CFN unit rankings ....discuss

olemissbydamn · Aug 6, 2008

http://cfn.scout.com/2/774926.html

Offenses
1. Florida
There are a lot of health concerns, but if and when everyone is 100%, this will be one college football's most devastating attacks. It all starts with Heisman winner Tim Tebow, who likely won't put up the stats he cranked out last year but could be a better passer as the coaching staff looks to keep its star fresh by limiting his workload. There will be more of a quarterback rotation and far more help from a four-headed monster at running back led by Kestahn Moore and USC transfer Emmanuel Moody to go along with speedsters Chris Rainey and Brandon James. Percy Harvin is one of the nation's most devastating playmakers, while the rest of the receiving corps should be unstoppable. The key will be a line with two very good, but very banged up seniors, Phil Trautwein and Jim Tartt, leading a talented group of underclassmen.

2. Georgia
3. Tennessee
4. LSU
5. Auburn
6. Alabama
7. Arkansas
8. Ole Miss
9. South Carolina
10. Mississippi State
11. Kentucky
12. Vanderbilt

Quarterbacks 
1. Florida
Everything possible will be done to make sure Tim Tebow doesn't carry the ball 210 times again. While he'll still be the fearless runner he always was, the running backs should take away more of the workload and Cam Newton and John Brantley will be in the rotation more often to get some meaningful work in. Yes, there is a drop-off from a Heisman winner to two unproven backups, but the reserves can play. There's a reason they're playing for Florida.

2. Georgia
3. Ole Miss
4. Tennessee
5. Alabama
6. South Carolina
7. LSU
8. Auburn
9. Kentucky
10. Arkansas
11. Vanderbilt
12. Mississippi State

 Running Backs
1. Georgia
There's a slew of great young running back talent to get fired up about, three good fullbacks to use in a variety of situations, and a future top draft pick in Knowshon Moreno. As always, Georgia has more than enough options to fill in the gaps if something goes wrong, and there's no reason the ground game should be anything other than unstoppable no matter who's toting the rock. The only thing missing is a sure-thing No. 2 back with a proven track record, but remember, it's not like Moreno was a proven commodity going into last year.

2. Tennessee
3. Mississippi State
4. LSU
5. Florida
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Arkansas
9. Kentucky
10. Ole Miss
11. South Carolina
12. Vanderbilt

Receivers
1. Florida
From the speed and quickness of Percy Harvin and Deonte Thompson, to the potential of Carl Moore and Riley Cooper, to the steady production of Louis Murphy, to the talented tight end tandem of Aaron Hernandez and Cornelius Ingram, this group has it all. If everyone can stay healthy, this will be a devastating corps of playmakers. There are too many weapons to cover.

2. LSU
3. Tennessee
4. South Carolina
5. Georgia
6. Auburn
7. Ole Miss
8. Alabama
9. Kentucky
10. Arkansas
11. Mississippi State
12. Vanderbilt

Offensive Line
1. LSU
Another year, another great LSU line. With four returning starters and the fifth player, Joseph Barksdale, a good one, the line that allowed a mere 37 sacks in 14 games and was fantastic for the ground game should once again be dominant. The only concern is with the veteran depth, there isn't much, but that's nitpicking. There are more all-stars waiting for their chance to shine. 

2. Tennessee
3. Georgia
4. Arkansas
5. Auburn
6. Alabama
7. Florida
8. Ole Miss
9. South Carolina
10. Mississippi State
11. Kentucky
12. Vanderbilt

Defenses
1. Georgia
Considering last season was supposed to be a problem with no experience and several holes to fill, finishing 14th in the nation in total defense and 18th in scoring D, allowing 323 yards and 20 points per game, showed how quickly the team rebuilds. Now the defense is loaded with former high school all-stars who have grown into great college players. There's depth, options, and the potential for an even better rotation with a loaded defense that'll be dominant at times. The only downside is the lack of a sure-thing pass rushing end, with Marcus Howard gone, but there will be pressure from all four spots up front, led by the tackle pair of Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens, while the linebacking corps will be solid, if not spectacular. The secondary grew into something special by the end of the year, and now it should be terrific led by soon-to-be all-stars CB Asher Allen and FS Reshad Jones.

