A 2022 bounce-back candidate for every SEC West program

Every SEC school has someone — very likely more than one — person looking for a bounce-back season in 2022. 

Maybe they were injured in 2021. Or suspended. Academically ineligible. Or just didn’t play very well last fall. 

Thanks to the transfer portal, lots of former top recruits are hoping for a fresh start at a new school, too. 

So with that in mind, here’s a comeback candidate — however that bounce-back season should be defined — for every SEC West program in 2022.

Alabama — DBs Eli Ricks and Malachi Moore

The Tide has a pair of former blue-chip defensive backs eying bounce-back seasons after battling various injuries in 2021. Ricks is a former 5-star prospect who was awesome as a freshman at LSU in 2020 — particularly in man coverage. Ricks played in just six games last season after suffering a significant shoulder injury. He’s a perfect fit in Alabama’s aggressive pattern-matching scheme. He has to win a starting job during training camp first, and is currently battling a minor back injury, but his former Tigers teammate Jack Bech strongly believes in Ricks’ talent.

“He’s one of the best cornerbacks I’ve played against, and obviously gone up against some pretty good people,” Bech told On3 at SEC Media Days. 

“Alabama is definitely getting a ball player.”

Similarly, Malachi Moore was an instant impact freshman in 2020, but 2021 was a disappointing season for the Alabama native, who struggled to perform with a lingering foot injury all year. 

Two years ago, Moore was an All-SEC performer, stuffing the stat sheet with 44 tackles, nine pass breakups, three interceptions and a couple of sacks. He had just 17 total tackles in 2021, ceding his starting STAR/nickel spot to Brian Branch. With his explosiveness back, per Alabama teammates, can Moore return to his 2020 form?

Arkansas — DB Jalen Catalon

The Hogs’ fourth-year safety missed most of the 2021 season after tearing his labrum in a loss to Ole Miss, but the thumping safety returned to school this fall — hoping to improve his future NFL Draft stock. 

Catalan played well (46 tackles, two picks) before getting hurt, but he has first-team All-SEC potential if he plays like he did in 2020 when he totaled 99 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in just 10 games. 

Along with linebacker Bumper Pool, the safety figures to be the centerpiece of Barry Odom’s defense. 

Auburn — HC Bryan Harsin

I’m cheating a bit on this one, but it’s my column. My rules! Although quarterbacks Zach Calzada and TJ Finley are both hoping for bounce-back seasons, no one on the Plains is a more obvious comeback candidate than head coach Bryan Harsin. 

The former Boise State HC defiantly fired back at the folks who ginned up a faux investigation to get Harsin fired after a disappointing 7-6 season in Year 1 with the Tigers. 

The attempted coup failed, and the off-season turmoil actually seemed to galvanize Auburn as a team. Harsin has eased up on his assistants and connected more with players this summer.

Still, this is a win-loss profession, so Harsin’s 

record this fall will still determine his ultimate fate with the Tigers. 

If he manages to see Year 3 at Auburn, Harsin won’t just be the program’s most obvious comeback candidate — but the likely SEC Coach of the Year.

LSU — QB Jayden Daniels 

Really, LSU has more comeback (or bounce back) candidates than any SEC school not named Georgia in 2022.

Wideout Kayshon Boutte is healthy after scoring nine touchdowns in just six games last season but missing half the year due to a leg injury. Meanwhile, former 5-star John Emory is expected to be LSU’s starting running back after sitting out all of 2021 with off-the-field issues. 

And yet, the Tigers’ two most intriguing comeback candidates were two guys battling for the team’s starting quarterback job. 

Myles Brennan is now removed from consideration after opting to end his college career earlier this week, which slides Daniels to the forefront. The former Arizona State transfer is potentially set up for a big bounce-back year after consecutive disappointing seasons with the Sun Devils. A dual-threat talent, Daniels has rarely looked like the promising freshman (17 touchdowns to two interceptions) who was one of the more dynamic and exciting QBs in the country. If he can solve some of his accuracy woes, then Daniels could be the perfect fit in Mike Denbrock’s heavy RPO offense. 

Mississippi State — DE Jordan Davis

The Memphis native missed all of 2021 with a torn ACL, but is back in action this fall, looking to provide juice to the Bulldogs’ middling pass rush. 

Davis has taken a winding road to this point in his college career, committing to Alabama out of high school but never enrolling with the Tide. He played two seasons of JUCO ball before going to MSU in 2020, where he recorded 22 tackles as a reserve. 

The 6-4, 270-pound pass rusher was the buzz of Bulldogs’ camp a year ago before getting hurt, so maybe 2022 is when the former 4-star recruit can truly showcase his talent.

“He brings a lot of energy to the position. He’s a big, physical strong guy,” Mississippi State DL coach Jeff Phelps said recently. 

“He’s still learning because obviously missed all of last year. But he’s right on schedule, we feel good about where he’s at, and hopefully, we can keep going in the right direction.”

Ole Miss — WR Jonathan Mingo

One of the Rebels’ representatives at SEC Media Days, Mingo is the team’s lone returning receiver of note despite missing over half of 2021 with an injury. 

With so many new faces in Oxford, Mingo is hoping to lead the Rebels’ receiver room as the team’s go-to target. 

Physically imposing at 6-2, 225 pounds, Mingo has a skill set and frame that reminds Rebels fans of former All-SEC wideout AJ Brown. The production and consistency haven’t been there for Mingo yet, though (900 career yards and seven touchdowns), but perhaps that changes in his final season in Oxford.  

Texas A&M — QB Haynes King

King won the Aggies’ starting job in 2021, beating out now-Auburn QB Zach Calzada. But his reign as QB1 lasted less than two games after the athletic gun-slinger broke his leg in Week 2 against Colorado. 

With limited experience, King remains all potential. Total projection. He has a unique skill set as a former multi-sports star, and his ability to make plays outside the pocket could be the difference in winning the starting job over LSU transfer Max Johnson and 5-star freshman Conner Weigman. 

King has the most experience in Jimbo Fisher’s system, too, which is a boost. 

But aside from last season’s injury, a lack of consistency — in practice and games — has plagued the Longview, Texas native. He tossed three interceptions in the opener last season and wasn’t great in A&M’s spring game either. 

King has reportedly had a strong start in training camp, positioning himself for a big bounce-back season.