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Linebacker play is always a strength in the SEC, and the 2021 season should prove to be no different.
So who will be the best of the best this fall when it comes to the conference’s inside linebackers?
ESPN and SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic shared his rankings on Wednesday, ranking his top 5 ILBs on Twitter:
MY top 5 SEC inside linebackers for 2021: pic.twitter.com/Qelgm4hGWV
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) August 18, 2021
Earning the top spot on Cubelic’s list is Alabama’s Christian Harris, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The 6-2, 232-pound junior was a starter for the Crimson Tide a year ago and posted 79 tackles, good for second on the team, to go along with 7 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 6 quarterback pressures, and an interception.
Next on Cubelic’s list are senior Zakoby McClain of Auburn, who was third in the SEC in tackles in 2020 with 113, followed by Florida senior Ventrell Miller, who had 88 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks a year ago.
Finally, rounding out Cubelic’s top 5 are Auburn’s Owen Pappoe and Missouri’s Devin Nicholson.
Pappoe, a 6-1, 226-pound junior, recorded 93 tackles last season for the Tigers, while the 6-2, 221-pound Nicholson racked up 82 stops as a sophomore for Mizzou.
"Chris Wallace covers college football for Saturday Down South. He has covered college athletics for multiple newspapers and also worked previously for Rivals.com and GolfChannel.com."
