SEC Top Football Players per School Spanning the Arkansas Era

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https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/760948328347512833

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https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/761361570047922176

Kentucky legend Craig Yeast's son Russ Yeast decommitted from Kentucky.

The comments hurled at Russ Yeast after his decommitment struck an especially raw nerve for his former Wildcat father. It was frustrating to see fans turn on him and attack his kid that way.

"Look, I love Kentucky, always have, always will," Craig Yeast told Mark Story of the Lexington Herald-Leader. "I'm for Kentucky in everything. Football. Basketball. Baseball. Softball. Soccer. If the Cats are on TV, I'm watching. But Russ Yeast is not Craig Yeast. And he decided Kentucky was not the best place for him.

"I do wish — in my heart — he would've gone to Kentucky. Because I love Kentucky," Craig Yeast continued. "But that's not the decision he made, and it's his choice. My wife and I, we both just want Russ to go where he will feel comfortable — and he decided that wasn't Kentucky."

That might have been the response Yeast wished Kentucky fans had.

There were fans accusing Yeast the elder for steering his son away from Kentucky after he was allegedly passed over to be the wide receivers coach for Joker Phillips and then again under Mark Stoops.

Yeast denied those rumors.

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Jalen Hurd is ready to make his bid to become the greatest running back in Tennessee history with Travis Henry's 3,078 career rushing yards in his sights.

"Now that it's reachable, and you can see it, I definitely want to do that," said Hurd, who has 2,187 career rushing yards, averaging 4.6 yards per carry to the 5.5 that the 5-9, 230-pound Henry powered his way to during UT's glory years.

"That (rushing record) is a goal of mine. The biggest goal for me is to help get my team a national championship."

Indeed, Henry led the Vols to a national championship in 1998, carrying the team on his back after future NFL 2,000-yard rusher Jamal Lewis was lost for the season to a knee injury in the fourth game of the season at Auburn.

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https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/761630773262843904

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https://twitter.com/ESPN_SEC/status/761631436059226112

Alabama OL Cam Robinson is No. 10, Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett is No. 5 and LSU RB Leonard Fournette is No. 2.

Florida CB Jalen Tabor at No. 20, LSU S Jamal Adams (18), Bama DE Jonathan Allen (15) and WR Calvin Ridley (14) and Georgia RB Nick Chubb at No. 11.

Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd (No. 29) and Texas A&M WR (No. 28) Christian Kirk...

40-31: Two Alabama defenders (Eddie Jackson, Tim Williams) plus Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly.

Despite not having started a game for the Crimson Tide, Bo Scarbrough checks in at No. 50 with LSU LB Kendall Beckwith (49) and Bama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (47).

60-51: Rising sophomore star Arden Key (LSU DE), senior Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee QB) and senior Jarrad Davis (Florida LB)...

70-61: Senior CB Cam Sutton of Tennessee

No. 80 O.J. Howard of Alabama and No. 75 Malachi Dupre of LSU.

90-81: Offensive linemen Dan Skipper (Arkansas) and Braden Smith (Auburn), along with Ole Miss safety Tony Conner and Missouri DE Charles Harris...

Georgia running back Sony Michel cracks the top 100 at No. 95.

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https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/761959894408916992

Greene was a walk-on at Auburn, a fifth-round pick in the NFL Draft and a reserve defensive end and special-teamer for the Los Angeles Rams in his first three pro seasons. So how'd he get to the Hall of Fame?

"I figured out how to pass rush," Greene said. "I figured out how to put a guy -- an offensive tackle 3 to 4 inches taller, 80, 100 pounds heavier -- put him in a position of failure, and I did that."

Greene compiled 160 sacks – the most for any player whose primary position was linebacker and the third-most in NFL history.

"I loved getting a sack," Greene told the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "First, it was a feeling of relief. I know that is what that organization really wanted me to do. They wanted me to rush the passer, defend against the run because you can't be soft against the run, but what they really wanted me to do was crush quarterbacks.

"When I was really able to do that, it was a feeling of relief. My teammates depended on me to do that. I contributed. I didn't want to let my teammates down. ... It was just me making a contribution and not letting my brothers down."

Greene recorded 97.5 of his sacks after turning 30 years old, and he became the oldest player to lead the NFL in sacks when he did so at 34 in 1996.

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https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/761913532740952064

Stabler played his final NFL game in 1984. He was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame three other times before making the cut. And yet for his family and fans, the long-awaited enshrinement is bittersweet because Stabler isn't here to see it. He died on July 8, 2015, his life taken by colon cancer.

"It's very exciting, and I am also saddened that he won't be there," Hall of Fame wide receiver and frequent Stabler pass-target Fred Biletnikoff told the San Francisco Chronicle. "It would have been a real thrill for him. ... But we're going to party just like we would if the Snake was there."

Maybe a 32-year wait to get into the Hall of Fame is simply a cosmic mirroring of Stabler's football career. After all, he was at his best late in the game.

Unlike many of the other positions in football, greatness for a quarterback also usually involves an element of longevity. Oakland took Stabler out of Alabama in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft. By the time he became the Raiders' regular quarterback in 1973, he'd started two NFL games.

