College Football: SEC’s 10 Toughest Underclassmen to Replace in 2021
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
The Southeastern Conference once again dominated college football’s landscape claiming their second consecutive national championship, fourth in six seasons, with Alabama cleaning house during the regular and postseason. With the door closed on an unusual year, NFL draft eligible players have turned their attention to the professional ranks leaving their collegiate squads left scrambling for a quality replacement.
When the 2019 season closed, 36 underclassmen out of the SEC declared for the draft leading all conferences. Those departing the nation’s top conference this season are lower in volume at 29, but not in quality. From their underclassmen ranks, the SEC is losing a Heisman finalist (Mac Jones) and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year (Patrick Surtain II) along with their 2019 Special Teams Player of the Year (Jaylen Waddle) and a 2019 consensus All-American (Ja’Marr Chase) who led the nation in receiving.
Springtime is a new beginning for all college football programs with a fresh look at the upcoming season and a reshaping of the roster. For some SEC teams, replacing those leaving early to the NFL will be easier said than done, but which ones will be the hardest to replace?
CB Patrick Surtain II – Alabama
Appearing in all 13 games during his junior season, Surtain was that lockdown corner that could lineup against the opposition’s best receiver taking away a top playmaker. Not only was Surtain strong with his technique and fast, but also big for a corner listed at 6-2, 202-pounds. On his way to SEC Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-American honors, Surtain compiled 38 tackles with 3.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, and a team-high 12 pass breakups.
WR Ja’Marr Chase – LSU
For some, they may have thought that Ja’Marr Chase was already in the NFL. The nation’s top receiver during the 2019 season opted out of his junior run leaving a void on the LSU roster that was felt. Chase was amazing during his sophomore season pulling down 84 passes for a nation’s best 1,780 yards with 20 touchdowns.
TE Kyle Pitts – Florida
Another early entrant, another first team All-American from the SEC going pro. Pitts led all FBS tight ends with 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns aiding senior quarterback Kyle Pitts to being a Heisman finalist. The big season put forth was accumulated in just eight games due to injury and Pitts forgoing playing in Florida’s bowl game against No. 6 Oklahoma. With Pitts big frame, strength, and uncanny speed, he was a mismatch for defensive backs and linebackers.
LB Nick Bolton – Missouri
Finishing in the Top 20 nationally in total tackles, Nick Bolton earned first team All-SEC honors in 2020. The compact linebacker out of Frisco, Texas, neared the 100-tackle plateau during the 10-game schedule with 95 stops, 53 solo, adding two sacks and a fumble recovery.
QB Mac Jones – Alabama
Most teams would be need years to replace a generational kind of player like Tua Tagovailoa, but Mac Jones made it look easy. Tagovailoa led the SEC in passing yards during the 2018 season and was on pace to contend again in 2019 before an injury sidelined him. Jones picked up the mantle in Tuscaloosa during his junior campaign leading the nation in passing yards (4,500), completion percentage (77.4), and QB Rating (203.1) while finishing second in TD passes (41) earning first team All-American honors.
DL Bobby Brown III – Texas A&M
How does a team replace a 6-4, 325-pound, defensive pillar in the trenches? The Aggies are going to have to find a way after Bobby Brown III declared. The 2020 SEC All-Conference selection did it all for A&M from eating up linemen to producing the big plays. In nine games played, Brown tallied 22 tackles, with 7.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. With Brown occupying linemen and running backs, A&M had the second-best rush defense in the nation (92.0 ypg).
WR Elijah Moore – Ole Miss
If it weren’t for Alabama and LSU receivers, Ole Miss target Elijah Moore might be a household name in SEC Land. Moore earned first team All-SEC honors in 2020 after bringing down 86 passes for 1,193 yards with eight scores. Even in the shortened season, with a tougher schedule, Moore pushed beyond a great sophomore run when he secured 67 passes for 850 yards with six scores.
CB Jaycee Horn – South Carolina
During a frustrating 2-8 season seeing the opposition post an average of 36 points per game on the board, Jaycee Horn was a positive standout for the Gamecocks. Playing in seven games, Horn eared second team All-Conference finishing with 16 tackles, one tackle for a loss, six pass defenses, and two picks coming against Auburn.
DT Jordan Davis – Georgia
At 6-6 330-pounds, Jordan Davis was one of those first-off-the-bus guys for the Bulldogs. Anchoring the nation’s best run defense, only allowing 72.30 yards per game, Davis earned second team All-Conference honors. Not a stat monster in Georgia’s scheme, Davis had 16 tackles, a sack, a tackle for a loss, and four quarterback hurries in 2020, but he was a clog occupying linemen allowing the Bulldogs’ athletic linebackers to make plays.
WR Terrace Marshall Jr. – LSU
Technically the guy who replaced Ja’Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall Jr. was on his way to challenging for the conference lead in all major receiving categories but played in just seven games opting out after a 20-7 loss to Texas A&M. Marshall scored in five different games four times catching two or more touchdown passes. His season-high came against Missouri snagging 11 for 235 yards with a season’s best three trips into the end zone.
Photo credit: Gators Wire; Florida TE Kyle Pitts celebrates a TD vs. Vanderbilt