SEC Top Football Players per School Spanning the Arkansas Era

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Derrick Henry

Henry ran for 2,219 yards on 395 attempts (5.6 average) with 28 touchdowns. He evaporated practically every major rushing record at a school know [sic] for running the ball.

The can't-live-without-him standard is also met by a few others, just not to the same degree.

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"Me and Lane were just talking," T Martin said Thursday. "We were on the phone going back and forth, text messaging. I was eating breakfast with me wife. He was asking me how the kids were doing and all that kind of stuff. I sent some videos and he sad, "Dude, I'm about to offer Kaden a scholarship.' I was like, ' Stop playing.' Long story short, he did. It kind of took off from there."

Kaden Martin is 5-foot-11, 175-pounds and is at Adams Middle School in Redondo Beach.

T Martin, who led Tennessee to a national championship at quarterback in 1998, said it is Kaden's first and only offer.

"Coach Kiffin has been knowing Kaden for a while because of our relationship," said T Martin, who worked with Kiffin at USC. "He has always said it about Kaden and now he is in a situation where he can make that decision.

"He's seen him play. He's been around him. Our families are very close. ... He's seen him more than other people. In his mind, one day, he's going to be a good player, so he wants to be the first to offer him."   

But is Kaden better than dad, who spent four years in the NFL?

"Kaden is way more advanced than I was at his age," T Martin explained. "I was a multi-sport athlete. ... I was good, but he is way past me. He is bigger than I was. He's already 5-11, 175 pounds and just turned 13. He's a little more advanced than I was. He is bigger, stronger, faster and all of that, but you can't predict success."

T Martin said he and the family are having fun with it and are keeping the scholarship offer in perspective.

"We're trying to laugh about it as a family," he said. "He came home and had homework. I sat him at the table, and he had to do homework."

When does that USC offer come?

"He was born with an offer," T Martin joked.

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On Thursday night, Tim Tebow's Columbia Fireflies were in Lexington, Ky., as part of the former Florida quarterback's experiment in minor league baseball with a Class A affiliate of the New York Mets.

But Tebow wasn't the only former famous SEC signal-caller in attendance. Ex-Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch, who was the first pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, was on hand to throw the first pitch and snag a pose with Tebow.

https://twitter.com/smosswkyt/status/86787997479938867

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https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/869673853089447936

Former Gamecock QB

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To be eligible for Hall consideration, a player must be 10 full seasons removed from his final college game, and he must be retired from professional football.

Players also must have played college football in the past 50 seasons (although the Review Committee can consider players whose time has expired).

The Hall of Fame requirements also say that a player's "post-football record as a citizen is also weighed."

And to be considered for the Hall of Fame, a player has to have earned first-team All-American recognition from one of the organizations that is used by the NCAA to select the consensus All-American team.

Given those hurdles, some of the stars from the SEC's past will be forever denied admission to the College Football Hall of Fame (unless the eligibility requirements change). Here are 20 who would appear to be good candidates for enshrinement but will not make it:

Ronnie Brown, running back, Auburn
It seems as though Brown will be forever linked to Carnell "Cadillac" Williams

Jason Campbell, quarterback, Auburn
SEC Player of the Year in 2004, when he helped Auburn achieve an undefeated season

Terrence Cody, defensive tackle, Alabama
served six months in jail after being found guilty of animal neglect in 2016

Jay Cutler, quarterback, Vanderbilt
Because he retired from the NFL earlier this year, Cutler would be eligible for the Class of 2018 ballot, but he doesn't qualify, even though he was the SEC Player of the Year for the 2005 season.

Dermontti Dawson, center/guard, Kentucky
For the Wildcats, Dawson was a second-team All-SEC selection in 1987. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dawson was a six-time All-Pro center who's in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

A.J. Green, wide receiver, Georgia
Reported to have missed the Arkansas game

Kevin Greene, defensive end, Auburn
Kevin Greene is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and has the third-most sacks in the history of the NFL. However, he wasn't as highly lauded at Auburn

Dalton Hilliard, LSU, running back
Hilliard was the fourth player in SEC history to compile 4,000 rushing yards, and he earned first-team All-SEC recognition in three seasons (keeping Bo Jackson on second team in one of those campaigns).


Joe Namath, quarterback, Alabama

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Kevin Faulk ran from Carencro High School, into the LSU record book and on to three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots.

Now Faulk has a chance to run all the way to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The former LSU All-American is one of 129 players and coaches on the ballot for the 2018 Hall of Fame class. Inductees will be named Jan. 8 in Atlanta prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship game and formally enshrined Dec. 4, 2018 at the National Football Foundation annual awards dinner in New York.

1996 All-American, Faulk remains LSU's all-time leading rusher with 4,557 yards and finished his college career fourth nationally in career all-purpose yards (6,833). A three-time All-Southeastern Conference selection, Faulk set 11 school records and became the first LSU back to average over 100 yards per game for his career (111.2).

Other prominent names on the ballot include but are not limited to Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis.

Of the 5.2 million players who have competed in college football since 1869, only 987 (plus 214 coaches) have made the Hall of Fame through 2017.

