Kentucky RB Benny Snell: “I Am the Best Running Back in the SEC”

When you think of running backs in the Southeastern Conference, schools like Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Georgia come to mind. But the best back in the league for 2018 might just be in Lexington, Kentucky.

Benny Snell, Jr. won't get the national acclaim that many players receive when they have his credentials - some of that might be the fact that he plays at basketball-crazy Kentucky - but fans will soon come to know the name. In the history of the running back-rich SEC, only three players have amassed 2,424 yards and 31 career rushing touchdowns before their junior season: Herschel Walker, Leonard Fournette, and, you guessed it, Benny Snell. But the junior's name doesn't come up as much as you would expect for someone in that elite company.

"I always feel that I'm always being doubted, that I don't get enough credit," Snell said. "Guys are put over me. Teams are put over Kentucky. That just gives me the motive to just go harder each year so we can get better."

And it's been that way for years. Snell wanted to play in the Big Ten growing up but Urban Meyer and his staff overlooked the hometown kid.

"Coming into high school, I was always an Ohio State guy. I wanted to be a hometown hero, but that wasn't the case. I found myself at camps being the best one and still guys were getting running back MVPs and all that when I was the best one. I know I was.

"I'm forever going to keep this chip on my shoulder and I'm going to continue running hard."

Expect him to finally start joining the conversation nationally in 2018. Snell is the top returning rusher in the conference and one of only three players back that gained over 1,000 yards last year, and he feels strongly that his time is now.

"I am the best running back in the SEC."

Watch what else he said from SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Monday in the video below.

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