Welcome to part three of our four-part Devy series, where I highlight the top Devy assets from each team within the Power 4 conferences. Today, we’re diving into the SEC. Just a quick reminder — all my picks are based on a Superflex, PPR, and Tight End Premium scoring format. If you missed the previous articles covering the B1G and Big 12, be sure to check them out below!
We have several big-time prospects to cover in this edition, so let’s not waste any time.
Texas – QB Arch Manning
My Devy QB2 overall (behind a guy we’ll be discussing shortly), Arch Manning, is finally set to take over the reins in Austin this season. Arch looked great in limited action last season, tossing nine touchdowns on just 90 attempts with an adjusted completion percentage of 76.5%. He also showed off his wheels on numerous occasions, putting up 108 rush yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Arch still needs to prove it on the field, but he’s about as safe as a projection-based bet could be, given the bloodlines.
Georgia – RB Nate Frazier
While Frazier is my Devy RB6 and my 24th overall Devy prospect, I’m not entirely sold quite yet. Nate had a big role as a true freshman for the Bulldogs, splitting the backfield with Trevor Etienne and rushing for 668 yards and eight touchdowns. There’s no doubt this raw production is rare for a freshman, especially in the SEC. That said, Frazier’s underlying metrics are pretty worrisome. He averaged just 2.8 yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A), had a breakaway run rate of under 25%, and only managed to force 21 missed tackles on 133 attempts. On top of this, Frazier was used sparingly in the receiving game. If we don’t see a significant improvement in efficiency in Year 2 from Frazier, I can see him dropping in my rankings.
Tennessee – WR Mike Matthews
With Nico Iamaleava transferring to UCLA and Dylan Sampson heading to the NFL, there aren’t many remaining prospects on this Volunteer roster receiving buzz from a Devy perspective. The one guy I’m still holding out hope for is Mike Matthews, a former five-star recruit heading into his second season. Matthews should be stepping into that X-receiver role with an experienced QB in Joey Aguilar throwing him the football, so there’s a real chance at a sophomore-year breakout here. The top three receivers in 2024 (Thornton, McCoy, White) are all gone in 2025, making this an excellent opportunity for Matthews to shine.
Missouri – RB Ahmad Hardy
Hardy transferred to the SEC after an insane true freshman campaign for LA Monroe, where he rushed for over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. He finished 11th in the FBS in rush yards, 6th in yards after contact, and 3rd in missed tackles forced in 2024. This will be a massive step up in competition, so we’ll see how he fares in Year 2. Two of Hardy’s worst games as a freshman came against Texas and Auburn, but LA Monroe was wildly outmatched across the board in those matchups, so it’s hard to pull much information from that. Hardy is currently my RB21 and 70th overall Devy prospect.
Ole Miss – RB Shekai Mills-Knight
We’re going with a true freshman for my Ole Miss selection in Shekai Mills-Knight. Knight is a four-star recruit with a solid frame (6’3″, 220 lbs.) and workhorse potential. He doesn’t have elite burst or breakaway speed, but it’s sufficient for his size, and he displays excellent strength and contact balance when running between the tackles. I didn’t see much on his high school tape in terms of receiving work, but from what I did see, he appears to have reliable hands. I’m not expecting him to lead this backfield in touches as a true freshman, but at the same time, it wouldn’t shock me if that were the case.
Alabama – WR Ryan Williams
My Devy WR2 and 2nd overall Devy prospect (after Jeremiah Smith, obviously), Ryan Williams, has an elite fantasy ceiling and an incredibly safe floor. Think DeVonta Smith meets Jameson Williams. This kid is lightning quick, knows how to separate, and once he gets the ball in his hands, it’s showtime. As a true freshman for Alabama, Williams posted a stat line of 87 targets, 48 receptions, 865 yards, and eight touchdowns. Expect Williams to build on these numbers each of the next two seasons and declare for the 2027 NFL Draft, where he’ll be in the mix to go Top 10.
LSU – QB Garrett Nussmeier
Nussmeier had the opportunity to declare for the 2025 Draft but elected to stay one more season at LSU, which I believe will prove to be a wise choice. Nuss is a bit smaller in stature but has a big arm and can fit the football into tight windows at all levels. He needs to improve his footwork and processing abilities, but he’s close. I think this is a future NFL starter. Nussmeier is my QB4 and my 9th overall Devy prospect.
South Carolina – QB LaNorris Sellers
We’ve made it to my Devy QB1 overall. LaNorris Sellers showed us what kind of fantasy production he can bring to the table, throwing for over 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 674 rush yards and seven touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in the SEC. The biggest red flag is Sellers’ ball protection, fumbling the football a whopping 11 times in 2024. He’ll need to clean this up in 2025 to stay in my QB1 spot.
