By Chris Marler
We’re just two days away from the Southeastern Conference kicking things off. Yes, I’m counting Missouri and Arkansas and SEC teams. It’s been eight months since we’ve seen football. I’ll take what I can get on a Thursday night.
Here’s a list of the five players I think have “breakout” written all over them.
Alabama RB Justice Haynes
Haynes is a former five-star running back who is built identically to the early Alabama backs during the Saban era. He only had 25 carries a year ago which seemed odd to a lot of Tide fans considering the hype he had as a recruit. That’s not to mention his averaging nearly 8 yards per carry against Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Some people are still overlooking Haynes because of the “pass happy” offense that Kalen Deboer brings. But don’t let that fool you, because his leading rushers at Washington the last two years averaged over 1000 yards and double-digit TDs including. Just last season Dillon Johson ran for 1200 yds and 16 TDs.
South Carolina WR Nyck Harbor
If these five players were investments, this would be crypto. A really good chance to be an unstoppable player on this team and in this league, but also, a chance of being a bust this season as well. I am so high on Harbor. He wasn’t listed as a starter on the offensive depth chart. He will be featured in the return game. He’s an alien physically standing, 6-foot-five and weighing 240lbs. He runs a 10.2 100m. Harbor is shockingly one of the leading returners in production at the position despite only having 12 catches a season ago. He missed spring camp because of track season while also training to make the US Olympic team. Plain and simple he’s the best athlete on the field EVERY time he’s on the field. Get. Him. The. Ball.
UGA TE Oscar Delp
Replacing All-World TE Brock Bowers won’t be easy, but Oscar Delp is primed to take a big step in UGA’s offense this season. He’s a former Top 100 recruit who had 24 receptions for almost 12 yards per catch a year ago. Tight ends have been a focal point of this offense under Mike Bobo and Todd Monken the last three years. Bowers was the leading receiver for the Dawgs all three years he was in Athens. Again, don’t expect Delp to be Bowers 2.0, but physically he is ready, and he is talented enough to be one of the best TEs in the SEC and maybe the country by year’s end.
LSU WR Kyren Lacy
Lacy is a senior who has a decent amount of production already on his resumé. He caught at least one pass in 10 games a season ago. But with what was lost to the NFL from a talent standpoint combined with the identity that this offense will have with a gunslinger like Garrett Nussmeier at QB, you can bank on Lacy putting up some numbers this season in Baton Rouge.
Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman
Weigman is a former five-star QB with tremendous upside that should be really good for Mike Elko as long as he can stay healthy. Weigman has only played in nine games over two years but has put up a 16-to-2 TD/INT ratio in that limited sample size. The Aggies are experienced at WR and return three of their five starting OL from a year ago. If that’s not enough to convince you, there are multiple draft scouts and services who have Weigman as a projected first round pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