But for the next five years, Stabler the quarterback and Stabler the personality were virtually unmatched in the NFL. Sure, there was the funny line about Stabler studying his playbook by the light of the jukebox, but however he was getting ready, it worked.

From 1973 through 1977, Stabler had a 50-11-1 regular-season record as a starting quarterback. He started five straight conference championship games, a feat that stood unmatched by any quarterback until the New England Patriots' Tom Brady did it last year.

Stabler received The Associated Press' NFL MVP Award in 1974 and the Bert Bell Award as the NFL's Player of the Year in 1976, a season capped by the Raiders' 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI.

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https://twitter.com/MikeOrganWriter/status/762106632771731457

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https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/763012893080186880

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Gary Sheffield ‏@garysheffield 7h7 hours ago

I spent time w @TimTebow in the cages recently, he's a NATURAL. I absolutley believe in his ability to play in the bigs. Tim has IT #focused

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https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/763368297651896320

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Rhiannon Potkey ‏@RPotkey 10m10 minutes ago

Former Vol Jason Witten came up with the idea for decal as a tribute to the slain police officers.


Update:

NFL won't let Dallas Cowboys wear unity Arm in Arm helmet decal

The league had already vetoed the team wearing them in regular season but it added the preseason to the ban as well, vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday.

The Cowboys unveiled the decal during a ceremony with Dallas city and police officials on the first day of training camp as a sign of unity and solidarity following the tragic shootings of five police officers last month.

It was tight end Jason Witten who came up with the idea.

NFL, known as the 'No Fun League' at times, is now the no...

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https://twitter.com/theadvocatebr/status/763732156942200832

A video has surfaced reportedly showing LSU running back Leonard Fournette and a teammate involved in a street fight-style incident. But LSU team spokesman Michael Bonnette tells TMZ and The Advocate that the episode is just horeseplay.

On Wednesday evening, Fournette issued an apology and said he was just "slap boxing."

"I would like to apologize to everyone, but we were not fighting, just slap boxing but again I would like to apologize to everyone again," Fournette said via Twitter.

2016: When a couple of players square off, the public relations staff has to put in overtime.

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Prescott off to stellar start with Cowboys

Prescott made his debut in a starting role against the Los Angeles Rams and had thrown two touchdown passes to Dex Bryant and Terrence Williams.

Prescott looked sharp, giving Cowboys fans reason to be excited about what he might be capable of in the future. Prescott completed 10 of his first 12 passes for 139 yards and two scores.

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https://twitter.com/Sonny247/status/764931883729719297

Mettenberger, who was released by the Titans in May and claimed by the Chargers a day later, completed just 2-of-8 passes for 22 yards and had one pass intercepted.

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Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 2m2 minutes ago

Eagles announced they have acquired WR Dorial Green-Beckham from Tennessee Titans in exchange for G/T Dennis Kelly.

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Charles Robinson ‏@CharlesRobinson 4h4 hours ago

#Titans are upset w/ how Green-Beckham responded to demands. Told to work harder in offseason, came in out of shape. Didn't improve. #Eagles

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https://twitter.com/SECbooger/status/765494815027060736

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Kyle Tucker ‏@KyleTucker_AJC 10h10 hours ago

Lotta debate RE: my RBU thoughts. Last decade, certainly in terms of SEC, I'd go 1) Bama, 2) Arkansas, 3) UGA.

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More preseason updates:

https://twitter.com/MikeBBonner/status/766837719653679104

Rob Phillips ‏@robphillips3 10h10 hours ago

Dak's stat line: 12-15, 199 yards, 4 TDs (2 passing, 2 rushing). Perfect 158.3 QB rating.


Three years ago who had Dak over Johnny Football playing in a Cowboys uniform?

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Michael Carvell ‏@Carvell_AJC 13h13 hours ago

Jerry Jones: Dak Prescott ends Cowboys' search for a veteran backup QB http://sec.news/2bTp0Hw

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https://twitter.com/RPotkey/status/769181591604035585

LOS ANGELES -- Tamaurice Nigel Martin is upset, despite just making public his commitment to play quarterback for Tennessee. It's winter of 1996. While social media doesn't yet exist, Martin, his family and friends had been hearing the judgmental grousing from Alabama and Auburn fans about a celebrated Mobile product leaving the state to play college football.

The car bringing Martin home stops in the Thomas James Place housing projects -- known locally as Birdville because all the streets are named after birds -- and the young man not yet popularly known as "Tee" Martin concludes what seemed like a cathartic rant.

"These people don't know me, don't know who I am," Martin said. "They don't care about me. I'm going to Tennessee because this is my decision, not theirs."

He then casted a sideways grin because he knew the driver didn't spend much time in one of the toughest sections of Mobile: "You know how to get out of here?"

This is a paraphrase of a two-decades old conversation, but Tee Martin, now USC first-year offensive coordinator, says he remembers it. It's illustrative of a developing young person who was known as humble and polite but was also thoughtful, tough-minded and opinionated beneath the surface. Sort of like the 38-year-old man he has become.

