HERO Sports is counting down the days until the kickoff of the 2018 college football season on Saturday, Aug. 25, by featuring the best player in the FBS at each jersey number, from 99-1. Each day, from May 18 through Aug. 24, we'll publish one article showcasing the best player whose jersey number matches the number of days remaining.
No. 26 Benny Snell Jr.
Kentucky – RB
"I am the best running back in the SEC," Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. proclaimed at SEC Media Days.
It was met with mixed reactions, though most were scoffs, LOLs, confused GIFs and other are-you-serious responses. But was he right? Is Benny Snell Jr. the best running back in the SEC?
In my opinion, yes.
Snell has 44 forced missed tackles each of the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. Those aren't David Montgomery numbers but they're pretty darn good. And of his 2,424 career rushing yards, nearly 70 percent have come after contact (1,638).
"He plays the game the way it's supposed to be played," head coach Mark Stoops said, also at SEC Media Days. "He makes very tough yards. He's been very reliable. I really appreciate what he's done."
Snell, a former three-star recruit who was ranked as the 56th-best running back in the 2016 class, enters what could be his final season at Kentucky as an All-America candidate, the best running back in the SEC and the best No. 26 in college football.
