AJC > Sports > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USRating the SEC’s best linebackers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The SEC lost some great linebackers after the 2006 season like Juwan Simpson of Alabama, Patrick Willis of Ole Miss, Sam Olajubuta of Arkansas, and Tony Taylor of Georgia.
But there is still a very impressive group coming back for this season. Here are my top five. Disagree? Then give me your top five.
1. Jasper Brinkley, Sr., South Carolina: Had 107 tackles in his first season after transferring from Georgia Military College. He has an incredible nose for the football. He had 85 solo tackles last season and will be the bell cow on a very good South Carolina defense.
2. Ali Highsmith, LSU: May be the best outside linebacker in the country. Has played in 38 games with 24 starts at two different positions for the Tigers. Has incredible speed and delivers the big hit.
3. Jerod Mayo, Jr., Tennessee: If he stays healthy, Mayo has a chance to be an All-American this season. Had three games last season with 12 tackles and two more games with 10 tackles. Coaches believe he could be as good as any linebacker who has ever played at Tennessee.
4. Jonathon Goff, Sr., Vanderbilt: Has started 28 straight games for the Commodores and has played in all 34 games since he got to campus in 2004. His 194 career tackles is the third best total of any returning player in the SEC this season. Had 93 tackles last season, a career high.
5. Wesley Woodyard, Sr., Kentucky: The league’s coaches made Woodyard a first-team All-SEC pick after posting 122 tackles as a junior. Had 100 tackles as a sophomore. With 256 career tackles, Woodyard could become the first Kentucky player in 14 years to reach 300 tackles. Will start the season with a cast on his broken hand.
HONORABLE MENTION
Tray Blackmon, Soph., Auburn: If the LaGrange native gets this act together off the field, he can be an all-conference player this season.
Darry Beckwith, Jr., LSU: Beckwith moved from outside to middle linebacker midway through last season and has found a home. Had 65 total tackles and should have a big year.
Freddie Fairchild, Soph., Arkansas: Fairchild was a freshman All-America in 2005 and then had 12 tackles in the 2006 opener with Southern Cal. Then he was lost for the season with a knee injury in the second game. Now he’s back and ready for a big year. The NCAA gave him a medical redshirt so he is still a sophomore.
Prince Hall, Soph., Alabama: Hall is the only returning linebacker and will get a lot of work in Alabama’s new 3-4 defense.
Brandon Miller, Sr., Georgia: With all of Georgia’s starters from 2006 gone Miller, who had five starts last season, needs to step up at middle linebacker. He will. He is a huge key as the Bulldogs rebuild their defense.
Comments
By joe
August 8, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
OMG, there is actually a UGA player on the list! Pigs from my redneck farm are flying in the sky!!Even though its only an HM, thanks for throwing us a bone, Tony…
By steve
August 8, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
keep an eye on Brandon Spikes, Gator MLB.
By Rusty Banks
August 8, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this
I would place Blackmon and Prince Hall over Goff and Woodyard. Blackmon is a machine with incredible speed. Prince Hall does not miss tackles.
Season is getting closer…
http://www.rustybanks.com
By BullDawg Rick
August 8, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this
Miller will shine this season & Rennie Curran will surprise…
As for Trey Blackmon… Doubt he’ll finish the season as trouble seems to find him…
Go Dawgs!!
By Roswell Ed
August 8, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
BullDawg Rick:
Doubt he’ll finish the season as trouble seems to find him… ????????
Couldn’t you say that about all the Dawgs?
What may happen is that if he does get in more trouble then CTT will actually give him meaningful punishment!!
If he played for CMR he would have been suspended for 1-2 games for the underage alcohol issue and he would never have been suspended for the bowl game because we would have never heard about it.
Give CTT a little credit. He puts up with no crap!!
And be careful what you say about him b/c you know he can hear you!
By fan11
August 8, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this
the over under of games on Blackmon finishing is 3 put like Tubs said they got plenty of linebackers so no worries
By SEC is Football
August 8, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this
Steve….I agree and I think Spikes is going to be a beast! As for Blackmon, he has not really played enough to classify him as one of the best in the league. He has some proving to do. One that I think should have gotten a mention is Jamar Chaney as MSU. He is a very talented kid and takes over in the middle this year. The SEC is loaded with great LB’s so you can’t include all of them.
By War Eagle
August 8, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
UGA finds a way to WIN football games, Richt record speaks volumes, so why worry about pre-season picks or who is All World?
By Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 8, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
What may happen is that if he does get in more trouble then CTT will actually give him meaningful punishment!!
