LSU Tigers

The SEC's top kickers and punters have been ranked, so now it's time to rank some of the most exciting players in the league.

Past rankings:

• Top 10 quarterbacks
• Top 10 running backs
• Top 10 wide receivers
• Top 10 tight ends
• Top 10 offensive linemen
• Top 10 defensive tackles
• Top 10 defensive ends
• Top 10 linebackers
• Top 10 cornerbacks
• Top 10 safeties
• Top 10 kickers
• Top 10 punters

Here are our top return men in the SEC:

1. Tyrann Mathieu, Jr., LSU: When he got the ball in his hands on punt returns you never knew what might happen. He showed excellent vision and movement and really drew more praise as a returner with his three game-changing returns against Arkansas and Georgia, with two going for scores. He finished the year averaging 15.6 yards on 27 returns, with a long of 92 yards and two touchdowns.

2. Dennis Johnson, Sr., Arkansas: He was one of the top returners out there before an injury cut his 2010 season short. He returned in 2011 to average 25.6 yards on 18 returns and had a 98-yard touchdown. Johnson will have even more energy on returns with Knile Davis returning to the backfield. For his career, Johnson enters the fall as the SEC’s active leader in career kickoff return yards and total return yards with 2,475.

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Notre Dame commit Malik Zaire and Tennessee-bound Riley Ferguson are just a couple of the standouts that caught Tom Luginbill's eye on day 3 at the 2012 Elite 11 Finals.

Ivan Maisel writes: It will hardly be the case come fall, but in July, everyone's a winner in the SEC. The annual frenzy that is the league's media days came to an end Thursday with confidence and optimism abound.

HOOVER, Ala. -- Now that another year of SEC media days are through, it's time to take a look back at the best moments from this year's three days in the Wynfrey Hotel:

Best interview: Yes, Missouri wide receiver T.J. Moe had a pretty good time with the media in Hoover and Arkansas coach John L. Smith seemed to win over the main ballroom during his press conference, but the best interview of the week had to go to Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones. The veteran strolled right into our interview room munching on pecan pie bites without a care in the world. But the real magic came during his video interview where he playfully crushed his best friend and former teammate William Vlachos and gave fellow SEC blogger Chris Low a shout out during his hit. Jones came prepared and knew how to have fun.

Best quote: There were so many good one-liners from Moe that we're giving you our top three from the week:

• Moe on what's different about the SEC: “They say girls are prettier here, air’s fresher and toilet paper is thicker.” -- Offensive lineman Elvis Fisher later told us that this line was planned after a conversation during the trip over.
• But Moe wasn't done there: "Apparently Ryan Swope is a god because he can come in and get first-team all-SEC. But that’s fine.”
• And this one really got to Arkansas running back Knile Davis: “In the Big 12, we put our best athletes on offense. [In the SEC], they put their best athletes on defense."

Best outfit: The players came out and dressed well this week, like Auburn's Corey Lemonier and bow tie and red-striped socks and Vanderbilt's Trey Wilson in his slick charcoal suit with the black checkered shirt and red tie. But Ole Miss wide receiver Donte Moncrief stole the show with his colorful outfit. He rocked a light beige jacket over a checkered mint shirt and a blue bow tie. He was also equipped with salmon pants and a bright pink pocket square. The man dresses with confidence.

Best moment: Davis was as cool and relaxed as ever during his time in Hoover. He had no problem proclaiming that he still was the league's best running back, but the best moment came when he was leaving our room. As Davis headed toward the door, Chris asked him if he still thought he was the best and Davis replied with a smile, "Still the best and tell Marcus [Lattimore] I'm coming for him."

Best interviewer: We paled in comparison to the journalistic skills of Mississippi State offensive lineman Gabe Jackson, who took some time to interview Chris on camera. Chris looked like a deer in headlights when Jackson started firing hard-hitting questions and then asked him to name as many dog breeds as he could in 10 seconds. The tongue-tied Chris didn't even mention bulldog.

Most improved: LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger has had a very up-and-down college career, but he walked right into media days without a nervous fiber in his body. He's known to boast a little about his talents and had every opportunity to once again, but didn't. He was very humble and praised his teammates before even mentioning his ability. Plus, he handled questions about his past at Georgia like a pro.

