Pair of SEC WRs named dark horse candidates by PFF ahead of 2022 season

Two SEC wide receivers were named dark horse star candidates ahead of the 2022 season by Pro Football Focus on Sunday.

Both Adonai Mitchell (Georgia) and Cedric Tillman (Tennessee) made the list that also included Ronnie Bell (Michigan), Jayden Reed (Michigan State), Tank Dell (Houston), Puka Nacua (BYU), Parker Washington (Penn State) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State).

Labeling many of these candidates as dark horses makes sense, including Mitchell, after he finished out the 2021 season with 29 receptions for 426 yards with 4 touchdowns. He enters a sophomore season is which he could be a very helpful target for quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, who is hoping to lead Georgia to its second consecutive national title after the Bulldogs bested Alabama 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship last season.

But Tillman comes off more as a player who simply doesn’t receive perhaps as much national credit as he deserves, rather than a dark horse. The senior broke out for the Vols last year with 64 catches for 1,081 yards with 12 touchdowns and should only continue to play a large role heading into the 2022 season. Tillman put together five 100-plus receiving yards performances last season, topping out at 200 receiving yards in Tennessee’s 41-17 loss to No. 1-ranked Georgia.

Who they sleepin’ on this year? 😴 pic.twitter.com/Vvc0eBdtDj

— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 31, 2022

Look for Tennessee to be an SEC team that could be a serious contender with head coach Josh Heupel on the sidelines and potential first-round quarterback Hendon Hooker taking the snaps.

Crissy Froyd

Crissy covers SEC football news for Saturday Down South.