SEC Network’s Peter Burns ranks top 5 SEC nicknames

From “Prime Time” to “The Refrigerator,” football history is full of incredible nicknames that have persisted well beyond their time. With SEC football just three weeks away, SEC Network college football analyst Peter Burns has assembled a list of his top SEC nicknames of all time.

The list features stars from the 1990s to the 2010s at a variety of positions and schools across the conference.

Here is a look at Burns’ top five SEC nicknames of all time:

5. Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, RB (Auburn)

Williams played at Auburn from 2001-04, playing 42 career games. He ran for 3,831 yards and 45 touchdowns in his college career before playing seven seasons in the NFL. Williams is now a running backs coach at Auburn.

4. Jared “Hefty Lefty” Lorenzen, QB (Kentucky)

Lorenzen became an instant star at Kentucky starting 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2000. He finished his college career with 10,354 yards and 78 touchdowns, adding 283 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Lorenzen spent five seasons in the NFL before spending the rest of his career as a player and administrator in a variety of leagues. He passed away on July 3, 2019 following health complications derived from his struggle with obesity.

3. Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack, OL (Mississippi State)

Womack played on the offensive line at Mississippi State in the late 90s and early 2000s. The 6-foot-4, 328-pound lineman is a Mississippi native who was a first-team All-SEC members and second-team All-American. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2001 and spent 11 seasons in the NFL with three teams.

2. Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu, DB (LSU)

Mathieu is the lone defensive player to crack the top five of this list. He was a consensus All-American and Heisman trophy finalist during the 2011 season. His versatility and high-impact playstyle have led to a successful professional career and a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s.

1. Johnny “Football” Manziel, QB (Texas A&M)

Manziel is a Heisman Trophy winner and the most accomplished college player to crack the list. He threw for 7,820 yards and 63 touchdowns in two seasons, adding 2,169 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns. While his professional career did not live up to its potential, Manziel remains one of the most recognizable names in college football history.

Other notable names

Making the cut for the top five is a tall task with the many nicknames throughout the years. Some of the notable names to miss the cut include Anthony “Booger” McFarland from LSU, GaQuincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry from Alabama, Eddie “Meat Cleaver” Weaver, among others.

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