SEC's best players — No. 22 Anthony Dixon

No. 22 — Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State, junior running back

Why he's No. 22: Dixon rushed for 1,066 yards and 14 touchdowns last season as a sophomore, leading Mississippi State to its first bowl appearance since 2000. Expectations are even higher for his junior season. Dixon's combination of size (6-foot-1, 240 pounds), speed (4.56 time in the 40-yard dash) and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield makes him a matchup problem for opposing defenses.

Key number: 167. That's the number of receiving yards Dixon had last season, making him a dual threat on offense. Dixon also caught a pair of touchdown passes in 2007.

Fun fact: A Jackson, Miss., native, Dixon also was a standout prep baseball player. His younger brother, Rashaun Dixon, bypassed a chance to come to Mississippi State, choosing to play professional baseball after the Oakland Athletics picked him in the 10th round of last June's amateur draft.