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College football 2019 season preview: Ranking the Top 100 players – SEC dominates

By Nicholas Ian Allen

BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 08: LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (9) celebrates during a game between the LSU Tigers and Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on September 8, 2018. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BATON ROUGE, LA - SEPTEMBER 08: LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (9) celebrates during a game between the LSU Tigers and Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on September 8, 2018. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 21: LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (9) intercepts a pass intended for Ole Miss Bears wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (14) during a football game between the LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Bears at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford Mississippi on October 21, 2017. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 21: LSU Tigers safety Grant Delpit (9) intercepts a pass intended for Ole Miss Bears wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (14) during a football game between the LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Bears at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford Mississippi on October 21, 2017. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Travis Etienne emerged as the go-to running back for the Clemson Tigers as a sophomore in 2018, and after an incredible season in which he ran for 1,658 yards and 24 touchdowns (while averaging an eye-popping 8.13 yards per carry), he’s on the early list of front-runners to win the 2019 Heisman Trophy.

He’s largely underrated nationally, though truthfully, No. 9 might be too low for Miami linebacker Shaq Quarterman. The All-American candidate has 33 career production points already to his credit, which is tied for second among all FBS players, and tied for first among all active defenders. Quarterman has started 39 career games, making him one of the most experienced players in all of college football. Last season, Quarterman was credited with 82 tackles, 14TFLs, six sacks and 16.5 run stuffs, earning All-ACC honors.

Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses led the team with 86 total tackles and was also responsible for 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 10.5 run stuffs in a solid sophomore season. A versatile defender capable of excelling in multiple spots, Moses was a finalist for the Butkus Award in 2018.

Though he has yet to make a start for the Iowa Hawkeyes, junior defensive end A.J. Epenesa is easily one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the nation. In 2018, Epenesa led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks and ranked fourth with 16.5 tackles for loss. He also forced four fumbles. The junior has 23 production points to his credit, which ties him for sixth-most among active college defensive linemen.

Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy has already established himself as the best receiver in the country. Jeudy won the Biletnikoff Award in 2018 and was named a consensus All-American after posting 1,315 receiving yards and scoring 14 touchdowns on 68 receptions as a sophomore.

Auburn might have the best defensive line in the country, and 6-foot-5, 325-pound monster Derrick Brown might be the best defensive lineman in the nation. Brown was responsible for 36 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 18.5 run stuffs in a staggeringly successful junior season that likely would have made him a first round draft pick had he opted to turn pro early.

No active FBS player has tallied more production points (34) than Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor. In fact, no offensive player has come close (North Texas QB Mason Fine ranks second with 24). Taylor is already a two-time All-American, including a unanimous 2018 campaign in which he also won the Doak Walker Award. The junior accounted for 2,194 yards and 16 TDs last season while averaging an explosive 7.15 yards per carry last season.

Five-star true freshman QB Trevor Lawrence emerged as the starter for the Tigers in Week 5, broke through with back-to-back 300-yard passing performances in late October (and added three in his final four games, including 347 against Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game), and sparked Dabo Swinney’s squad to a title.

It’s easy to forget because Kyler Murray won the Heisman and Trevor Lawrence led Clemson to the national title, but Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was one of the most dominant players in college football throughout the 2018 season. After beating out 100-rated QB Jalen Hurts, Tagovailoa quickly emerged as one of the best players in the nation. In 15 starts, Tua amassed 3,966 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and just six interceptions. His 11.2 yards per attempt ranked second only to Murray.

LSU safety Grant Delpit has racked up an incredible 33 career production points, making him the most productive defensive player in the country – and he’s done it in just two seasons. Delpit earned unanimous All-American honors as a sophomore in 2018 after racking up 74 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and five interceptions. He also forced one fumble, broke up nine pass attempts, and was credited with four QB hurries. As a result, the recent recipient of the prestigious No. 7 Tigers jersey is our pick as the No. 1 overall college football player for 2019.