Reviewing our top 50 SEC players from the preseason: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Before the season began, SDS ranked the top 50 players in the SEC. Now that the season is over, it’s time to see just how well we did.

We took our top 50 players from back in August and split them up into three categories based on how they performed during the season: the good, the bad, and the ugly. We’ve also retained the rank they received as a reference for how right or wrong we were in our estimations.

The vast majority of the players did well this season, and we’ve got no gripe with them. But there are a few we’re disappointed in.

Here’s the 50:

THE GOOD

Players in this category either met or surpassed our expectations of them during the course of 2015. They are the ones that deserve the rankings they achieved, and some may have even been worthy of a higher spot.

1. Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott
2. Georgia RB Nick Chubb
3. Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche
4. Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves III
6. LSU RB Leonard Fournette
7. Georgia LB Leonard Floyd
8. Tennessee DE Derek Barnett
9. Alabama LT Cam Robinson
11. Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett
12. Alabama DT A’Shawn Robinson
13. Alabama DE Jonathan Allen
14. Alabama RB Derrick Henry
15. Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell
16. Tennessee CB Cam Sutton
17. Alabama LB Reggie Ragland
20. Georgia G Greg Pyke
25. South Carolina WR Pharoh Cooper
26. Auburn CB Jonathan Jones
27. Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs
29. Missouri LB Kentrell Brothers
31. Auburn RB Jovon Robinson
32. Georgia LB Jordan Jenkins
33. LSU S Jamal Adams
34. Arkansas G Sebastian Tretola
35. Mississippi State WR De’Runnya Wilson
36. Missouri C Evan Boehm
38. Arkansas LT Denver Kirkland
39. Georgia LT John Theus
40. Arkansas TE Hunter Henry
41. Ole Miss DE Marquis Haynes
42. Auburn DT Montravius Adams
43. Texas A&M WR Josh Reynolds
44. Florida DE Alex McCalister
45. LSU CB Tre’Davious White
46. Alabama P JK Scott
47. LSU LB Kendell Beckwith
48. Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd
49. Alabama RB Kenyan Drake
50. Florida DL Jonathan Bullard

THE BAD

Players here are the ones who did not meet our expectations or was not able to play for a significant portion of the season, which is also something we don’t like.

5. Ole Miss LT Laremy Tunsil – Could Tunsil have been in the category above? Yes. But did his seven-game suspension do him any favors? No.
10. Auburn QB Jeremy Johnson – Johnson almost fell into the ugly category, but saved himself with slightly more reliable play in the latter half of the Auburn season.
18. Ole Miss DB Tony Connor – Due to a meniscus tear, Connor was only able to play in five games this season.
21. Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter – Compared with his numbers last year, Carter could have done better. He also incurred a targeting call during the season.
23. Arkansas RB Jonathan Williams – Williams is not a bad player by any means. But tragedy struck when injury ruled him out for the entire season.
24. Auburn DE Carl Lawson – Lawson was only able to play in six games of the season. While he was out, the defense floundered. Once he returned, the defense looked like it had gained new life.
28. Tennessee DE/LB Curt Maggitt – Unfortunately, Maggitt only played in two games of the season before he sustained a season-ending hip injury. He may return in post-season play.
37. LSU S Jalen Mills – Kept out from the first half of the season due to injury, the senior came back to play in the last five games and will have the opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl.

THE UGLY

These are the players we would like to forget we ranked among our top 50.

19. Auburn WR D’haquille Williams – If you get kicked off the team, you automatically fall into the ugly category.
22. Texas A&M QB Kyle Allen – Inconsistent quarterback play earned Allen a mid-season benching. He has decided to transfer from Texas A&M.
30. Missouri RB Russell Hansbrough – Whether it was his persistent ankle injury or just the ineptitude of the Tigers of the offense as a whole, Hansbrough did not have the big season that everyone expected.

Christine Wang

Christine Wang is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. She covers Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss.