Fansided

25 best NFL players of all time from the SEC

By John Buhler

Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) warms up before Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 7, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) warms up before Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) against the Cleveland Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
23

A.J. Green

Wide Receiver, Georgia Bulldogs

Cincinnati Bengals No. 1 wide receiver A.J. Green is the first of a few active NFL players that make this list. While his 2016 NFL season was cut short by injury, he still made it to his sixth straight Pro Bowl in as many seasons. At the rate he’s going, Green will be in Canton before his 50th birthday.

Before starring in the Queen City for the Bengals, Green was a transcendent talent for the Georgia Bulldogs under Mark Richt. The wide receiver had been a major position of disappointment for most of the Richt era, but Green electrified the SEC in about 2.5 years in Athens.

Through six NFL seasons, Green has 481 catches for 7,135 yards and 49 touchdowns. Since he only played in 10 games last season, he missed out on his sixth straight 1,000-yard receiving season by 36 yards, essentially three completions from reliable starting quarterback Andy Dalton.

To ensure that Green will make it to Canton, he will need about 3.5 more years of high production in the Bengals passing game. Helping Cincinnati win its first playoff game this century will only help his NFL legacy. Football rarely has receivers of Green’s caliber. He’s been unbelievable so far for the Bengals. Can’t wait to see what comes next.

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