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Some of the SEC’s best football players in 2017 have also been some of the best citizens on their campuses.
A couple of on-field All-Americans dot the list of players (and one coach) who should be on Santa Claus’ nice list this Christmas. Many young men could have made this list, but these 14 individuals exemplify the term “student-athlete” and are stand-up members of their college communities:
Alabama: CB Minkah Fitzpatrick
The two-time consensus All-American on the field was also named to the SEC’s Community Service Team after spending spring break on a Fellowship of Christian Athletes relief mission to Costa Rica. He was also named to the Good Works Team by the American Football Coaches Association. Last season Fitzpatrick, a consensus first-round prospect in NFL mock drafts if he turns pro, had six interceptions. This season he has one pick, as opposing teams have not thrown his way often, and this month he won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player (by the Maxwell Football Club) and the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back.
Arkansas: C Frank Ragnow
Another member of the SEC’s Community Service Team, Ragnow has volunteered at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter and spent time with Special Olympics participants, among other community activities. The senior was named a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy (more on that award later) and a Senior Class Award candidate as well. Ragnow was also named first-team All-American by CBS despite the Razorbacks’ struggles this season.
Auburn: Assistant coach Kevin Steele
The Tigers’ defensive coordinator was named a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award, which goes to the nation’s top assistant. He has been in coaching for 37 years, 12 of them in various roles at SEC programs. Steele’s squad ranks 10th in the nation in scoring defense this season at 17.3 points allowed per game and is giving up 317.3 yards a game, good for 15th place. His players are full of praise on social media for their defensive coordinator.
Florida: P Johnny Townsend
Not only is he one of the nation’s best punters, but Townsend also is a three-time All-Academic selection. He was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s top scholar-athletes as awarded by the National Football Foundation. Townsend worked with 10 community service organizations and volunteered at the Kohl’s Kicking Camp over the summer. And he led the SEC in average at 47.5 yards per punt this season, ranking second in the nation.
Georgia: DB Aaron Davis
The Bulldogs named Davis their Community Service Award winner at this year’s team gala. Davis, also a member of the SEC service team, is a spokesman for No More, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault. The senior has started all 13 games this season and has 40 tackles, fourth on the team, to go with 2.5 tackles for a loss, an interception and a sack.
Kentucky: LB Courtney Love
The senior was named this season’s recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy, an award named after former Florida Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel. The Wuerffel Trophy annually bestows the national honor to the college football player who “best exemplifies community service.” Love graduated in May with a degree in community and leadership development. This season the Nebraska transfer has 82 tackles for the Wildcats, plus a sack and two fumble recoveries.
LSU: QB Danny Etling
The senior was named the conference’s Scholar-Athlete of the year for football. He graduated in May with a degree in mass communications (and a 3.72 grade point average) and is working on a Master’s degree. The Purdue transfer also has worked at the Manning Passing Academy and was named vice chair of the SEC Football Leadership Council. Etling also has thrown for 2,234 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions this season heading into LSU’s Citrus Bowl meeting with Notre Dame.
Mississippi State: DB Tolando Cleveland
The Bulldogs defensive back is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member. He sat out in 2016, which would have been his senior season, after tearing his left ACL in preseason camp. Cleveland has 16 tackles this season, including a season-high four against Georgia, heading into MSU’s TaxSlayer Bowl trip against Louisville.
Missouri: DB Anthony Hines
The junior defensive back hasn’t played much in three seasons in Columbia but he has still made an impact, joining Mizzou’s Tiger Leadership Institute and visiting a local elementary school to mentor kids. The senior has four total tackles this season.
Ole Miss: RB Jordan Wilkins
The senior fought off injuries to gain 1,000 yards this season and was quick to share credit for his success. Wilkins missed last season because he was academically ineligible. But this season, after sending out an impassioned plea for fans to support the team when the Rebels’ NCAA bowl ban was announced, Wilkins was sixth in the SEC with 1,011 yards rushing and scored nine touchdowns.
South Carolina: OL Cory Helms
The William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist, a transfer from Wake Forest, made the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll last season. Helms also accepted an invitation to play in this season’s East-West Shrine Game, Jan. 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Tennessee: DB Todd Kelly Jr.
The William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist has had eight career interceptions with the Volunteers but missed most of this season with a knee injury. He seems intent on seeking a medical waiver and returning to the team for a fifth season in 2018. Kelly was also on the preseason Wuerffel Trophy watch list and was nominated for the AFCA Good Works team.
Texas A&M: LB Cullen Gillaspia
The junior has worn the No. 12 special teams jersey, an iconic honor in Aggies lore, and earned a place on the SEC Academic Honor Roll as well. Gillaspia has 17 career tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two kick blocks. He was voted special teams captain and is noted around the program for his high motor.
Vanderbilt: K Tommy Openshaw
He was named to the league’s Community Service Team and was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy as well as being a Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist. He is also a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and has gone on mission trips to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and St. Lucia. Openshaw, a senior, converted all but one of his 111 career PATs and has hit 67.9 percent (38-of-56) of his field goals for the Commodores.
Longtime newspaper veteran Jim Tomlin is a copy editor and writer with SaturdayDownSouth.com.