2. LSU
3. Auburn
4. South Carolina
5. Mississippi State
6. Tennessee
7. Florida
8. Vanderbilt
9. Alabama
10. Kentucky
11. Arkansas
12. Ole Miss

Defensive Lines
1. LSU
Glenn Dorsey might be gone, but if Ricky Jean-Francois is half as good as expected, and Charles Alexander's knee is healthy, the tackles will form a brick wall. Tyson Jackson is in a salary drive at one end, and could make himself into a top ten pick with a double-digit sack season, while Kirston Pittman is a terror on the right side. The second teamers would start at about 100 other places.

2. Georgia
3. Auburn
4. Arkansas
5. Florida
6. Kentucky
7. Ole Miss
8. Mississippi State
9. Alabama
10. Tennessee
11. South Carolina
12. Vanderbilt

Linebackers
1. Georgia
The linebacking corps supposedly needed a year to get ready, and as it turned out, it needed a half a season. Now the corps is ready to be special with a nice starting threesome led by star Dannell Ellerbe to lead a group of young players with fantastic high school résumés. There's speed, athleticism, and big hitting playmakers to burn, and there's even more deeper in the rotation. 

2. Florida
3. South Carolina
4. Auburn
5. LSU
6. Tennessee
7. Mississippi State
8. Alabama
9. Ole Miss
10. Vanderbilt
11. Kentucky
12. Arkansas

Defensive Backs
1. Vanderbilt
Yup, the secondary really should be that good considering all four starters are pro prospects. CB D.J. Moore should start to get recognition as one of the nation's best all-around corners, while Myron Lewis is a big corner who can handle himself well. The safety tandem of Reshard Langford and Ryan Hamilton can hit like a ton of bricks and should be even more effective against the pass. The depth is there at all four spots.

2. Georgia
3. Mississippi State
4. South Carolina
5. Auburn
6. Tennessee
7. LSU
8. Florida
9. Alabama
10. Kentucky
11. Arkansas
12. Ole Miss

Special Teams
1. Florida
The Gators could have the best special teams in the SEC if PK Caleb Sturgis is decent. P Chas Henry is great in his role and return man Brandon James is special. If Sturgis can just hit 75% of his field goals, the kicking situation will be the best it's been in the Urban Meyer era.

2. Georgia
3. Auburn
4. South Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Alabama
7. Arkansas
8. Ole Miss
9. LSU
10. Kentucky
11. Mississippi State
12. Vanderbilt

olemissbydamn · Aug 6, 2008

http://cfn.scout.com/2/774926.html

Offenses
1. Florida
There are a lot of health concerns, but if and when everyone is 100%, this will be one college football's most devastating attacks. It all starts with Heisman winner Tim Tebow, who likely won't put up the stats he cranked out last year but could be a better passer as the coaching staff looks to keep its star fresh by limiting his workload. There will be more of a quarterback rotation and far more help from a four-headed monster at running back led by Kestahn Moore and USC transfer Emmanuel Moody to go along with speedsters Chris Rainey and Brandon James. Percy Harvin is one of the nation's most devastating playmakers, while the rest of the receiving corps should be unstoppable. The key will be a line with two very good, but very banged up seniors, Phil Trautwein and Jim Tartt, leading a talented group of underclassmen.

