SEC well represented on list of college football's best players

By foxsports
Published

Who are the best players in college football? That's a question that could generate debate for days, but according to an ESPN poll of writers, editors and analysts, there are four SEC players among the top 10.

The No. 1 spot in the poll (unsurprisingly) went to Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa, with teammate and running back Ezekiel Elliott and Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright tied for second.

But after that, it was an SEC-heavy list. Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, a returning All-American, a two-time All-SEC selection and an expected first-round pick if he opts to leave school after his junior year, came in at No. 4 as the highest-rated defensive back.

Shortly behind Hargreaves, at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, were the SEC's two uber-talented sophomore running backs, Georgia's Nick Chubb and LSU's Leonard Fournette. Despite getting only a handful of carries in the Bulldogs' first four games last year, Chubb took over the starting job by midseason and finished with a remarkable 1,547 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns. Fournette, meanwhile, was the No. 1 overall recruit in last year's class and flashed his immense talent, finishing with 1,034 yards and 10 TDs (with his two highest-yardage-total games coming in the Tigers' final two games of the season). 

Finally, coming in at No. 9 on the list was Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the only offensive lineman among the top 10. Tunsil, a junior, has been talked about as a possible No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft whenever he leaves school and is a consensus first-team preseason All-American. He is recovering from a broken leg suffered in the Rebels' bowl game and was arrested this summer following a domestic dispute involving his mother and stepfather, but he is expected to be on the field at the start of the season.

The remainder of the top 10 featured TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin at No. 5, Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun at No. 8 and Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey at No. 10.

(h/t ESPN)