The NFL Draft is just days away. While some of college football’s top prospects will learn which city will be their new homes, there’s still plenty of returning players who should have similar fates down the road.
The SEC is loaded with some of the nation’s best returning players. Here’s a look at five of them who should demand attention from NFL teams in future drafts.
Leonard Fournette, LSU
No surprise here. Fournette was one of the nation’s best players throughout his sophomore campaign. Had it not been for a lackluster performance against Alabama — which coincided with Derrick Henry rushing for 210 yards and three touchdowns — he would have remained a favorite for the Heisman Trophy.
Fournette led the SEC with 162.75 rushing yards per game, which edged Henry’s 147.93. He was also just 67 yards shy of breaking 2,000, despite LSU only playing 11 regular season games.
Fournette entered his college career as the nation’s consensus top prospect. He has the size and speed to excel at the professional level and should put together another strong campaign in 2016 before likely declaring for next year’s draft.
Calvin Ridley, Alabama
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Icon Sportswire)
Alabama needed to replace the nation’s best receiver after Amari Cooper declared for last year’s draft. Calvin Ridley filled that void about as well as you could expect a true freshman to in 2015.
Ridley led the Tide with 1,045 yards (second in the SEC) and seven touchdowns on a conference-best 89 receptions. He averaged 81.1 yards per game, which trailed only Ole Miss’ Laquon Treadwell’s SEC leading 88.7.
What’s scary is that Ridley should be even better with an added year of experience. The rising sophomore should continue to carve a niche as one of the SEC’s best receivers for the defending national champions.
Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
(Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire)
Christian Kirk found similar success to Ridley in his first season. He finished third among SEC wide receivers with 1,009 yards, fourth with 80 receptions and tied for fifth with seven touchdowns.
But Kirk did all of this on a Texas A&M team loaded with talent at wide receiver, which makes his season even more impressive. Kirk was one of three former 5-star prospects — Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil — and outproduced Josh Reynolds, who led the Aggies with 842 yards in 2014.
Like Ridley, Kirk should continue his development in his second season and continue to give opposing defensive backs fits, while earning some serious draft buzz heading into his junior season.
Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
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Like Fournette, Myles Garrett began his college career facing lofty expectations. Garrett ranked as the No. 1 weakside defensive end and No. 2 overall prospect — behind only Fournette — for the 2014 National Signing Class.
He managed to set the SEC freshman sack record (11.5) in his first season and lead the conference in sacks (12.5) during his second. Garrett has the size, strength and speed to be a top pass rushing prospect in next year’s draft should he forego his senior season.
Kahlil McKenzie, Tennessee
(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
Kahlil McKenzie was limited in his first season at Tennessee, but still managed to appear in all 13 games. McKenzie finished with 14 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble, but managed to record a career-best four tackles during Tennessee’s Outback Bowl victory over Northwestern.
The former 5-star prospect should see an expanded role in his second season in Knoxville and prove why he was one of the nation’s top incoming freshmen last offseason.
As the son of former NFL linebacker and current Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie, the 6-foot-3, 344-pound tackle has both the size and pedigree to get the attention of pro scouts and should see a breakout season in 2016.
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