SEC Football Preview '07: Five Impact Freshmen

There's an old coaching saying attributed to Bear Bryant (though most old coaching sayings are attributed to Bryant) that says you lose a conference game for every freshman you start. Last year, Florida started Percy Harvin, and lost a game. They also won SEC and national championships. That's probably why over the summer Urban Meyer said that, starting with his top-ranked 2007 recruiting class, he doesn't plan on redshirting freshmen anymore.

So again, this post probably could have featured at least five Gators to watch in 2007. But instead, let's start with a freshman who may be starting from day one at one of Florida's rivals...

1. Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee

Eric Berry has pulled off two impressive yet disparate feats: he ran a 4.33 in an electronically timed 40-yard dash, and he has drawn comparisons to Peyton Manning. Obviously, the Manning thing isn't because they have similar speed, but because Berry is considered to be the most important recruit to show up in Knoxville since sainted Peyton in the mid-90s. The only reason Berry was a five-star athlete coming out of high school is that they don't give anybody six stars. He was the number one player in Georgia, the number one cornerback nationally (he also ran for over 1,200 yards and threw for 1,000 his senior season as a quarterback), and the number three overall player nationally. His father, James, was a captain for the Vols in the late 1970s, but the legend will say that it was not his legacy status that drew the younger Berry to UT, but Fulmer and Cutcliffe's insistence that Berry would play in a scheme similar to Arkansas' famed 'Wildcat' package used with Darren McFadden. How quickly Berry sees the offensive side of the ball will likely depend on how fast he secures his role as a starting corner for the Vols, where he will fill one of the holes left by Jonathan Wade, Antwan Stewart, and the injured Inky Johnson. Early reports are that Berry is physically ready and mentally mature, so it might not take long.

2. Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama

Nick Saban could wait to see which of the linebackers he inherited from Mike Shula is good enough to play in his 3-4 defense. But as we all know, Nick Saban doesn't have time for that $#!%, so he'll probably rely on as many of his own recruits as possible. The 3-4 is a good scheme for playmaking linebackers because it gives them the freedom to just go after the ball. Rolando McClain can run and he can hit, so why not put him in there and see what he can do? As a recruit, McClain was the number one player in Alabama, the number two linebacker nationally, and number 35 on the Rivals Top 100.

3. Stephen Garcia, QB, South Carolina

For a guy to be considered an impact freshman, he has to have the right combination of skill and the opportunity to see playing time. I know the Gamecock fans will disagree with me, but as good as Blake Mitchell may or may not be, Steve Spurrier has a history of benching quarterbacks. It's a product of Spurrier's brilliance and ego that when a QB doesn't make the decision that the Ol' Ball Coach himself would have made on the field, he gets frustrated and sits him down. As soon as Mitchell throws a couple of picks in a game, Garcia will see the field. I'll even predict that Stephen Garcia will start a game or two for Carolina this fall. When he does, Carolina fans will hoe he shows the skill that made his an Elite 11 quarterback, Rivals 100 player, and quite possibly the biggest signee ever at SC; and not the decision making he displayed in keying a professor's car this past spring.

4. Caleb King*, RB, Georgia

Georgia fans were fired up when Caleb King got himself qualified to play football this fall. If he can learn how to steer his moped in the right direction (heh... moped) and stay out of the slammer, he should make an impact for the Dawgs right away. King, rated a four-star player by Rivals, has incredible speed and moves and was one of the most highly recruited players in his state and a top 10 running back nationally. King should play early this year to help solidify a running game and keep pressure off of Matt Stafford (Kegmaster). Oh, and the asterisk by King's name? That's in case Mark Richt decides to redshirt King, in which case, strike the first paragraph and apply everything else to redshirt freshman Knowshon (Knowshon!) Moreno.

5. Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

In high school, Carlos Dunlap once ran a kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown. He's got 4.6 speed, and that's pretty good, but it's freakin' amazing when you consider Dunlap is also 260 pounds and plays defensive end. Florida is rebuilding nearly its entire defensive line, and Meyer may play up to six freshmen up front this year. Defensive end is an especially good place to play freshmen because, especially on passing downs, because you can line them up and say "go get the quarterback." Watch for Carols Dunlap to get a couple of quarterbacks this fall.

Others to watch...

Joe Haden, RB, Florida Chad Jones, S, LSU Ben Martin, DE, Tennessee Chris Culliver, WR, South Carolina Lee Zeimba, OT, Auburn Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida Gerald Jones, WR, Tennessee