50 greatest SEC football players this century, ranked

Best SEC football players this century – 32. Trent Richardson, Alabama, Running Back (2009-2011)

Alabama has a long lineage of great running backs, but there was something about Trent Richardson that stands out. He came into Tuscaloosa with an insane amount of expectations. Many thought he could be one of the best runners ever. To be honest, it looked that way at first. He was in the backfield the year Mark Ingram Jr. won the Heisman and he was even able to steal a few carries from him. When Ingram left, Richardson went on a role.

As a junior, Richardson put on a show that lasted the entire season. He rushed for 1,629 yards and 21 touchdowns. That was just on the ground. He added 338 yards and another three touchdowns receiving. Over his career, Richardson scored 43 touchdowns for a dominant Alabama team. Only Derrick Henry rushed for more yards in a season as an Alabama running back.

Best SEC football players this century – 31. Mark Ingram, Alabama, Running Back (2008-2010)

Mark Ingram was a Heisman Trophy winner. For some reason, that seems to get lost in the laurels of SEC history. Ingram was one of the best running backs of this era and he was just one of three running backs to win the Heisman as a running back of this era. One was for Derrick Henry and the other was for Reggie Bush.

Ingram won the Heisman Trophy after running for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns. Did you know that Ingram’s 2009 Heisman was the first time an Alabama player ever won the Heisman? It seems improbable, but it’s true. Ingram was unstoppable in his sophomore season. He also led the Crimson Tide to the National Championship Game, where he ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns in a big win. Ingram was a great player and he helped Alabama change its history for the better.