Just in terms of fantasy upside, though, nobody compares to Sellers from a Devy perspective. Not even Jeremiah Smith. Sellers is a much riskier bet, but if he hits his 90th percentile outcome, he’s a Top 3 startup pick by Year 2 in the NFL. Sellers has a monster arm and has the strength and build to shed tacklers and create with his legs. He could be the next Cam Newton or Josh Allen.
Texas A&M – WR Kevin Concepcion
After a Freshman All-American season in 2023 at NC State, Concepcion was going early in Devy startups and supplemental drafts. He finished the season with 105 targets, 72 receptions, 845 yards, and 10 touchdowns, adding another 320 yards on the ground. In hindsight, this production was slightly fraudulent, with a number of manufactured touches going Concepcion’s way in Year 1. He took a big step back in 2024, getting outproduced by Justin Joly and Noah Rogers from a yards perspective.
Fast forward to today, and Concepcion is looking to rebound after transferring to Texas A&M. With Micah Hudson heading back to Texas Tech, I expect Concepcion to be the WR1 here, but he will have some competition behind him with Mario Craver, Terry Bussey, and Jerome Myles.
Florida – QB DJ Lagway
The former five-star dual-threat quarterback saw some action as a true freshman for the Gators in 2024, throwing for just under 2,000 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season. This is officially Lagway’s team as we head into 2025, and he has several exciting prospects around him who could make some real noise and help elevate his game. The one thing I’ll be looking to see from Lagway in Year 2 is his rushing upside. We didn’t see much of it in Year 1, but we know the athleticism is there, so I’m hoping to see him utilize his legs more this season.
Arkansas – RB Braylen Russell
Braylen Russell isn’t getting much consideration in Devy circles but might be a sneaky good breakout candidate to bet on in 2025. As a true freshman, Russell was stuck behind Ja’Quinden Jackson but still managed to earn 67 rush attempts for 354 yards, finding the endzone three times. He didn’t do anything particularly spectacular last season, but he’s in a spot where he could be the clear bellcow in this backfield if he starts out strong. Russell is a massive back, standing at 6’1″ and 240 lbs. That could mean quite a few high-value touches at the next level if he hits his potential.
Vanderbilt – TE Eli Stowers
Starting his career as a quarterback, Eli Stowers may not be quite as polished as some other top tight end prospects, but his athleticism is undeniable. Stowers transferred from Texas A&M to New Mexico State as a redshirt sophomore, where he found some success at the position, catching 35 balls for 366 yards and a pair of scores. He then transferred again to Vanderbilt, building on those numbers and recording 50 receptions, 644 yards, and five touchdowns. At 6’4″ and 235 lbs, size is a legitimate concern here. He may be worth a last-round dart throw in Devy supplemental drafts to see if he dominates in 2025. You have to give it to Stowers; he’s caught on quickly to the position.
Oklahoma – RB Taylor Tatum
This one was a tough decision for me. I currently have Tatum, John Mateer, Jaydn Ott, and Deion Burks all between 89th and 96th overall in my Devy ranks, so take your pick. I thought Tatum showed some promise as a true freshman last season, but with the addition of Ott, plus the return of Barnes and Robinson, Tatum could easily get lost in the mix here. I think he has the highest Dynasty ceiling of the bunch, and I am willing to practice patience here; maybe Tatum will break out in 2026 and declare early.
Auburn – WR Cam Coleman
There’s a lot of talent to pick from in the Auburn offense, but for me, the easy pick is Cam Coleman. While overshadowed by the freshman-year breakouts from Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams, Coleman still had himself one heck of a year. He nearly hit 600 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2024 and should be receiving a significant QB upgrade in Jackson Arnold. That said, he’ll have some real target competition this coming season. In addition to Malcolm Simmons returning and Perry Thompson fighting for routes, Eric Singleton Jr. is coming over from Georgia Tech. There won’t be enough volume to go around for all these guys to put up thousand-yard seasons.
Kentucky – RB Dante Dowdell
Dowdell is on his third team in three years, having started his career at Oregon before transferring to Nebraska in 2024. He’s a pretty uninspiring rusher from what I’ve seen, and the underlying metrics support this, with just 4.3 YPA, 2.75 YCO/A, and a 12% juke rate this past season. I don’t expect Dowdell to ever hit our Dynasty rosters, but with Dane Key and Barion Brown transferring out, there aren’t any Devy assets left here.
Mississippi State – RB Fluff Bothwell
Fluff Bothwell is a pretty fun prospect, in my opinion, coming off a nice season for South Alabama in 2024, where he rushed for 838 yards and 13 touchdowns. Don’t get me wrong, this is a dart throw. There’s a real chance Bothwell is a committee back or even a handcuff at Mississippi State. But I still like the upside here, and you could grab him with the final pick in your Devy supplemental drafts for basically no cost.
Bothwell was an incredibly efficient rusher for South Alabama in 2024. Whether that was just due to the low level of competition remains to be seen. At 5’10 and 230 lbs, he can grind out the tough runs and break tackles with ease. I’m looking forward to seeing how he fares in the SEC.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
