The battle for SEC East supremacy appears to be a three-way contest heading in to 2016 with the defending champion Florida Gator looking to hold off the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the top. Football is a team game but we identified three star players that could make the biggest difference in deciding which team comes out on top in the division along with a dark horse pick to emerge as the most valuable player in the division. Here is a look at the four best preseason candidates to win SEC East MVP.
QB: Joshua Dobbs
Tennessee Volunteers
One of the biggest reasons why the Vols are being talked about as a favorite to win the SEC East and contend for a conference championship in 2016 is the presence of their star quarterback in Dobbs. The 6’3’’, 210-pound senior threw for 2,291 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago while rushing for another 671 yards and 11 scores. Tennessee is hoping that another year of experience and development will help him take his play to another level in 2016. Head coach Butch Jones has been slowly building the Vols into a contender and we saw many times last year that they were just on the cusp. Part of that was Dobbs, who was almost elite but not quite there. The expectation is that he makes that jump this time around. His performance will be among the biggest keys to their success this coming season.
RB: Nick Chubb
Georgia Bulldogs
One of the most interesting storylines to keep an eye on in the SEC East heading in to this season will be the play of Georgia’s star running back Chubb. People want to see whether or not he can find that extra gear that made him an elite rusher before he suffered a devastating knee injury in 2015. Chubb was one of the best backs in the country as a freshman in 2014 when he ran for 1,547 yards and 14 touchdowns and he was on pace to top those numbers with at least 120 rushing yards in five straight games as a sophomore before he was injured. Early on last season, it was a weekly competition between him and LSU’s Leonard Fournette to see who will finish with more rushing yards.
The expectation is that Chubb will be at full strength after making a full recovery this offseason and if he can regain his explosiveness, he could be the key to the Bulldogs contending for an SEC title in 2016. He should also be surrounded by a better team this time around with renewed optimism thanks to the hiring of head coach Kirby Smart and highly-touted record Jacob Eason lining up under center.
CB: Jalen Tabor
Florida Gators
An All-SEC selection in 2015, Tabor will look to remain a shutdown cornerback for the Gators when they begin their SEC East title defense in September. While Florida has had plenty of issues at the offensive side over the last decade, their defense has continued to be steady.
Tabor’s excellent cover skills were on full display a year ago when he made a team-high four interceptions and he has the potential to be even better with another year of experience in the Florida defense. The Gators return six starters on that side of the ball in 2016 and Tabor could be the most valuable among them following the departure of another All-American cornerback in Vernon Hargreaves III.
RB: Ralph Webb
Vanderbilt Commodores
The Commodores have a glimmer of hope for improvement with 12 returning starters and some intriguing incoming talent. No player will be more important than their leading rusher Webb. The junior tailback is coming off a season in which he ran for 1,152 yards and five touchdowns and his speed will once again be among the most important factors when it comes to the Vanderbilt offense playing to its potential. He’s basically their best chance at getting the job done on offense any given week.
The Commodores won’t contend for an SEC East title in 2016 but they could show measurable improvement if Webb can exceed expectations as their most valuable player.
