College Football - Top 5 Players Post-1980 - SEC Edition

Alabama Crimson Tide

1. Derrick Thomas, LB
2. Cornelius Bennett, LB
3. Mark Ingram, RB
4. Antonio Langham, CB
5. Bobby Humphrey, RB

Thomas and Bennett were dominant linebackers in the 80's, with the sack-monster Thomas earning the top spot.  A Heisman is good enough to place Ingram 3rd on my list over ballhawk Langham and Humphrey.

 

Auburn Tigers

1. Bo Jackson, RB
2. Carlos Rogers, CB
3. Tracy Rocker, DE
4. Cam Newton, QB
5. Marcus McNeill, OT

Bo knows the #1 spot on my Auburn list after a stellar collegiate career and Heisman trophy with the Tigers.  Newton's one special season is enough to get him in the top 5.

 

Arkansas Razorbacks

1. Billy Ray Smith, LB
2. Darren McFadden, RB
3. Jonathan Luigs, OL
4. Shane Andrews, OL
5. Wayne Martin, DT

The home-run hitting McFadden gets edged out by two-time All-American Smith for the Razorback top gun, followed by some Hogs who did their work in the trenches.

 

LSU Tigers

1. Glenn Dorsey, DT
2. Patrick Peterson, CB
3. Josh Reed, WR
4. Kevin Faulk, RB
5. Wendell Davis, WR

Two signature LSU defenders from their ascension in the 2000's to an elite program top the list, with the dominating Dorsey beating out the shutdown corner and special teams ace Peterson.  Record-setting wideout Reed leads the three offensive players rounding out the list.

 

Florida Gators

1. Tim Tebow, QB
2. Danny Wuerffel, QB
3. Wilber Marshall, LB
4. Emmitt Smith, RB
5. Louis Oliver, S

Tebow is widely renowned as one of the top College Football players of all-time and his gaudy statistics and win totals back it up.  Wuerffel is not far behind in the gaudiness factor.  Unfortunately, Tebow appears to be following Weurffel's non-gaudy NFL footprints.  It's amazing when Smith can only crack the list at #4.

 

Tennessee Volunteers

1. Peyton Manning, QB
2. Reggie White, DE
3. Eric Berry, S
4. John Henderson, DE
5. Dale Carter, CB

Despite failing to win a Heisman and struggling against Florida, Manning had a superb college career and beats out White, who foreshadowed his later success as a man amongst boys at Tennessee in the early 1980's.  Defense is the theme as a trio of All-Americans garner spots 3 thru 5.

 

Georgia Bulldogs

1. Herschel Walker, RB
2. David Pollack, LB
3. Champ Bailey, CB
4. Matt Stinchcomb, OT
5. Terry Hoage, S

Walker is an easy choice here, with a Heisman trophy, three 1600-yd seasons, a freshman rushing record at the time and a National Title.  Pollack was an unstoppable pass-rusher and edges out the do-everything Bailey for the runner-up spot.

South Carolina Gamecocks

1. Sterling Sharpe, WR
2. Kalimba Edwards, LB
3. Alshon Jeffrey, WR
4. Ko Simpson, DB
5. Marcus Lattimore, RB

Sharpe gets my vote as the most recognizable Gamecock of the past 30 years and the only one to have his number retired while still in school.  Interestingly, the two current offensive stars, Jeffrey and Lattimore, make the list as potentially the two most talented offensive players in Gamecock history.

Mississippi State Tigers

1. Fred Smoot, CB
2. Anthony Dixon, RB
3. Walt Harris, CB
4. Derek Sherrod, OT
5. Jerrious Norwood, RB

Apparently Mississippi State churns out corners and running backs, with Smoot standing above the rest.  Dixon is the career leader in most rushing categories over Norwood who rounded out the list.

Ole Miss Rebels

1. Patrick Willis, LB
2. Eli Manning, QB
3. Everett Lindsay, OL
4. Deuce McAllister, RB
5. Michael Oher, OT

While I don't recall much team success, the Rebels have quite an impressive top 5, led by tackling machine Willis who was also a two-time All-American at Ole Miss.  Unlike his brother, the younger Manning can only place 2nd on his team's list.  Maybe Eli will get that second Super Bowl someday and trump his brother in something.  Two extremely talented offensive lineman sandwich the explosive McAllister for the final spots on the Rebel list.

Vanderbilt Commodores

1. Earl Bennett, WR
2. Jamie Duncan, LB
3. Jay Cutler, QB
4. Chuck Scott, TE
5. D.J. Moore, CB

Although most fans probably think of Cutler, it was Bennett who left school as the SEC's all-time leading receiver and earns #1 on the Commodores list.  Duncan was a dominating All-American linebacker, while Cutler stands as the most prolific passer in Vandy history.

 

Kentucky Wildcats

1. Randall Cobb
2. Craig Yeast
3. Tim Couch
4. Derek Abney
5. Paul Calhoun

Kentucky is the place for all-purpose wide receivers, with Cobb and Yeast being the best of the lot.  Cobb gets the #1 spot as Kentucky's all-time leader in TD's with 37 and 4th in all-purpose yards, despite playing only 3 seasons.  Yeast is the all-time leading receiver and 5th all-time in all-purpose yards, while Abney is the all-time all-purpose yardage leader in Kentucky history.  Couch is behind Jared Lorenzen and Andre Woodson on the all-time passing lists, but had the two far superior seasons over his successors.