2. Georgia
3. Tennessee
4. LSU
5. Auburn
6. Alabama
7. Arkansas
8. Ole Miss
9. South Carolina
10. Mississippi State
11. Kentucky
12. Vanderbilt

Quarterbacks 
1. Florida
Everything possible will be done to make sure Tim Tebow doesn't carry the ball 210 times again. While he'll still be the fearless runner he always was, the running backs should take away more of the workload and Cam Newton and John Brantley will be in the rotation more often to get some meaningful work in. Yes, there is a drop-off from a Heisman winner to two unproven backups, but the reserves can play. There's a reason they're playing for Florida.

2. Georgia
3. Ole Miss
4. Tennessee
5. Alabama
6. South Carolina
7. LSU
8. Auburn
9. Kentucky
10. Arkansas
11. Vanderbilt
12. Mississippi State

 Running Backs
1. Georgia
There's a slew of great young running back talent to get fired up about, three good fullbacks to use in a variety of situations, and a future top draft pick in Knowshon Moreno. As always, Georgia has more than enough options to fill in the gaps if something goes wrong, and there's no reason the ground game should be anything other than unstoppable no matter who's toting the rock. The only thing missing is a sure-thing No. 2 back with a proven track record, but remember, it's not like Moreno was a proven commodity going into last year.

2. Tennessee
3. Mississippi State
4. LSU
5. Florida
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Arkansas
9. Kentucky
10. Ole Miss
11. South Carolina
12. Vanderbilt

Receivers
1. Florida
From the speed and quickness of Percy Harvin and Deonte Thompson, to the potential of Carl Moore and Riley Cooper, to the steady production of Louis Murphy, to the talented tight end tandem of Aaron Hernandez and Cornelius Ingram, this group has it all. If everyone can stay healthy, this will be a devastating corps of playmakers. There are too many weapons to cover.

2. LSU
3. Tennessee
4. South Carolina
5. Georgia
6. Auburn
7. Ole Miss
8. Alabama
9. Kentucky
10. Arkansas
11. Mississippi State
12. Vanderbilt

Offensive Line
1. LSU
Another year, another great LSU line. With four returning starters and the fifth player, Joseph Barksdale, a good one, the line that allowed a mere 37 sacks in 14 games and was fantastic for the ground game should once again be dominant. The only concern is with the veteran depth, there isn't much, but that's nitpicking. There are more all-stars waiting for their chance to shine. 

2. Tennessee
3. Georgia
4. Arkansas
5. Auburn
6. Alabama
7. Florida
8. Ole Miss
9. South Carolina
10. Mississippi State
11. Kentucky
12. Vanderbilt

Defenses
1. Georgia
Considering last season was supposed to be a problem with no experience and several holes to fill, finishing 14th in the nation in total defense and 18th in scoring D, allowing 323 yards and 20 points per game, showed how quickly the team rebuilds. Now the defense is loaded with former high school all-stars who have grown into great college players. There's depth, options, and the potential for an even better rotation with a loaded defense that'll be dominant at times. The only downside is the lack of a sure-thing pass rushing end, with Marcus Howard gone, but there will be pressure from all four spots up front, led by the tackle pair of Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens, while the linebacking corps will be solid, if not spectacular. The secondary grew into something special by the end of the year, and now it should be terrific led by soon-to-be all-stars CB Asher Allen and FS Reshad Jones.

2. LSU
3. Auburn
4. South Carolina
5. Mississippi State
6. Tennessee
7. Florida
8. Vanderbilt
9. Alabama
10. Kentucky
11. Arkansas
12. Ole Miss

Defensive Lines
1. LSU
Glenn Dorsey might be gone, but if Ricky Jean-Francois is half as good as expected, and Charles Alexander's knee is healthy, the tackles will form a brick wall. Tyson Jackson is in a salary drive at one end, and could make himself into a top ten pick with a double-digit sack season, while Kirston Pittman is a terror on the right side. The second teamers would start at about 100 other places.

