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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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GAINESVILLE, FL – OCTOBER 06: Justin Jefferson attempts a reception against CJ Henderson #5 of the Florida Gators during the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL – OCTOBER 06: Justin Jefferson attempts a reception against CJ Henderson #5 of the Florida Gators during the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Jachai Polite racked up most of the accolades among Florida defensive linemen in 2018, but Jabari Zuniga was close behind the third round draft pick, statistically speaking. Zuniga tallied 45 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 15.5 run stuffs and should be the star of the show in 2019.

Utah State linebacker David Woodward nearly earned a 100 VGR+ player rating thanks to his 24 career production points, but as a lightly recruited high school player tagged with a .7667 rating in the 247Sports Composite, he couldn’t quite get there on his own. A slight Eye Test Override to .8000 pushed Woodward from a 96.84 to the max, a boost he more than deserved as the highest graded linebacker in the nation and the “surest tackler,” according to Pro Football Focus.

Though he hasn’t posted huge sack totals for the Tigers, Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson is a disruptive force on the edge. Davidson was credited with 3.5 sacks as a junior in 2018, but also 11 QB hurries, along with 4.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and 46 total tackles. He was also responsible for three blocked kicks.

Defensive coordinator Mike Elko guided the Texas A&M Aggies to a No. 3 finish nationally in run defense (95.2 yards allowed per game) in 2018 on the strength of a deep and talented defensive line. One of the stars of the unit, Justin Madubuike, posted impressive numbers for an interior lineman, including 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 16 run stuffs and a team-leading three forced fumbles.

It’s finally C.J. Henderson’s time to shine in the Florida secondary following the early NFL Draft departure of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Of course, Henderson’s production shone through quite well as a sophomore in 2018. Henderson picked off two passes, broke up seven others, recorded 38 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and three sacks, and also forced two fumbles.

The next in a line of talented, play-making safeties for the Crimson Tide, Xavier McKinney posted highly productive all-around numbers as a sophomore. In his first season as a starter in 2018, McKinney totaled 73 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions.

Only one FBS defensive back has earned more Production Points than Louisiana Tech corner Amik Robertson (23) entering the 2019 campaign. Robertson followed up his 2017 Freshman All-American performance with 61 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and four interceptions as a sophomore.

Overshadowed by Devin White in 2019, and by Jacob Phillips (98.33) in 2019 preseason All-American bids, Michael Divinity doesn’t always get the credit he deserves in the LSU linebacker corps. However, Divinity is the highest rated player in the unit according to VGR+ thanks to his 10 career Production Points, seven of which he earned last year while racking up 10.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 run stuffs, five sacks, and a fumble recovery touchdown.

LSU defensive tackle Breiden Feheko put up modest numbers across eight games for the Tigers in 2018. In fact, his 16 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks equated to zero production points. But the Texas Tech transfer has 33 career starts on his resume and can be a disruptive force at the line of scrimmage.

Wake Forest cornerback Essang Bassey was one of the most disruptive players in the ACC in 2018, ranking second in the conference with 15 pass breakups. Bassey added 74 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and he returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown.