SEC Football: Top 5 Candidates to Win Defensive Player of the Year Award
Sep 13, 2014; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Myles Garrett (15) reacts against the Rice Owls during the second half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Ranking the top five candidates to walk away as the winner of the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the 2015 college football season.
The SEC was able to lay claim to seven straight national championships from 2006-2012 and narrowly missed the last two years because of dominant defenses.
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Sure, it has been home to recent Heisman Trophy winners like Tim Tebow, Mark Ingram, Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel but defense is the calling card of this league and it remains so in an offensive era.
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Missouri has won the award the last two years with Shane Ray winning last year after Michael Sam was the surprise winner in 2013. A three-peat for Missouri would be an even bigger surprise this year, but it would be a surprise if the winner wasn’t one of the five players listed here.
Limiting the list to a top five in a conference flush with defensive talent meant some worthy candidates missed the cut. Those players are Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Auburn’s Carl Lawson, Florida’s Antonio Morrison and Georgia’s Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd.
Now you know who just missed, let’s take a look at the top five candidates to win the SEC Defensive Player of the Year this season. After reading through the list, please continue the conversation in the comments section or social media with your reaction and pick for DPOY.
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