50 greatest SEC football players this century, ranked

Best SEC football players this century – 30. Morris Claiborne, LSU, Cornerback Tackle (2009-2011)

Morris Claiborne’s story was the story of a cornerback who took ten steps forward every season until he was the best cornerback in the country. He was a backup his freshman year, but he was given a starting position in his sophomore year. He clearly learned a thing or two and he made opposing quarterbacks pay if they targeted him. Claiborne had a team-high five interceptions in 2010. He was already on a great trajectory, as he was named to the All-SEC second team. However, he found that next level in his junior year.

In his final year in Baton Rouge, Claiborne helped lead a dominant defense. LSU ended up winning the SEC that season and they played in the national championship game. He was making big plays like he was on offense, leading the country with 173 interception return yards. Claiborne won all of the top cornerback honors in 2011. He won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in the country. He was a unanimous All-American. Not only did Claiborne make it on the All-SEC team, but he was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He was even a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the best defensive player in college football. Charles Woodson, Derrick Strait and Champ Bailey are the only cornerbacks to win the award, so just to get nominated was an honor.

Best SEC football players this century – 29. Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, Defensive End (2014-2016)

Myles Garrett was supposed to be a success story for Texas A&M that helped them turn into an elite program in the SEC. He was the No. 2 prospect in the nation coming out of high school and he chose to go to College Station. It took no time for Garrett to make an impact. He broke Jadeveon Clowney’s freshman sack record with 11 in 2014. It doubled the previous record. Then, he led the SEC with 12 sacks in 2015. Nobody could stop Garrett from getting into the backfield.

His biggest play likely of his college career came when he blocked a punt against Alabama. This gave the Aggies a chance to tie the Crimson Tide in the second half. While it didn’t materialize into anything because the offense sputtered, it showed Garrett was a big-play maker. Garrett’s junior season was mired by a high-ankle sprain, but he still recorded 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. His dominance led to a unanimous All-American distinction.