Get to Know Your SEC Football Players

It's Wednesday, which means it's time to get to know a little bit more (or just anything at all) about one of the Southeastern Conference's football players. Now when this player succeeds, massively fails or is shown milling around in the background of a TV shot, you'll know that his greatest off-the-field accomplishment involves the sale and transportation of hobos. Or something like that.

The team of the player selected is chosen through a super-secret process which I cannot reveal, however, the number of the player is randomly chosen by visiting www.random.org and using whatever number is spat out from its random-creating machine.

One administrative note before we get started here, next week will feature a player from Mississippi State, which will round out all the schools in the SEC. So two weeks from today, all schools will be back in the random selection process.

Today's number: 13
Today's team: Ole Miss


#13 Raymond Cotton, QB, Ole Miss

Some background information: Well, we progress from walk-ons to back-ups this week, which is a slow but solid improvement. Raymond represents Houston Nutt's first quarterback recruit while at Ole Miss. Of the athletic, strong-armed variety, he was expected to challenge Nathan Stanley for the starting quarterback job in the spring thanks to (and yes, I mean THANKS TO) Jevan Snead's departure to the NFL. Unfortunately for Raymond, he was diagnosed with a partial tear in the labrum of his right shoulder (his throwing shoulder). He did participate in spring practice, but was limited in action, much to the chagrin of Houston Nutt, who knows (but will never admit publicly) that Nathan Stanley is not and will not be reliable.

Raymond will forgo surgery on his shoulder until after the 2010 season, or maybe not. Who knows. What we do know is that Ole Miss' quarterback depth chart has a starter that no one has confidence in, a quarterback with a torn labrum and a junior college transfer. However, know this: there is a 1 billion percent chance the three of them will not come close to throwing 20 interceptions next season. While they may suck, they will not give the ball away like...well, there is no pop culture or sports comparison to what Jevan Snead accomplished last year.

Greatest on-field accomplishment: Has not occurred in actual competition, but in the spring game (I know it doesn't really count) he was highly effective, going 5 of 7 for 178 yards and 2 TDs.

Greatest off-the-field accomplishment: Possibly sitting through a Houston Nutt in-home recruiting visit without laughing at the quick-speaking, seemingly scatterbrained man.

Way(s) in which he has embarrassed himself, his family, team and school: A walker of the straight and narrow is he. So far.

Strengths: Athleticism, arm strength, size, well-groomed facial hair.

Weaknesses: His example to follow threw 20 picks in 13 games (33 in 26 games), something important is torn in his throwing shoulder, did not do enough to even challenge Nathan Stanley.

What to expect in 2010: You should be able to see many shots of Raymond next year as he helps signal plays in or just stands in the general vicinity of Houston Nutt. If...scratch that, when Nathan Stanley produces nothing, Raymond may get some face time on the actual field of play. Certainly there's not much faith in a guy with a bum shoulder, but given the Orgeron-like offensive productivity expected to take place in 2010, he'll at least have a chance as Houston Nutt will play no less than 23 people at quarterback in the fall.