Ad Disclosure
SEC Championship Game preview: 10 best NFL prospects for Alabama and Georgia
By Rick Stavig
Published:
The SEC Championship Game is finally upon us, and to the surprise of virtually no one, it will feature a rematch from last year’s national title game.
Obviously, the fact that both teams are very well coached is one of the primary reasons for their success this year, but coaching can only go so far. What really separates them from the rest of the SEC is the talent on the rosters, and believe you me, these teams are absolutely loaded.
Here are the 10 best NFL prospects on both sidelines for the game, though we’ll only include those eligible for the 2019 NFL Draft, so unfortunately, the super sophomores and freshmen from each team won’t be seen below.
Georgia
10. Tyler Clark, DE/DT
The 6-4, 300-pound junior hasn’t had as big of a season as many expected, but he has come on strong as of late, particularly against the run, where he shows excellent power at the point of attack with the ability to anchor and split doubles.
9. Jonathan Ledbetter, DE/DT
He’ll probably be forced inside at the next level due to pass rush limitations, but he has shown the ability to play both inside and out in a pinch. He shows a powerful base and strong hands and does a nice job shedding off blocks.
8. Mecole Hardman, WR
He struggles getting separation against press and is raw as a route runner, but this kid can absolutely fly. He has truly elite speed to take the top off a secondary and has premier lateral quickness and agility, with special change of direction skills.
7. Elijah Holyfield, RB
The son of the legendary boxer has become a name of his own this year, and he is second on the team with 896 yards and 7 touchdowns. He has a powerful, compact frame, runs with a low center of gravity and has shown impressive burst through the hole.
6. Isaac Nauta, TE
After disappearing last year, the 6-4, 240-pound junior has bounced back with 25 receptions for 346 yards and 2 touchdowns, providing quarterback Jake Fromm with a reliable receiving threat down the seams and across the middle. He’s a good athlete with above-average speed who has also really developed as a blocker.
5. J.R. Reed, S
He’s savvy and reliable in coverage, showing good instincts with the ability to click and close, and has been a very consistent tackler, using great technique and angles.
4. Lamont Gaillard, C
The grizzled senior has been a rock in the middle of the Dawgs’ offensive line the past few years, providing excellent leadership and helping identify fronts, stunts and blitz packages for his young quarterbacks. The smart and savvy veteran plays with great leverage, technique and angles.
3. Riley Ridley, WR
The 6-2, 200-pound junior has been the most consistent receiver on the team this year, showing soft hands with the ability to reliably catch the ball away from his body. He does a great job sinking his hips and bursting out of breaks, and he has improved his ability to read and adapt to coverages to find soft spots.
2. D’Andre Walker, Edge
The 6-3, 245-pounder has been the most consistent pass rusher on the team the past two years, racking up 12 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss and forcing 4 fumbles. He’s explosive off the edge, showing impressive anticipation, and can dip underneath. He’s still developing a reliable counter move and hand use, but the natural speed and athleticism are there.
1. Deandre Baker, CB
He’s arguably the best cover corner in the country, showing outstanding stickiness to receivers’ inside hips. He can play press, off or zone at a high level, and he has shown both physicality and recovery speed to go with quick feet and fluid hips. He’s smooth in transition and tough against the run.
Alabama
10. Ross Pierschbacher, C
He’s not the biggest, strongest or most athletic lineman for the Tide, but he does all the little things well and is a great leader up front who can make calls for the line. He’s a sound technician who plays with leverage and can move well laterally.
9. Anfernee Jennings, Edge
He has generally been known for his pass rush ability, but he has made a lot of strides in coverage this year. He doesn’t have ideal length at 6-2, 265, but is powerful at the point of attack and has been developing an effective inside counter move.
8. Damien Harris, RB
The underrated Harris is closing in on 3,000 career rushing yards on just 444 carries (6.6 yards per carry), meaning there’s still plenty of tread left on the tires for the next level. With power, patience, vision, balance and burst, Harris is a complete back.
7. Irv Smith, TE
Smith is one of the many who have significantly benefitted from the play of Tua Tagovailoa, and he has been one of the best tight ends in the country this fall, catching 35 passes for 613 yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s an excellent athlete who thrives on third downs, the sidelines and in the red zone.
6. Mack Wilson, LB
The 6-2, 240-pound junior represents the modern-era linebacker with his skill set: fast, athletic, rangy and excellent in coverage. He’s still coming along in terms of getting off blocks against the inside run game, but he has shown progress as the season has gone on.
5. Isaiah Buggs, DE
For some reason, he’s always flying under the radar behind other defensive linemen, both last year and this year. He is currently enjoying an All-American-caliber season with a team-leading 9.5 sacks. He’s underrated as a pass rusher and is outstanding against the run.
4. Jonah Williams, OT
He has been as steady as the day is long the past three years for the Tide, consistently providing quality pass protection and generating a push in the run game. He’s not overpoweringly big or strong but has quick feet and lateral mobility. He could be the first OT off the board next spring.
3. Raekwon Davis, DE/DT
He’s as physically gifted as any in the ’19 draft class at 6-7, 315 pounds with terrific power, burst and lateral quickness. He’s very strong against the run and has the ability to be a plus pass rusher, though he needs to be far more consistent.
2. Deionte Thompson, S
He took the mantle as the face of the new defensive backfield this year and has enjoyed a stellar season, producing 62 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and 2 INTs. He’s a rangy ball hawk in coverage who can click and close in a hurry, breaking on the ball and consistently making plays. He’s excellent in coverage while also showing an ability to come up and play the run.
1. Quinnen Williams, DT
He has gone from relative unknown to a potential top-10 pick in less than three months – that’s how good his play has been, tallying 16 TFLs and 7 sacks. He has shown an ideal combination of speed, quickness and power, with the ability to consistently penetrate backfields to disrupt rushing lanes and pressure opposing quarterbacks, and he displays rare hand use ability to stack and shed blockers.
Rick Stavig, who played at Ole Miss and Shippensburg University, is the owner of SE Scouting. A veteran scout, he specializes in the NFL Draft and recruiting coverage.
