50 greatest SEC football players this century, ranked

Best SEC football players this century – 38. Mike Evans, Texas A&M, Wide Receiver (2011-2013)

Mike Evans is a star today in the NFL, which solidified what he did in college. Many considered him a product of Johnny Manziel, but the truth is Manziel never has the seasons he has without Evans. Evans only played two seasons for the Aggies after redshirting his freshman year, but they were a special two years. Texas A&M was trying to make an impact after moving from the Big 12 to the SEC and this era really put them on the map.

Evans was all about the quantity in his first season on the field. He caught 82 passes for north of 1,100 yards, but he just had five touchdowns. However, it was the game against Alabama where he made a name for himself. He had 279 yards against the top team in the country. He was incredibly reliable and he was always good for a first down. However, in the second season is where he became a superstar. He was a big playmaker on every snap. His catches dropped to 69, but he jumped to just under 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 13 games.

Best SEC football players this century – 37. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama, Cornerback (2015-2017)

Minkah Fitzpatrick was someone who always seemed to get mentioned in big games. No matter the pressure of the situation, Fitzpatrick always seemed to be in the middle of the play despite playing cornerback. That helped him get recognized as a two-time All-American, a Bednarik Award winner and Jim Thorpe Award winner.

He was also someone who had a knack for the endzone. Nobody in the history of Alabama football has four interceptions for touchdown except Minkah Fitzpatrick. There was a reason his stats dropped as his career went on despite more awards coming his way. He was completely ignored. Nobody even looked his way on offense. They knew he would outmatch just about every wide receiver in the SEC. To add to his legacy, he helped Alabama win two championships.