"Tee's whole life has been about decisions," said Duke coach David Cutcliffe, who was Tennessee offensive coordinator from 1993 to '98. "His life growing up was not easy. It was about deciding whether to be on the good side of the street or the bad side."

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https://twitter.com/CharlesRobinson/status/769209218591326220

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https://twitter.com/Chron_MattYoung/status/770713921766383617

https://twitter.com/spotrac/status/770711708981665792

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David Cloninger ‏@DCTheState 8h8 hours ago

Elliott Fry is now 35 points from passing Collin Mackie as the Gamecocks' career leading scorer.

https://twitter.com/JustinKing/status/771550190436167681

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https://twitter.com/BrentZwerneman/status/772160676567449601

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Ross Dellenger ‏@RossDellenger 31s32 seconds ago

Leonard Fournette just broke the 3,000-yard mark for his #LSU career.

Harris just made his first completion of the season (to Dural).

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Ross Dellenger ‏@RossDellenger 5m5 minutes ago

Mathieu tweeted that Wisconsin is running the same plays as #LSU, but moving the ball.

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SEC Network ‏@SECNetwork 2h2 hours ago

.@LSUFootball Career Rushing Yards:
1) Kevin Faulk 4,557
2) Dalton Hilliard 4,050
3) Charles Alexander 4,035
4) Leonard Fournette 3,011 [and counting]

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Brian Edwards Sports ‏@vegasbedwards

Chiefs have cut UGA's all-time leading passer Aaron Murray, who never should've looked @ sidelines that day @ the Ga. Dome. Just spike it!

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/773280004553703424

Belichick has a pair of would-be "lost causes" in offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper and linebacker Barkevious Mingo this season.

Mingo was swiped from the Browns on Aug. 25. A 6-foot-4, 241-pound LSU product, Mingo's career with Cleveland was, like that of so many others, riddled by inconsistency and failed expectations. Those struggles came in part due to the fact the Browns had had three head coaches since the 25-year-old Mingo turned pro.

Mingo was once considered a centerpiece of the Browns defense. However, he hasn't started since 2014 and recorded just two sacks in his last 31 games. The Browns used him to rush the passer, drop into coverage and gave him a try at inside linebacker.

In his Patriots preseason debut against the Giants' non-starters last week, Mingo leapt into a time capsule and returned to his days at LSU.  In Baton Rouge, he played in all 13 games with 10 starts for Les Miles as a junior, logging 38 tackles, 12 quarterback hurries, 8.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks to earn second-team All-SEC honors.

https://twitter.com/PP_Rich_Hill/status/771503604884791297

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https://twitter.com/Mets/status/773853460831752192

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/773678588906311680

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Seattle Seahawks guard Germain Ifedi sustained an ankle injury in practice on Wednesday and had to leave the session

Ifedi, 22, was taken with the No. 31 overall pick in this year's draft and was slated to start at the right guard spot for much of the offseason.

The severity of Ifedi's ankle injury is unknown at this time as the Seahawks have provided no further details. [May have to go to the 12th man.]

Protecting quarterback Russell Wilson and fielding a dominant running game with Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael is the top order of the season for Seattle.

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/773664997218058240

Lacy got into weight management.

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/773897231850213377

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players

Darren McFadden  Arkansas  $46.7M

Arian Foster          Vols          $36.9M

Mark Ingram         Bama       $12.2M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: Quarterbacks

Eli Manning  Ole Miss  $205.8M

Jay Cutler    Vandy     $112.2M

Matt Stafford  UG       $110.8M

Cam Newton   AU       $66M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: WRs

AJ Green          UG   $56.4M

Julio Jones     Bama  $51.7M

Mike Wallace     OM   $47.3M

Stevie Johnson  UK  $31.8M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: TEs**

Jason Witten           Vols  $65.4M

Jared Cook             SC    $26.3M

Martellus Bennett*  A&M  $25.9M

Jacob Tamme         UK    $13.2M


*Played in Big12

**Jason Peters will come up later.  Much later.

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: Left Tackle

Jason Peters          Ark  $87.4M

Andrew Whitworth  LS  $53.9M

Michael Oher         OM  $27.8M

Cordy Glenn          UG  $23.9M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: O-Line (ex LT)

Andre Smith      Bama  $43.2M

Pouncey Twins       UF  $68.9M

Luke Joeckel       A&M  $21.1M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: The Fullbacks

Patrick DiMarco    SC  $3.4M

Orson Charles      UG  $2M

Jay Prosch           AU  $1.7M

Jalston Fowler  Bama  $1.6M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: DE

Charles Johnson  UG  $70.5M

Tyson Jackson     LS   $50.9M

Glenn Dorsey      LS    $46.3M

Carlos Dunlap      UF   $30.2M

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Active Salary Leaders by Position of Former SEC Players: DT

Marcell Dareus  UA  $58.9M

Kyle Williams    LS   $44.9M

Geno Atkins     UG  $39.4M

Fletcher Cox    MS  $37.6M