SEC Football: 2016 Sophomore Breakout Contenders
Every year you hope to see improvement, whether you are the player, the coach, or the team. The SEC is filled with talent, so sometimes it’s difficult for a freshman to come in and standout. What SEC Football freshmen could breakout this season?
Whether a incoming freshman receives little or a lot of playing time when they are competing with the big guns in college football, it may be hard to excel as a freshman. The most important thing as a player is to get better and improve, and I’m sure most would agree. SEC Football is almost here, so what players are gearing up to make their sophomore season the one that puts them on NFL scouts radars?
Arden Key – LSU – DL
Arden Key is what you call a freak — even by SEC football standards. He stands at 6-6 and weighs 231 while being able to move like a DB. The kid racked up 38 total tackles and 4 sacks in his freshman campaign with the Tigers last season. LSU is also bolstering their defensive line this season by adding 5-Star DT Rashard Lawrence.
If Lawrence can have half the freshman season Key had, it will allow Key to dominate in his sophomore campaign. With opposing offensive lines having to block both studs, more holes and gaps will opponent up for Key.
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Jordan Cronkrite – Florida – RB
This player definitely comes as a surprise to most to be on this list. Cronk not starting last year gives me all the more reason for me to think he will breakout this season. Jordan only had a little over 200 yards last season, but that was behind now NFL running back Kelvin Taylor. Florida is bringing #1 JUCO RB recruit Mark Thompson, but that just aids my thinking behind this once again. With Thompson bullying defenses with his size, I think Cronk will be able to come in and clean up on worn-down defenses.
Jordan can also come out of the backfield effectively. With the Gators now having an actual QB at the helm now, I’m sure Coach Mac will get him into some space. I expect a good season out of all 3 of the Gator RBs, but Cronk looks like something special. Cronkrite will also try and help Florida maintain the SEC East title.
Trent Thompson – Georgia – DL
Thompson is another one like Key who can benefit from his team’s incoming recruiting class. It’s rare to have a freshman beast in SEC football, but not when you recruit like Georgia. Incoming defensive lineman Julian Rochester is another player like Thompson who might be able to make some noise his freshman season.
Thompson also has a new defensive minded coach in Kirby Smart. Trent only had .5 of a sack last season but racked up 25 tackles. It would come to no surprise to me if Trent finishes off the season with 35-45 tackles and 4-5 sacks. Rochester and Smart should help Thompson improve both on the field and with his football IQ.
must read: SEC Football: Sophomore Slump Contenders
I hope all these kids succeed and help their teams win football games this year — just not against the Gators. Want to know some Sophomores who could enter a slump this season? Well, read my prior article by clicking on the link above. I hope you guys are ready for another exciting SEC Football season!