The strength of the SEC West is the biggest reason why the SEC East hasn’t won a conference championship since 2008. Despite some considerable talent the top schools from the East, they have not been able to get the job done against Alabama, Auburn and LSU.
However, even with the division’s inability to win an SEC championship, the East still has produced some considerable NFL talent – including most notably 13 first round picks from Florida since 2007.
Here is a look at five NFL prospects from the SEC East worth keeping an eye on heading in to the 2015 college football season.
Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida Gators
Cornerback
“VHIII” is a potential lockdown cornerback that has the speed and athleticism to match up with wide receivers in man coverage. He isn’t necessarily a big hitter but he has incredible instincts that help him thrive when matched up against top receivers.
One thing scouts will love to see is his level of confidence. He openly stated that he’s the best cornerback in the country and a lot of experts agree. If he backs it in during the season, VHIII will be the first SEC cornerback off the board at the 2016 NFL Draft.
Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia Bulldogs
Wide Receiver
Mitchell is an explosive athlete that has elite ball skills but he has struggled to stay healthy over the past couple of seasons. He needs to prove that he can play at a high level and stay on the field in order for an NFL team to justify using a top pick on him. Mitchell has the potential to break out this season on a Georgia team that comes in with high expectations.
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A.J. Stamps, Kentucky Wildcats
Free Safety
It will be very interesting to see how Stamps performs in his senior year after making the move to Kentucky as a JUCO transfer last December. Stamps is an outstanding athlete that is able to cover a lot of ground in a short period and his ability to make tackles in the open field is a major asset. Stamps will be tested early and often at Kentucky.
Even though this is a team that should be improved, the reality is that they aren’t among the SEC elite, so they could be playing from behind a lot. If Stamps and the defense can hold up under pressure, he’ll have the potential to be a top pick in 2016.
Kentrell Brothers, Missouri Tigers
Linebacker
Brothers led Missouri in tackles last season and should be able to do that again this year as long as he can stay healthy. He has the potential to have more of an impact getting after the quarterback with more blitzes dialed up for him under new defensive coordinator Barry Odom.
Missouri has been a bit of a factory for top defensive players in the SEC recently as Shane Ray and Michael Sam have taken SEC Player of the Year award the last two seasons. Brothers has elite athleticism and has the potential to continue that trend. His ability to go from sideline to sideline to make plays could make him a first round pick in 2016.
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Marquez North, Tennessee Volunteers
Wide Receiver
North is a 6’4’’ receiver that has shown a penchant for making big plays. His ability to make up for mistakes made by his quarterback and turn them in to outstanding catches has been well documented during his short time at Tennessee.
The good news is that Tennessee’s quarterback play should be improved this season and the team – as a whole – is expected to be much better. If everything falls in place for the Vols as some optimists have projected, North could be a hot commodity come next April.
He’ll have to become more consistent and he might decide to stay for his senior year, but he is definitely worth keeping an eye on as a top prospect from the SEC East.
