2. Defensive tackles, defensive tackles, defensive tackles
Everyone has a quarterback, and if a team doesn’t have one, it’ll get a statistical star in the transfer portal.
Offensive tackles are tough finds, and every team is looking for a killer pass rusher, but the difference between the great teams and the truly elite is always in the defensive interior.
Why is the SEC so much better than every other conference?
Defensive tackles, defensive tackles, defensive tackles.
It’s not just about having a few good ones. It’s about creating the rotation of big guys who can move in the middle of a defensive front, or pulling an Alabama and running a 3-4 with ends the size of a house.
[lawrence-related id=507369]
Clemson might be known for Trevor and Deshaun and all the flash, but the rise to the penthouse of college football came partly by having the lines to make everything else work. Clemson and Ohio State always have the defensive tackles. The SEC seems to take the rest.
Look at this year’s draft. TCU’s Ross Blacklock and Oklahoma’s Neville Gallimore will go early, but most of the top defensive tackles are from the SEC: South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw, Auburn’s Derrick Brown, Texas A&M’s Justin Madubuike, Missouri’s Jordan Elliott, Alabama’s Raekwon Davis and LSU’s Rashard Lawrence.
Okay, some will be used as ends, but they’re all 300+ pounds, and they’re all built for the inside.
Who got the star defensive tackles this recruiting season? Clemson went Clemson with Bryan Bresee and Demonte Capehart, but it’s almost all SEC.
South Carolina finally landed the plane with Jordan Burch, Georgia got Jalen Carter, Florida signed Gervon Dexter, Kentucky scored with Justin Rogers and Josaih Hayes, Alabama signed Timothy Smith, LSU got Jaquelin Roy and Jacobian Guillory, Auburn signed Jay Hardy, Tennessee signed Omari Thomas, and …
These are just names to most college football fans, but depending on which recruiting service you like, as many as 25 of the top 30 defensive tackles are going to the SEC – and Clemson got 2-to-3 of the others.
The next time someone wants to argue with you about which college football conference is the best, in terms of talent-level, this is a main reason why.
NEXT: If you hate the status quo, you’re not going to be happy