In every spring game, there are always a handful of players that jump out at you. The coaches might have been talking them up for the past month during practice, but this is the first time that we've seen them back up the talk.
For this week’s roundtable, we each chose one player from this past Saturday’s spring games who opened our eyes with their performance.
Edward Aschoff: I have to go with Georgia wide receiver Reggie Davis. He’s a speedy guy who really hasn’t done much of anything during his career, and while this was merely a spring game, we got to see his wheels in action. Davis, who has to have an expanded role in Georgia’s passing game, caught six passes for 134 yards, averaging 22.3 yards per catch. I’m not saying Davis is a star or will be the next great thing for the Dawgs, but this was good to see and there’s potential for a breakout senior year with so little proven talent around him. He has 29 catches for 507 yards in three seasons, but has a chance to be much better and much more involved in his senior year. Maybe this is the jump-start he needed?
David Ching: I'm not sure where Saivion Smith will fit into LSU's cornerback picture once Kevin Toliver and Donte Jackson return to the lineup, but the early enrollee was a key figure in spring practice. Les Miles frequently complimented the freshman standout throughout the spring, and then Smith capped the 15 practices by playing on the first-team defense and intercepting a pass in the spring game. He will become a star at LSU, and we'll likely see plenty of him this fall.
Sam Khan: I was impressed by how much progress Missouri quarterback Drew Lock showed. His true freshman season was a continuous struggle, as he finished last in the SEC among qualified passers in Total QBR (33.3) and completion rate (49 percent). Last Saturday, his numbers weren't necessarily eye-popping (9-for-13 passing, 134 yards, two touchdowns), but he took care of the ball (no interceptions), was accurate and made great decisions. His biggest pass of the day, a 64-yard touchdown to J'Mon Moore, hit the receiver in perfect stride 40 yards downfield, and Lock also ran for a couple of first downs. He looked like the best of the Mizzou quarterbacks on display and with a full offseason to prepare as the starter -- rather than being thrown into the fire mid-season like he was following Maty Mauk's suspension -- I think he'll take a significant step forward in 2016.
Greg Ostendorf: For all of the talent Tennessee had at wide receiver last year, what did the Volunteers have to show for it? The team’s leading receiver, Von Pearson, finished with just 409 yards and three touchdowns. However, the coaching staff and quarterback Joshua Dobbs had to be excited with what they saw in last Saturday’s spring game. Sophomore Preston Williams, who played sparingly last year, caught three passes for 77 yards. He has the upside to become a go-to target for Dobbs, and at the very least, he provides a deep threat that can help the Vols stretch the field. Then there was junior college transfer Jeff George, who finished with four catches for 28 yards and a touchdown. At 6-foot-6, he’ll be tough for anybody to defend in the red zone. I know I took two players, but I think both will make an impact for Tennessee in 2016.
Alex Scarborough: I'll admit it, I was skeptical about Rashaan Evans' move to inside linebacker. I thought his speed -- and my goodness is he fast, just watch the Clemson game -- would be put to better use where he had been at outside linebacker where he could stick his hand in the ground, pin his ears back and rush the passer. Well, it looks like I may be wrong -- not about his skill getting after quarterbacks, but how it would translate to playing inside. For it being his first serious time at the position, he looked like a natural, instinctive even. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior made a consistent beeline to the ball, racking up a ridiculous 17 tackles last Saturday. While Alabama has two good inside linebackers already -- Reuben Foster, Shaun Dion Hamilton -- Evans could be put to good use there in certain situations. With his speed and new-found versatility, he could play a big role this season.