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.

Today's number: 58
Today's team: Florida


#58 Nick Alajajian, OT, Florida

And seen here in practice doing a stretch that looks like I could do without severely injuring myself:



Some background information: Like seemingly everyone deemed worthy enough to play for Urban Meyer by Urban Meyer, Alajajian was a highly-coveted high school recruit. While in high school, he did some impressive things like win a state championship, get on some all-star teams and have Meyer make eye contact with him and speak his first name. And in his true freshman season, he avoided the redshirt and played in seven games, while dressing out for all of them. Also, there's a chance Tim Tebow might know his name, which could be his most impressive feat so far. But most importantly for this Wednesday feature, he is the leader in the clubhouse for last name that is the hardest to pronounce. My tongue sort of collapses on itself when I try to make it through the minefield of j's and a's.

Greatest on-field accomplishment: He did not allow Tim Tebow to be injured during his time on the field. Granted, Tebow may not have been playing by the time Nick got in the game, but in that case he dutifully protected John Brantley. Although, after the infamous knock-out hit on Tebow,



I'm sure his coaches wanted to put him in to replace the offensive lineman that had just failed them, even though I still think it was Tebow's fault for not sliding right and recognizing that the end would be coming free.

Greatest off-the-field accomplishment: Has not joined the "Get to Know Your Gainesville Police Department," Florida Gators Football Team Chapter.

Way(s) in which he has embarrassed himself, his family, team and school: While Nick has kept himself on the right side of the law, I'll need to see the whole tat on his arm in the picture above to make a judgment call on it being placed in this section.

Strengths: Power, very physical, developed enough that he could see the field as a true freshman. Also, not physically and psychologically wilting in the face of an Urban Meyer death stare.

Weaknesses: Does not contribute speed to the fastest team in America, an idea so novel it took a genius like Meyer to bring it to our attention.

What to look for in 2010: More of the same for Alajajian. A smattering of conference game appearances (baring injury and further attacks on the law by Florida starting offensive tackles) and a healthy dose of playing time against the Charleston Southerns of Florida's schedule. So that means you'll see him hovering in the background of shots of offensive lineman being lectured to/screamed at/cursed at by their position coach, more or less acting as an umbrella for those who play. But, if you find yourself cursing at ESPN for not switching off a Florida blowout win as you impatiently wait for your game to start, you could very well see Nick paving the way for another Florida touchdown against Charleston Southern.