last season and Raulerson is versatile and with an entire off season to rest and heal his severely damaged ankle and spend more time in development in the weight room, he should be an asset in his final year of eligibility.

The NCAA shows that Paul Ramirez played in 4 games last season, but I thought that they put a RS on him last season to give him time in the weight room? He was listed at 6-6, 299 last season. Where he is now in terms of weight or development I don't know but I think he signed with 3 seasons to play coming into last season? Probably an OG?

How about Johnny Gibson? He has performed very well also.

Then there is Jake Heinrich who spent last season as a RS while building and developing. Not sure where his weight is now but he seemed to be highly thought of by the staff.

We need at least another couple of offensive linemen to step up and be vocal and "by example" leaders on the O-Line. Which one(s) do you see as having the best chance to gain 1st or 2nd team SEC honors by the end of next season?

Can you take this post and start a thread? Some very good questions here I'd like to know the answer to.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Ridiculous how many Bama players are on that list. Jalen Hurts?  Dude was garbage all year.  The Bama love is too much.  They aren't going to win the SEC next year after all they lost.

"I was gonna make a logical post, but then I got high"...