There's no truth to the rumor that the next player in our countdown has been playing for eight seasons in the SEC. It just seems that way to opposing defenses.
No. 5: Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia, Sr.
2012 summary: Murray set Georgia's single-season records for passing yards (3,893), touchdowns accounted for (39) and touchdown passes (36). He finished the season second in the country with a passer rating of 174.82 and became the first quarterback in SEC history to have 3,000 passing yards in three straight seasons. Murray completed 64.5 percent of his passes and threw 10 interceptions.
Most recent ranking: Ranked No. 13 in the 2012 postseason countdown.
Making the case for Murray: From the time he took over the Bulldogs' starting quarterback duties as a redshirt freshman in 2010, Murray has been incredibly productive. He has a chance to join Oklahoma's Landry Jones and Boise State's Kellen Moore as the only quarterbacks in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. Over his past two seasons, Murray has thrown 71 touchdown passes. He needs just 20 touchdown passes this season to surpass Florida's Danny Wuerffel as the SEC's career leader in touchdown passes. Wuerffel threw 114 touchdown passes from 1993-96. What's missing on Murray's resume is an SEC championship, even though he put Georgia in position to win one last season in the heartbreaking 32-28 loss to Alabama in the SEC championship game. He's quarterbacked the Bulldogs to the SEC championship game each of the past two seasons, and a big reason he came back for his senior season was to finish the job. Murray's been extremely durable, and his toughness is unquestioned. He's made 41 career starts, and regardless of whether or not he gets that coveted SEC championship ring this season, he'll go down as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in league history.
The rundown
No. 6: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M, Sr.
No. 7: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama, So.
No. 8: C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama, Sr.
No. 9: Anthony Johnson, DT, LSU, Jr.
No. 10: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama, Jr.
No. 11: T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama, So.
No. 12: Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee, Jr.
No. 13: Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida, Jr.
No. 14: Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt, Sr.
No. 15: Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss, Jr.
No. 16: Dominique Easley, DT, Florida, Sr.
No. 17: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M, RSo.
No. 18: Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State, Sr.
No. 19: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama, Jr.
No. 20: Chris Smith, DE, Arkansas, Sr.
No. 21: Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Georgia, So.
No. 22: Craig Loston, S, LSU, Sr.
No. 24: Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia, So.
No. 25: Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida, Jr.
