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Georgia Football: Two bulldogs ranked in SI’s top-100 so far

By Kyle Funderburk

Nick Chubb (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Nick Chubb (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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ATHENS, GA – NOVEMBER 15: Georgia football running back Nick Chubb (#27) carries the ball for a second half touchdown against the Auburn Tigers at Sanford Stadium on November 15, 2014 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATHENS, GA – NOVEMBER 15: Georgia football running back Nick Chubb (#27) carries the ball for a second half touchdown against the Auburn Tigers at Sanford Stadium on November 15, 2014 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Sports Illustrated recently released the first half of their top-100 players of 2017 countdown. Two Georgia football players are ranked so far.

Related Story: Nick Chubb's potential in the NFL

As many publications do, Sports Illustrated is counting down the top-100 players going into the 2017 season. Last week, SI released the list of players ranked no. 100 through no. 51. The rest of the countdown will be released weekly by groups of 10.

So far, a pair of Georgia football players have appeared on this list and one is surprising for the wrong reason. Nick Chubb, of all players, was ranked no. 66 by Sports Illustrated.

Eric Single had this to say about Chubb on the countdown:

"Chubb raised plenty of eyebrows by returning to Athens after an up-and-down junior year in which he only occasionally flashed the explosiveness of the first season and a half of his college career. The Bulldogs’ backfield is crowded, thanks to Sony Michel’s equally surprising decision to turn down the draft, and even with the potential for a more conservative workload, Chubb risks a repeat of the knee injury that cut short his 2015 season—this time with higher stakes for his NFL stock. When healthy, he’s shown he can be the best back in the SEC on a given Saturday."

So are we assuming that Chubb won’t be healthy for a full season? If he can be the best back in the SEC when he’s healthy, does that not warrant at least entry into the top-35?

Chubb is going for his third 1,000 yard season, an accomplishment that only Herschel Walker has achieved in Athens. He’s also going for Lars Tate’s school record for rushing yards in a senior season.

And of course, Chubb is always in the Heisman conversation in some fashion which makes his spot at no. 66 even more confusing. Any player who can be on a short list of Heisman contenders in June, is at least a top-35 player.

Regardless, this is just a preseason countdown. As weeks go on, and if Chubb stays healthy, he’ll prove that he belongs to be higher on this countdown.

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