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Ziemba (2007-2010)

Lee Ziemba started every game he played at Auburn, and he left with a national championship. The four-year starter won the SEC's Jacobs Trophy —

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Defensive ends
Kevin Greene (1983-1984)
Before he became a Hall of Fame linebacker, Kevin Greene was a walk-on defensive end at Auburn. Greene made the most of his opportunity to play for Pat Dye, as he had 11 sacks as a senior in 1984. He was Auburn's defensive player of the year that season and later became an NFL legend.

Defensive tackles
Nick Fairley (2009-2010)
Auburn's 2010 offense had Cam Newton. Its defense had Nick Fairley. The JUCO product had a strong 2009 campaign before becoming one of the nation's best defenders in 2010. Fairley won the Lombardi Award, which is given to the best lineman or linebacker in the country, and was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. His mark of 11.5 sacks in 2010 is a program record.

Tracy Rocker (1985-1988)

The gold standard of defensive linemen at Auburn, Tracy Rocker became the first player in SEC history to win both the Lombardi and the Outland in the same season. Rocker was a two-time All-American, a three-time All-SEC selection and a highly productive interior pass rusher. His 21 sacks rank fourth all-time in Auburn history —

Top 10 is dominated by edge rushers.

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Melvin Ingram, who was a first-round draft pick by the now-Los Angeles Chargers, signed a four-year $66 million deal, with $42 million in guaranteed money.

Ingram had the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason.

Ingram was the No. 18 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft after he made 11 sacks in his final season with the Gamecocks.

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According to the most current odds from Bovada, Dak Prescott has the best odds of an SEC player, trailing just New England QB Tom Brady, Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers and Oakland QB Derek Carr at 12-to-1 odds.

Newton is next in line for the SEC alums, checking in at 25-to-1 after struggling mightily in 2016.

Former Alabama WR Julio Jones, who catches passes from last season's MVP in Atlanta, is 50-to-1 to win the award. Former Ole Miss QB Eli Manning is also 50-to-1 as the two-time Super Bowl champion enters his 14th season with the New York Giants.  Former Georgia QB Matthew Stafford also checks in at 50-to-1 as the trigger man for a pass-happy offense in Detroit.

Odell Beckham Jr., a former LSU star who catches passing from Manning in New York, is 66-to-1 after an offseason news cycle focused primarily on his absence from OTAs.

Former A&M players Ryan Tannehill (66-to-1) and Von Miller (100-to-1) did not play in the SEC, but did make the list...

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NFL Network released the final 10 players on the Top 100 Players of 2017 countdown but the NFL did not release the order. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones was among them.

The nine other players in the top 10 include but are not limited to New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., ... New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller and more.

Ten other players with Alabama football roots have preceded Jones in the top 100 -- Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, Green Bay Packers free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Giants strong safety Landon Collins, Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper, Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston.

The former Georgia players in the top 100 included Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green [who reportedly did not play against Arkansas] at No. 17, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford at No. 31, Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins at No. 68, Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston at No. 76 and Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis at No. 89.

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From NFL Rookie of the Year to Dak Prescott to All-Pro defensive lineman Fletcher Cox, Mullen has coached some of the best players in program history.

http://forums.sixpackspeak.com/showthread.php?173093-Summer-time-post-help-me-out-name-the-All-Mullen-MSU-team

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After 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton, the legitimate NFL stars who played at Auburn are few and far between. There are a lot of former Tigers who are on NFL rosters -- including veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby --

But who's next?

Here are five candidates for each school:

Alabama

Ryan Kelly, Lakota West C, Indianapolis Colts -- Kelly was a first-round pick last season, and made that investment pay off by starting all 16 games.

A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Detroit Lions -- Robinson had a solid rookie year

Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans -- Henry had to split carries with DeMarco Murray

Reggie Ragland, LB, Buffalo Bills -- Ragland's rookie year was wrecked by a torn ACL

O.J.


Auburn

1. Dee Ford, DE/OLB, Kansas City Chiefs --

C.J. Uzomah, TE, Cincinnati Bengals -- Uzomah set a career high with 25 receptions

Shon Coleman, OT, Cleveland Browns -- Coleman spent the 2016 season as the back-up to Austin Pasztor

Peyton Barber, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Barber went from undrafted free agent to contributor in 2017, averaging 4.1 yards per carry in a back-up role.

Jay Prosch, FB, Houston Texans -- You won't know it by his stats, but Prosch is one of the league's best at his position.

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five-year extension: $56 million

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This season, my senior year, was the most difficult off the field, in the classroom. So winning SEC player of the year on the field, while balancing my most difficult school semester is something I am very proud of.

The SEC: Alabama's Jalen Hurts was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year, while teammate Jonathan Allen was named Defensive Player of the Year.

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#VFL

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Collins and Clinton-Dix played for the NFC in the Pro Bowl last season after they tied for the NFL lead among safeties with five interceptions apiece.

Collins finished third in the voting for the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. In his second season, he earned first-team All-Pro recognition after recording 125 tackles, 100 solo tackles, four sacks, five interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown) and 13 passes defended for the Giants. He became the first player in NFL history with at least 100 solo tackles, two sacks, five interceptions and 12 passes defended in the same season.

Clinton-Dix earned his first Pro Bowl invitation and was second-team All-Pro in his third season with the Packers in 2016. He was one of four players in the NFL who was on the field for every one of his team's defensive snaps.