Most confident: We're naming our top four here:

• Moe: He's sick of hearing about transitioning over to the SEC and he let everyone know about it.
• Davis: No hesitation in claiming he's the SEC's best running back.
• Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray: He doesn't talk much, but he made the statement that Tennessee will win the SEC this season. That's pretty gutsy.
• Florida running back Mike Gillislee: His goal for the season: 1,500 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns. Florida hasn't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ciatrick Fason in 2004 and 24 rushing touchdowns would break Tim Tebow's record of 23.

Best hair: Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones had his hair braided in a very creative, funky way and it looked clean. It also took three and a half hours to do.

Coming out of his shell: Florida outside linebacker/defensive end Lerentee McCray is pretty soft-spoken and can be shy around the media, but not in Hoover. He was talkative and showed a little confidence when he said his favorite part of football is hitting the quarterback so he can "wipe the smiles off their faces."

Ivan Maisel and Chris Low wrap up Day 3 of the SEC media days and review the opening event of the SEC season.

It’s long been a talking point among college football coaches that if you want the best D-lineman, you have to wade into SEC country. Problem is, the SEC can usually keep those kids home. Travis Haney talks to SEC players and coaches about why, year after year, the D-lines of the SEC seem to outpace the rest of college football.

HOOVER, Ala. -- The talk won't go away. Alabama versus LSU, two games that defined a college football season, isn't going away anytime soon.

Eight months after Round 1, Alabama tight end Michael Williams is still asked about the touchdown he had wrestled from him by LSU safety Eric Reed. Six months after Round 2, Alabama coach Nick Saban can't get through an interview without being asked whether or not a team that didn't win a conference championship should play for the BCS title.

At SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala., Saban didn't do much to sidestep the controversy that's burned through the offseason and into the start of Alabama's 2012 campaign. Never mind that the Crimson Tide wiped the Superdome floor with the Tigers, the question remains if they should even have been there.

"To me, it should prove the value of a good football team who loses a game, loses a chance to win their conference championship in overtime to a very, very good team, LSU, that goes on to win the rest of their games," Saban said. "I don't know why they should be eliminated."

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HOOVER, Ala. -- The 2012 SEC media days All-SEC team was announced Thursday, and LSU led the conference with the most first-team selections with seven. The media has voted for a preseason All-SEC team and predicted the order in which each team would finish since 1992.

It should be noted that the media has only picked the correct SEC champion four times since 1992. Those correct picks were Florida in 1994 and 1995, LSU in 2007 and Florida in 2008.

Here are some notes from the league on the All-SEC team:

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Daniel Shirey/US PresswireSEC members are expecting big things this season for South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore.
• The 222 voters is an all-time high for SEC media days. The previous high was 177 voters in 2010.
• South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore was the leading vote-getter this season with 201 of 222 votes. He is the fourth running back in the past six years to be the highest vote-getter (2007 – Darren McFadden, Arkansas; 2008 – Knowshon Moreno, Georgia and Percy Harvin, Florida; 2009 – Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes, Florida; 2010 – Mark Ingram, Alabama; 2011 – Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina).
• Lattimore (2012) and Jeffery (2011) have been the leading vote-getters the last two seasons.
• Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones is a three-time member of the SEC media days first team
• South Carolina has had a sophomore make the media days first team for the third straight season – Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina, DE (2012); Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, RB (2011); Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, DB (2010).
• Since 2000, Arkansas’ Darren McFadden is the only unanimous selection to the SEC media days All-SEC team, collecting all 80 votes.
• LSU had the most first-team selections this season with seven. Since 1992, the most players on a first team were nine by Alabama in 2011 and eight by Alabama (2010) and Florida (2009).
• LSU leads with the most overall selections this season with 13. The total is the second highest ever, behind Alabama’s 16 last season. Prior to last season, Alabama (2010) and Florida (2009) had the most overall selections with 12.
• LSU is predicted to win the SEC championship by the media for the first time since 2007. It is the second time since 1992 that LSU has been predicted to win the league title. LSU did win the SEC title in 2007 and went on to win the BCS title.

Here is what the complete first team looks like:

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Edward Aschoff talks with LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger on Day 2 of SEC media days.