When healthy, both Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow looked like two of the best passers in the country. Now they’re off to the NFL, and it’s a wide-open race to see who will step up and become the best quarterback in the Southeastern conference?
A lot could change between now and week one, but six quarterbacks have already separated themselves as candidates worthy of consideration.
Mac Jones (Alabama)
2019 passing: 97-of-141 for 1,503 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and two sacks, 68.8 completion percentage.
2019 rushing: 16 carries for 36 yards, one touchdown, 2.3 yards per rush.
Why him: Alabama’s scored 46.7 points on average in Tagovailoa’s nine starts. The offense finished those games with an average of 355 yards passing. Even if you throw out Alabama’s 66-3 win over Western Carolina, the Crimson Tide scored 42.67 points on average during Jones’ three other starts. Jones racked up 662 total passing yards against Auburn and Michigan alone.
He wasn’t perfect down the stretch, but Jones proved himself to be more than just an emergency option at the quarterback position. His performance in his four starts placed Jones on pace to finish a 13-game season with 3,663 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and only 6.5 interceptions. It’s hard to ask for more than that, especially from a guy that didn’t get most of the first-team reps for most of the season.
If that’s not good enough, then just remember he’s still throwing to receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
Bo Nix (Auburn)
2019 passing: 217-of-377 for 2,542 yards, 16 touchdowns, six interceptions and 17 sacks, 57.6 completion percentage.
2019 rushing: 97 carries for 313 yards, seven touchdowns, 3.2 yards per rush.
Why him: Nix set program freshman records for yards, completions and passing touchdowns en route to earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. He also ended the season with 173 consecutive passing attempts without throwing an interception.
It was a bit of a roller coaster for Nix throughout the season, but he delivered just enough to lead the Tigers past both Alabama and Oregon. As for Auburn’s losses, all four came against ranked opponents, and only the 24-13 loss to Florida was decided by more than seven points.
Nix might have the most to prove on the list, but his youth and play down the stretch suggest he’s just scratching the surface. Plus, his supporting cast might improve next season, as the offense only lost two tackles to the NFL Draft in the fourth and sixth rounds.
Read the Rest:
https://alabama.rivals.com/news/20-for-20-who-will-be-the-best-qb-in-the-sec-
A lot could change between now and week one, but six quarterbacks have already separated themselves as candidates worthy of consideration.
Mac Jones (Alabama)
2019 passing: 97-of-141 for 1,503 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and two sacks, 68.8 completion percentage.
2019 rushing: 16 carries for 36 yards, one touchdown, 2.3 yards per rush.
Why him: Alabama’s scored 46.7 points on average in Tagovailoa’s nine starts. The offense finished those games with an average of 355 yards passing. Even if you throw out Alabama’s 66-3 win over Western Carolina, the Crimson Tide scored 42.67 points on average during Jones’ three other starts. Jones racked up 662 total passing yards against Auburn and Michigan alone.
He wasn’t perfect down the stretch, but Jones proved himself to be more than just an emergency option at the quarterback position. His performance in his four starts placed Jones on pace to finish a 13-game season with 3,663 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and only 6.5 interceptions. It’s hard to ask for more than that, especially from a guy that didn’t get most of the first-team reps for most of the season.
If that’s not good enough, then just remember he’s still throwing to receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
Bo Nix (Auburn)
2019 passing: 217-of-377 for 2,542 yards, 16 touchdowns, six interceptions and 17 sacks, 57.6 completion percentage.
2019 rushing: 97 carries for 313 yards, seven touchdowns, 3.2 yards per rush.
Why him: Nix set program freshman records for yards, completions and passing touchdowns en route to earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. He also ended the season with 173 consecutive passing attempts without throwing an interception.
It was a bit of a roller coaster for Nix throughout the season, but he delivered just enough to lead the Tigers past both Alabama and Oregon. As for Auburn’s losses, all four came against ranked opponents, and only the 24-13 loss to Florida was decided by more than seven points.
Nix might have the most to prove on the list, but his youth and play down the stretch suggest he’s just scratching the surface. Plus, his supporting cast might improve next season, as the offense only lost two tackles to the NFL Draft in the fourth and sixth rounds.
Read the Rest:
https://alabama.rivals.com/news/20-for-20-who-will-be-the-best-qb-in-the-sec-