More trouble? Then he’ll get punished? I love it. So when it is one of your players the coach is handling it perfect,right? Now at UGA it had to be behind closed doors, or someone pulled a favor ..etc…. Please you just showed your true colors. Ed, you do a very good job of making Auburn fans look foolish. Hope your proud.
By Roswell Ed
August 8, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
Blackmon was suspended SIX games and the charge was underage drinking in LaGrange. Is that not meaningful to you?
And it’s you’re proud genius.
By Richard
August 8, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this
Tray Blackmon is having a dynamite fall camp thus far. He’s found a home in the middle and has been laying some savage hits. All reports are that he has a completely different attitude and is about to explode on the SEC scene. He will flat force teams to change their rushing strategy. Also, watch out for freshman Bo Harris.
By RxDawg
August 8, 2007 6:01 PM | Link to this
Ed, there was more to that little incident then underage drinking. I think you forgot the fact that he was also in a stolen vehicle. That said, I think Blackmon has kinda earned more of a bad rap then is really true. Hes been in the wrong place w/ the wrong people at the wrong time. I believe he’ll get his act together this year and shine. Then hopefully Lumpkin can introduce his stiff arm come November :)
By Roswell Ed
August 8, 2007 7:05 PM | Link to this
Stolen car?
Show me that and I’ll buy you a new chain for your wallet and a wife beater t-shirt.
If I prove you wrong you have to BARK in public. I can think of nothing more embarrassing than that.
From the USA Today:
Blackmon, a former Rivals100 prospect, was arrested in May for underage alcohol consumption and a being pedestrian under the influence of alcohol. The top rated outside linebacker in Rivals the class of 2005, Blackmon was expected to be Auburn’s starting weakside linebacker this fall.
By RxDawg
August 8, 2007 7:27 PM | Link to this
Yeh, I think that part might of been one of those good ol’ fashion cover ups. Trust me though, it happend. Why else do you think a first offense underage drinking would of gotten such a severe punishment? Oh wait, “because Tubs is so tough on his players”……yeh right. He didnt personaly steal the car and probably didnt even know it was stolen at the time, but someone did and it was. That clip from USA today was the official charge. I cant tell you how to officialy find it or what legal documents that are public would have it. I happen to be a bit closer to that story then most, so I have a little extra info. You dont have to believe it though, just keep looking through those blue and orange glasses. I know kids will be kids sometimes and its not that hard to get caught up in the wrong thing despite good intentions.
By Roswell Ed
August 8, 2007 7:49 PM | Link to this
Thank you Oliver Stone for that insightful commentary.
I can guarantee you that in Clarke County he would not have gotten away with any of that.
Now go outside- drop and give me 20 woofs!!!
By War Eagle
August 8, 2007 7:50 PM | Link to this
RxDawg, in all due respect you are completely wrong about the stolen car, give us a SOURCE. the games suspended might have been a bad attitude at arrest, but NOT A STOLEN CAR. it not a very good post if you can`t post a source, not a damn cover-up. UGA players are the stolen car culpits, not Trey Blackmon.
By RxDawg
August 8, 2007 8:45 PM | Link to this
I searched, but I couldnt find anything documenting the details on the internet to support it…
By Datruff
August 8, 2007 11:41 PM | Link to this
Stolen car?!?!? This is the first I have heard of this, and I suspect the last. After all, the article did say “pedestrian”.
How many college kids get arrested for underage consumption? More than enough to fill Samford stadium.
As far as Tubby being a disciplinarian, his record speaks for itself.
By Jason
August 9, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this
I am an avid auburn tiger and can’t wait for the season to start. This whole Blackmon thing just blows my mind. Last year, we were 6-1 without him and 5-1 with him. Why is he such a GOD in the eyes of my fellow tigers eyes? He is a screw up. I personally dont care if plays or not. Coach Willis will put the best on the field and hopefully if he is there, he can keep his head on his shoulders and not up his butt.
By RxDawg
August 9, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this
Datruff, the story is they crashed the car and left the scene of the crime..hence the “pedestrian” part. Thats the story i’ve heard. Could be nothing but rumors but 6 games!?
By War Eagle
August 9, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this
RxDawg, thanks for your search, sorry i blew off the handle, this chemo gives you heavy mood swings plus 100mg prednisone daily, you know what i mean being a pill man…good luck to the Dawgs especially against Bama
By Bart Franks
August 9, 2007 5:29 PM | Link to this
I don’t believe there was a stolen car and I think the punishment cames as 6 games for his first underage drinking incident and the missed bowl and spring semester for his second underage drinking. But, he is back!!!!! And he will be in your quarterbacks face all day or night!!!
By RxDawg
August 9, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this
Not a problem eagle. I would react the same without good proof of said players. I still keep pulling for you to win.