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After every weekend of games, you always hear about the performances of stars like Leonard Fournette and Myles Garrett. But there are also the performances you don’t hear as much about, coming from some under-the-radar SEC players — the sleepers.
Who were the best of the Saturday Sleepers from Week 8? Take a look.
EVAN ENGRAM, OLE MISS
Entering this season, it would have been crazy to think Engram would end up on any sleepers list. But the Rebels tight end woke up out of a slumber that he’s been in all season by catching his first touchdown of the year in Ole Miss’ 23-3 win over Texas A&M. Engram finished the game with 35 receiving yards and tied his season-high with 4 receptions.
DARRION HUTCHERSON, MISSISSIPPI STATE
Hutcherson falls pretty far down the line when it comes to the receiving options Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott has to work with. But in Mississippi State’s 42-16 blowout of Kentucky, the senior tight end had his best game this season with 3 receptions for 40 yards and his first touchdown of the year. Hutcherson’s touchdown came in the third quarter with the Bulldogs already leading, but he turned their 12-point lead into an insurmountable 19-point lead.
RYAN ANDERSON, ALABAMA
With all of the talent on Alabama’s defense, Anderson can sometimes get overlooked. But he came up with perhaps the Crimson Tide’s biggest play this week against Tennessee to help Alabama secure the 19-14 win. Anderson picked up his second sack of the season when he hit Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs in the fourth quarter, forcing a fumble that the Crimson Tide would recover. Anderson now has sacks in back-to-back weeks.
JEREMY SPRINKLE, ARKANSAS
I know what you’re thinking. How could anyone sleep on a guy with the last name Sprinkle? Well, the seldom-used Razorbacks junior tight end made himself known in Arkansas’ 54-46 quadruple-overtime win over Auburn. Not only did Sprinkle catch his first touchdown of the season to give the Razorbacks a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, but he also caught the 2-point conversion after Arkansas’ touchdown in the third overtime.
TERRY BECKNER JR., MISSOURI
Beckner is just a freshman but he is really starting to heat up this season. In a 10-3 nail-biter with Vanderbilt, Beckner recorded a sack for the third straight game. The former five-star recruit finished the game with a season-high 7 tackles. The future certainly looks bright for the 6-foot-4, 300-pounder on the Tigers defensive line.
Pat Donohue is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter @SportsDownPat.
