SEC power rankings: Do surprises emerge with spring ball complete?

Spring soccer has come and gone. The brand new faces underneath heart and on the headset throughout the SEC have made their first appearances.

Alabama has a pair of recent coordinators. No less than 5 colleges throughout the SEC will probably be breaking in a brand new quarterback, together with Georgia and Alabama. None has extra hype than the man at … Kentucky?

And that variety of new quarterbacks might develop as competitions warmth up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS94JTBAO0I

1. Georgia

This spring, Carson Beck seemingly seized management of the chance to exchange Stetson Bennett. The Bulldogs nonetheless have Brock Bowers and added a pair of beginning SEC receivers to bolster Beck’s weapons: Mississippi State’s Rara Thomas and Missouri’s Dominic Lovett. And don’t be stunned if the protection takes a step ahead after ending merely fifteenth in yards per play final season. The 2-time defending nationwide champs will most likely begin the season at No. 1 and have a really actual shot at a three-peat.

The Tigers seemingly have two successful SEC quarterbacks on the roster in Heisman contender Jayden Daniels and backup Garrett Nussmeier, who torched Georgia’s protection within the Tigers’ blowout loss within the SEC title recreation. They’ll work behind an skilled offensive line that needs to be improved. Edge rusher Harold Perkins is perhaps prepared for a Heisman-caliber season, too. Plus, the Tigers get freshman All-American defensive deal with Maason Smith again after he missed almost all of 2022 with a torn ACL. Malik Nabers is a legit No. 1 receiver, and Brian Kelly already received the West in Yr 1. The concept the Tide needs to be favored to unseat them doesn’t make a ton of sense.

3. Alabama

Alabama has expertise, but it surely lacks expertise. For now. Alabama added Notre Dame’s Tyler Buchner to a crowded quarterbacks group, however the protection will have to be higher to show the Crimson Tide again right into a title contender in what needs to be a contentious SEC West race. Buchner is extra skilled than Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson, however he’s not a returning Heisman winner, both.

Nick Saban has two new coordinators in Kevin Steele and Tommy Rees, and Alabama has lots to show at receiver after an underwhelming 2022 for a unit that has extra usually been a energy in latest seasons and produced a Heisman winner.

Josh Heupel has Tennessee in place to reload, even after dropping Hendon Hooker, Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. Bru McCoy might blossom right into a No. 1 receiver, and Oregon switch receiver Dont’e Thornton is a stable portal pickup. Linebacker Keenan Pili, a former crew captain at BYU, also needs to bolster a protection that will enhance. However the Vols will seemingly go so far as quarterback Joe Milton can take them. He’s prepared for his second act as beginning quarterback after dropping the job to Hooker midseason in 2021. If he thrives, he might be a first-round choose this time subsequent 12 months.

5. Ole Miss

The Rebels return quarterback Jaxson Dart, however added a few large portal pickups on the place in Walker Howard from LSU and the skilled Spencer Sanders from Oklahoma State. Zach Evans could also be gone however Quinshon Judkins is a sleeper for the Heisman Trophy. The Rebels are hopeful new coordinator Pete Golding from Alabama may help shore up a protection that ranked forty eighth in yards per play final season.

6. Texas A&M

The wedding between Jimbo Fisher and new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino is many issues, however chief amongst them it’s must-see TV. On paper, if the personalities mesh effectively it might assist revitalize a proficient however underachieving offense led by quarterback Conner Weigman and receiver Evan Stewart. If the 2 headstrong teaching legends don’t mesh, A&M’s $95 million Jimbo experiment may have reached some extent the place an answer looks like a close to impossibility.

Will Texas A&M’s offense and QB Conner Weigman be extra constant underneath the Bobby Petrino-Jimbo Fisher combo? (Daniel Dunn / USA At the moment)

7. Kentucky

The Wildcats went from hitting the reset button at quarterback to grabbing the perfect passer within the switch portal. Including Devin Leary from NC State and reuniting with Liam Coen has introduced loads of pleasure and optimism to Lexington this offseason.

Few, if any, groups had a greater end than South Carolina, which closed the common season with a rout of Tennessee and a highway win over rival Clemson. Shane Beamer has parlayed that into recruiting success, however he additionally returns quarterback Spencer Rattler and receiver Juice Wells for brand new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.

Sam Pittman misplaced offensive coordinator Kendal Briles to TCU and defensive coordinator Barry Odom to UNLV as head coach. KJ Jefferson is again and would be the SEC’s finest returning quarterback, however the Razorbacks will face some stress after struggling irritating losses within the last month of the season to Liberty and Missouri. Dan Enos is again in Fayetteville as OC, and Travis Williams arrives as DC from UCF underneath Gus Malzahn.

10. Florida

The Gators are nonetheless trying to find a solution at quarterback, however Billy Napier’s underwhelming Yr 1 means there will probably be stress for him in Gainesville. He’s recruited effectively however wants a Yr 2 bump in a sport with much less persistence than ever.

Hugh Freeze inherits a proud program mired in a valley and doesn’t inherit a longtime quarterback, although Robby Ashford might be the favourite to win the job. The offensive line was gutted, however Freeze added a dozen transfers to bolster a roster that went 5-7 and 2-6 in SEC play final 12 months. Eight of these dozen are four-star transfers in 247Sports Composite ranking.

12. Mississippi State

Will Rogers returns and first-year coach Zach Arnett is an unknown entity, however the Bulldogs protection ranked thirty eighth in yards per play final 12 months. Arnett is handing off play-calling duties to Matt Brock within the meantime. Offensively, the Bulldogs will run the ball a bit extra underneath new OC Kevin Barbay, and main receiver Jo’quavious Marks is again for his senior season after three years as a co-lead again with Dillon Johnson.

13. Missouri

The Tigers haven’t solved their quarterback quandary however introduced in Miami’s Jake Garcia to compete with Brady Cook dinner, who sat out the spring with an damage. 5-star receiver Luther Burden stiff-armed the switch portal, however Bush Hamdan, who took over play-calling duties late final season as quarterbacks coach, left to be Boise State’s official offensive coordinator. Shedding defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat to Arkansas and receiver Dominic Lovett to Georgia are each large losses, however the Tigers did add receiver Theo Wease from Oklahoma.

14. Vanderbilt

Clark Lea beat Florida and Kentucky in consecutive weeks final 12 months, late in his second season on the helm. He’ll attempt to hold that rolling within the fall, however the Commodores should get higher on each strains and wish a breakout season from A.J. Swann at quarterback after he confirmed a ton of promise in 2022 taking up for Mike Wright.

 (Picture of Joe Milton III: Eakin Howard / Getty Photographs)