The two best teams in the SEC square off in a conference title game showdown featuring a wealth of 2022 NFL Draft prospects.
#3 Alabama vs. #1 Georgia 4PM ET CBS
The game of the year in the SEC features 12-0 Georgia against 11-1 Alabama. Georgia will be 6.5-point favorites, marking the first time Alabama has been an underdog since October 31st, 2015. The Crimson Tide have defeated the Bulldogs six straight times, but the circumstances this year are different.
Georgia’s defense is the best in the country as they’re first in yards per play allowed (3.7), first in yards allowed per game (240.5), and first in points allowed per game (6.9). For context, Clemson is second in the country in points allowed per game at 16.9. Alabama freshman quarterback Bryce Young might be having a Heisman-caliber season (3,901 passing yards, 40 TDs, 4 INTs), but he’ll have his work cut out for him on Saturday.
There’s more at stake than the SEC Championship on Saturday, however. For Alabama, the playoffs start in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this weekend. A win would surely propel them into the College Football Playoff, while a loss would severely diminish their playoff chances, as a two-loss team has never made the final four of the College Football Playoff. Georgia’s impressive body of work means that they’ll be in the College Football Playoff whether they win or lose the SEC Championship Game.
These are two of the best rosters in the country, filled with high-profile recruits and future NFL players that will be eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft and beyond. Let’s take a look at one 2022 NFL Draft prospect from each team ahead of one of the marquee college football games this weekend.
Alabama WR Jameson Williams
The University of Alabama has consistently churned out great wide receivers this past decade. The most recent four to come out of Tuscaloosa were all taken in the first round, Devonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy. Amari Cooper and Julio Jones were also both selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft in the last ten years.
Coming into the year many tabbed John Metchie III as the next great Alabama receiver, and he’ll likely be selected in the first few rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft. But the star wide receiver for Alabama this year has been the St. Louis native Jameson Williams.
Williams played two seasons at Ohio State and then transferred to Alabama prior to this season. He’s a young junior, as he won’t turn 21 until March 26th, 2002. The size (6’2” 189), and speed (he holds the state record for the 300-meter hurdles and has a projected 40-yard dash time of 4.32) of Jameson Williams make him a tantalizing prospect looking ahead to the 2022 NFL Draft.
Statistically, there aren’t many receivers in the country that are better than Jameson Williams. He’s one of only 10 players in all of college football to average 20 yards per catch (20.7) and he’s tied for second in the country in receiving touchdowns (13). He’s also 9th in the country in total receiving yards with 1,261. Williams is dynamic before and after the catch as evidenced by his bevy of long touchdowns this year.
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Jameson Williams’ tools and skill set are what really intrigue 2022 NFL Draft scouts. His speed is undeniable, and he uses his long legs to cover ground quickly. Williams is what some scouts call a “two-stepper” which is when a player can cover 5 yards while running in two steps. Williams’ size doesn’t negatively impact his fluidity, however. He can and has run crisp, technical routes, sinking his hips at the top of the route, and setting up defensive backs skillfully to create separation.
Because of the speed of Jameson Williams, he’s often able to get open on comeback routes, where he sprints downfield, stops, and comes back to the quarterback. On film, Williams was adept at working back towards the quarterback on such routes, cutting down the distance that the pass needs to travel. These technical skills as well as Jameson Williams’ hands, deep threat potential, and red zone efficiency could see him selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Georgia CB Derion Kendrick
Georgia’s pass defense has been extremely stout this season as they’ve allowed the fewest yards per pass attempt and fewest yards per completion on the year. Their tremendous front seven is one reason for this, but their back-end defenders are no slouch either.
Derion Kendrick is a 6’0” 190-pound senior from Rock Hill, South Carolina. He began his college career at Clemson as a wide receiver, switched to defensive back out of necessity and hasn’t looked back. He made second team All-ACC in 2019 and was named to the first team All-ACC in 2020 as a junior. Kendrick followed that up with All-SEC first team honors in 2021.
In February 2021, Kendrick was dismissed from Clemson due to a history of disciplinary problems. He then joined the best defense in the country in Athens, Georgia. His numbers this year aren’t spectacular as he has two interceptions, one tackle for loss and three passes defended. But at the cornerback position the traditional raw numbers don’t always tell the full story.
This season Derion Kendrick hasn’t given up a touchdown to the receiver he was covering. He’s also second in the SEC in passer efficiency allowed when targeted. In addition to that, Kendrick has only allowed 19 receptions on 38 targets this season. He’s been taking away his side of the field consistently all year.
Projecting forward ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, Kendrick is an appealing prospect for several reasons. First, he has tremendous ball skills. His background as a wide receiver means that he has excellent hands and is skilled at going up and intercepting passes when in coverage. Second is his football IQ. Derion Kendrick has experience as a wide receiver in addition to playing some quarterback in high school, so he has firsthand knowledge of what the quarterback and receiver are trying to accomplish on pass plays. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has also praised Kendrick’s maturity and willingness to study film.
Third, when it comes to toughness and willingness to tackle, Kendrick fits the bill. He’s not afraid to dart up to the line of scrimmage and hit the ball carrier in the backfield. He’s racked up five tackles for loss in his career in addition to one sack.
Despite his potential, there are two big knocks on Derion Kendrick. The first concern is his speed. Kendrick got torched repeatedly by Chris Olave in Clemson’s playoff loss against Ohio State, and this might limit where Kendrick can play in the NFL. The second area that Kendrick could improve is his tackling technique. Willingness to make the tackle often isn’t enough at the next level, as ball carriers are bigger, stronger, faster, and shiftier. Despite these concerns, Kendrick will likely hear his name called in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.