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For the third straight season, national champion Alabama will have a first-year starter at quarterback and all eyes are on a talented redshirt freshman from California, Blake Barnett, to potentially win the job.
Led by the 6-foot-5 passer (who isn’t a bad runner, either), here are five players who redshirted in 2015 that could make an impact on the Southeastern Conference in 2016.
Blake Barnett, QB, Alabama
Barnett came to Tuscaloosa as a five-star prospect and has many of the tools you need to make Lane Kiffin’s offense go. He’s got a good arm. He’s smart, and he can make plays with his feet, particularly throwing on the run. He’s almost the perfect middle ground between the Tide’s 2014 quarterback, dual-threat Blake Sims, and this past year’s starter, Jacob Coker. If he wins the job (and it’s not a given that he will), then his natural gifts could give Kiffin a plethora of options in the play-calling department next season.
Leo Lewis, Mississippi State
Lewis was one of the top high school linebackers in the 2015 recruiting cycle and was a huge recruit coup for the Bulldogs down the stretch. He’s flat-out nasty, can move laterally and is a hard-hitter. This past season, he redshirted and with a season of experience on campus under his belt, there’s a good chance he can make an impact in 2016 in a big way.
Jamario Bell, DE, Arkansas
Bell came to the Hawgs from Junction City, Ark., as a big-time jumbo athlete who was just as impressive on offense as a high school player as on defense. With a redshirt year under his belt, the 6-foot-5, 253-pounder should be in position to challenge for a starting job and perform at a high level for the Razorbacks. This is one of those players that you may not have heard a whole lot about previously, but you very likely will in the near future in a big way.
Pat Allen, OL, Georgia
Allen is a big, athletic offensive lineman that the Bulldogs signed out of Maryland in the 2015 class. Like most along the offensive line, Allen redshirted this past season, but he will be poised to make an impact in 2016. New Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman has to be salivating at Allen’s raw ability and certainly has the track record to coach the big man up. Allen could end up being a multi-year starter in Athens for sure and be one of the point men to usher in a new era on the UGA offensive line.
DaMarkus Lodge, WR, Ole Miss
Lodge played some for the Rebels early in the season, but ended up being able to get a redshirt. A recruiting coup out of the state of Texas in the 2015 cycle, Lodge was polished and talented as a high school senior and now will be looked upon to be a key part of the Ole Miss passing attack with the departure of Laquon Treadwell to the NFL. Given his hands, size and route running ability, it would not be a surprise to see Lodge (or fellow redshirt freshman receiver Van Jefferson for that matter) reach 30-plus catches for the Rebs in 2016.
Recruiting writer for Saturday Down South
