SEC Football: Sophomore Slump Contenders

Every year SEC football has standout freshmen football players, and some excel while others disappoint. The same can be said for freshmen entering their sophomore seasons, so what players could possibly decline this year from their freshman season?

We all know SEC football is home to loads of top recruits and talent, and that means the loss of playing time for some players. With the college game being so competitive, you always have someone barking at your playtime — even if you are a starter. Even with all that said, some players who don’t lose playtime will still see a production regression in their Sophomore season. When it comes to SEC football, who are some Sophomore Slump contenders?

Antonio Callaway – WR – Florida

Callaway wasn’t the most sought after recruit coming out of high school, but garnered immediate playing time as a freshman. He seized the opportunity and really had a spectacular season with the Gators even — with their QB struggles. The wideout from Booker T. Washington High School was even more deadly returning kicks, where he racked up another 2 TDs and 400+ yards. The reason I think his stats could take a hit this season is Florida’s receiving core is much better than last year. The Gators will be seeing an improved Chris Thompson and Brandon Powell, as well as stud incoming freshmen Tyrie Cleveland and Freddie Swain. So he himself might not perform worse, but his stats could take a dip. And let’s be honest, the wide receiver position is dependent on the quarterback. Like many SEC football teams, Florida isn’t 100% certain who will be taking snaps all fall.

Minkah Fitzpatrick – DB – Alabama

Fitzpatrick is one of those players that I really enjoy watching. Minkah went to a rival high school school of mine where I saw him light us up twice in once season. The former 5-Star DB had an excellent freshman campaign with the Tide but showed some signs of struggling against physical, smaller wideouts — especially in the championship game. Like always, Bama has a super strong class coming in and some solid DBs coming off a redshirt season. Unless some things have changed about Fitzpatrick’s game, I think it will be hard for him to translate this season to a true #1 corner. Just like in all of the college game, physical, smaller wideout are becoming more common in SEC football.

Kahlil McKenzie – DT – Tennessee

McKenzie didn’t have that great of a freshman campaign in the first place, but I feel as if it will only get worse for the former 5-Star recruit. He struggled vastly last season in all aspects of the game and I think the Vols recognized that. McKenzie could lose snaps this season based on his performance prior where he suffered.

In 13 games last season, McKenzie notched only 1 sack and 24 tackles. Incoming talent like #1 JUCO recruit Jonathan Kongbo will also give McKenzie a run for his money with playing time come camp. That incoming talent, combined with a lack lustered freshman campaign, could cause Kahlil to see a loss of playing time. With the possible loss of time on the field, I expect someone of his former stature to also become increasingly frustrated. Unfortunately for McKenzie and the Vols (who are trying to regain relevance in SEC football), Kahlil looks like a former 5-Star that will just fade away.

must read: Can Ole Miss Reach Double Digit Wins?

Of course I hope none of these kids slip up and hope all of them excel this season. These were just players I think have a chance to stagnate or regress this season based on the situation around them. Keep an eye out for ‘Sophomore Season Breakout Contenders’ as my next article.

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