2. Georgia
3. Auburn
4. Arkansas
5. Florida
6. Kentucky
7. Ole Miss
8. Mississippi State
9. Alabama
10. Tennessee
11. South Carolina
12. Vanderbilt

Linebackers
1. Georgia
The linebacking corps supposedly needed a year to get ready, and as it turned out, it needed a half a season. Now the corps is ready to be special with a nice starting threesome led by star Dannell Ellerbe to lead a group of young players with fantastic high school résumés. There's speed, athleticism, and big hitting playmakers to burn, and there's even more deeper in the rotation. 

2. Florida
3. South Carolina
4. Auburn
5. LSU
6. Tennessee
7. Mississippi State
8. Alabama
9. Ole Miss
10. Vanderbilt
11. Kentucky
12. Arkansas

Defensive Backs
1. Vanderbilt
Yup, the secondary really should be that good considering all four starters are pro prospects. CB D.J. Moore should start to get recognition as one of the nation's best all-around corners, while Myron Lewis is a big corner who can handle himself well. The safety tandem of Reshard Langford and Ryan Hamilton can hit like a ton of bricks and should be even more effective against the pass. The depth is there at all four spots.

2. Georgia
3. Mississippi State
4. South Carolina
5. Auburn
6. Tennessee
7. LSU
8. Florida
9. Alabama
10. Kentucky
11. Arkansas
12. Ole Miss

Special Teams
1. Florida
The Gators could have the best special teams in the SEC if PK Caleb Sturgis is decent. P Chas Henry is great in his role and return man Brandon James is special. If Sturgis can just hit 75% of his field goals, the kicking situation will be the best it's been in the Urban Meyer era.

2. Georgia
3. Auburn
4. South Carolina
5. Tennessee
6. Alabama
7. Arkansas
8. Ole Miss
9. LSU
10. Kentucky
11. Mississippi State
12. Vanderbilt

patdog · Aug 6, 2008

Offenses - First thought was Arkansas and Mississippi are too high, then I looked at the teams below them. Man, there's going to be a lot of mediocre to bad offenses in the SEC this year. I still think Arkansas is too high though.

QBs - Mississippi's is too high, at least for now. I do think Snead will be a good QB for them, but no way I'd rate him 3rd in the SEC before he ever takes a snap in the SEC.

RBs - Move LSU to #2. And how the hell do you rank Auburn #6 here? Move them to #3.

Receivers - Mississippi's are overrated and Kentucky's are probably underrated.

O Line - Mississippi's is underrated. They will have one of the better OLs in the SEC. Arkansas is overrated and MSU may be slightly underrated.

Defense - probably about right.

D Line - Mississippi is again underrated.

LB - about right

DB - about right.

Special teams - MSU is underrated. Good kicking game and punt returns. Bad punting and kick returns.

Optimus Prime 4 · Aug 6, 2008

QB probably overrated for now.

patdog · Aug 6, 2008

I do think he will be one of the top 3 QBs in the conference by his junior or senior season. Just not this year.

HD6 · Aug 6, 2008

if these guys would have ranked Kevin Fant above Eli Manning going into 2002.

dogfan96 · Aug 6, 2008

They were 11th in rushing defense last year and allowed just under 5 yards/carry. Hardy is a good pass rushing threat but he's light against the run. And no I'm not counting on much from Powe.

RebelBruiser · Aug 6, 2008

I agree with your assesment. Putting us at No. 3 in QBs is premature, and it's probably too high, even if you are buying the Snead hype. Reason being, we have Billy Tapp and a true freshman backing up Snead. You can't give our QB unit a really high ranking with that depth. I'd also be hesitant to rank Snead that high, even if you're talking about starters, though there are a lot of unproven starters in the SEC this year.

Stafford and Tebow are the class of the league obviously. Past that, you have new starters at UT, SC, Kentucky, Auburn, LSU, and Ole Miss. Half the league is replacing its starter. The other returning starters besides UF and UGA are JPW at Bama, Carroll at MSU, Dick at UPig, and Adams/Nickson at Vandy. JPW is really the best of the rest when you look at it that way.

