The SEC's 25 Best Players: No. 5 AJ McCarron

ESPN is ranking the Top 25 players in the SEC in 2013, and we will be featuring the Top 15 on the SEC Rant. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron came in at No. 5.

The ranking is based solely on performance during the 2013 season, and is based on how players performed in key games and clutch situations. Here is what ESPN had to say about McCarron:

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The next player in our countdown should be plenty familiar with SEC fans. A three-year starter, he became the face of a program and a conference.

He went from a “game manager” to Heisman Trophy contender in the span of a season, ultimately finishing second to Jameis Winston in the award balloting. McCarron threw for 3,036 yards, 28 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Though a rough Sugar Bowl performance soured an otherwise successful senior season, he wind up a respectable 11th nationally in Adjusted QBR (82.7)

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The rest of the pack:
No. 6: Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina
No. 7: Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt
No. 8: Michael Sam, DE, Missouri, Sr.
No. 9: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M, Sr.
No. 10: Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia, Sr.
No. 11: Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn, So.
No. 12: Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU, So.
No. 13: Dee Ford, DE, Auburn, Sr.
No. 14: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia, So.
No. 15: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina, Jr.
No. 16: Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, LSU, Jr.
No. 17: Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri, Jr.
No. 18: T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama, So.
No. 19: Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU, Jr.
No. 20: Cody Prewitt, S, Ole Miss, Jr.
No. 21: Nick Marshall, QB, Auburn, Jr.
No. 22: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama, Jr.
No. 23: Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State, Sr.
No. 24: Kenny Ladler, S, Vanderbilt, Sr.
No. 25: E.J. Gaines, CB, Missouri, Jr.