Jul 152 min read

Spotlight on Players at SEC Media Days: Day 1

The 2024 Southeastern Conference Media Days will be held in Dallas for the first time July 15-18. On Day 1 of the event, contingents of coaches and players from LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt will attend to answer questions and to talk up their teams ahead of the most anticipated college football season in history.

Here is a look at some of the top SEC players who will be dressed for success and ready to seize Day 1 at arguably the premier media event in college sports.

LSU Tigers

Coach Brian Kelly will lead his trio of players into "Big D" and will be the first to address the media. LB Harold Perkins Jr. returns to the great State of Texas where he had a stellar prep career and is one of the best and brightest of the Fighting Tigers going into the 2024 season.

Perkins has been a staple in the middle of the LSU defense since he was a teenage freshman. In 2023, Perkins did everything for LSU, on both sides of the ball. On offense, Perkins scored a rushing touchdown against Wisconsin in the bowl game. On defense, Perkins led the Tigers with 13 tackles for loss, while also racking up 75 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 1 INT. Perkins has been named a Walter Camp Preseason All-American.

Ole Miss Rebels

The "Lane Train" rolls into Dallas with high expectations in 2024. Arguably one of the most complete teams this season, coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels will have a much-improved defense to complement a talented offense. An important piece of that offense is WR Tre Harris. The highly productive Harris posted five games of more than 100 yards receiving, including 11 catches for 213 yards and a touchdown in a 38-35 win against Texas A&M. Four times last season, Harris averaged more than 20 yards per catch.

Vanderbilt Commodores

Coach Clark Lea will drop anchor in the middle of the Omni Dallas Hotel, albeit while trying to put out the flames on his backside because his coaching seat is a raging inferno. Lea will be accompanied by safety CJ Taylor. Taylor is coming off a 2023 season that saw him post 55 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and 2 INTs.

South Carolina Gamecocks

Coach Shane Beamer will come to Dallas with one of the most productive linebackers in the SEC returning from last year’s squad in Debo Williams.

Williams was third in the SEC in tackles with 113 stops and earned second team All-SEC honors. Seven times last season, Williams posted double-digit tackles, including four games in a row. In addition, Williams recorded 9 tackles for loss. For the 2024 version of Gamecocks football, Williams leads a defense that returns eight starters.

Day 1 of SEC Media Days will have star power and some interesting sound bites.