I'd say MSU is overrated at RB as well. Putting you ahead of LSU is a stretch. I'd put MSU in the Top 6 in the league, but not No. 3.

I also think that ranking our D 12th is underrating us, but I'm a little biased there. I know our D sucked last year, but we return almost everyone of consequence, and we get back one of our best LBs, Cornell, that missed most of the year with an injury.

Optimus Prime 4 · Aug 6, 2008

Plus Tillman is a beast. A large part of our rushing D problems were related to LB's.

dawgatUSM · Aug 6, 2008

Are vanderbilt's DB's really that good?

RebelBruiser · Aug 6, 2008

Exactly, and I believe Jerry played most of last year and the year before with injuries. This should be his first year at 100%.

rebel law · Aug 6, 2008

I agree that Snead is ranked a bit high. But almost every quarterback that he is ranked ahead of has never been an SEC starter either besides Carroll and Wilson.

patdog · Aug 6, 2008

I guess I just have heard so many times they're good on the DL, I believed it. But checking their actual depth chart, you're probably right. I don't expect too much from Powe either. I think he'll be a decent run-stopper for 30 plays or so per game.

saltybulldog · Aug 6, 2008

at No. 3 w/ a career 3.7 ypc. That is just crazy.

Croomp · Aug 6, 2008

I'm not a fan of preseason rankings anymore. The get rid of my optmism about football way too easily.

DiamondReb · Aug 6, 2008

But there are a few poor picks. I don't think Snead is number 3 at least right now but this is a really down year for QB outside of Stafford and Tebow (UK, LSU, OM, Auburn, UT, SC, and Vandy are all starting new QB's this fall). They must be clueless on the DL at least as far as OM is concerned. There are two first round picks on that line. They are at worst 3 and more than likely 2 or 1. The WR's for OM are underrated. They are easily in the top half and probably around 3rd or 4th as a group due to talent and they are real real deep. OM OL is underrated. Again two first round picks on that line. OM will not be the worst team on defense. But probably in the bottom third. As far as I'm concerned until proven otherwise OM has the worst ST in the leauge. See Derrick Pegues. Carrol is way underrated. I would put him around 9. Are they really trying to say that Casey $*%%@$@ Dick is better than Carroll? Please.

Coach34 · Aug 6, 2008

offenses- I'd put Kentucky ahead of us and slide UPig to 9th. They just lost too much talent.

QB's- Snead is too high without taking a snap yet, and Auburn and LSU should be flip-flopped

RB's- no way we are 3rd. I'd put us 7th, and bump the rest up one

WR's- agree with Pat, Kentucky's are underrated

OL- i'd move us to 9th, ahead of SC and Mississippi up as well

Defenses-move Fla down, I'd move Mississippi up a spot or two, and Vandy also.

DL- move Fla down

LB's- move Fla down again, SC up and us up...

DB's- i'd put SC 1st, us 2nd, Georgia 3rd, and then Vandy 4th...

TR.sixpack · Aug 6, 2008

and our OL ranked one or two spots too low, I'd say the rankings are correct. BTW, I don't know jack about OM football, so I won't comment on their rankings.

Henry Kissinger · Aug 6, 2008

Those four guys will not all go first round. I mean argue all you want, but come shove it in my face after the draft. If they make the first round I'll deserve it.

SoxFan343 · Aug 6, 2008

The rest will not.

RebelRichman.nafoom · Aug 6, 2008

[No message]

rebel law · Aug 6, 2008

Oher will go in the first round. Hardy has a good chance at it depending on his year. To say that either Jerry will go in the first round is a huge stretch. Both will probably be drafted on day two.

Henry Kissinger · Aug 6, 2008

I think Hardy and Oher are both borderline first round, but there's no way the other guys are.

TexasDawg11 · Aug 6, 2008

dont believe the hype

CFN unit rankings ....discuss

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