More than three months ago, we set out to dissect what could be one of the tightest, most competitive college football divisions in years.

We broke down the SEC West offenses, defenses, coaching staffs and X factors. That gave us a predicted order of finish in the division.

Now that we’re closer to the season, we’re going to re-rank the division’s offenses and defenses. Since we last attacked this exercise, we’ve at least gotten some clarity about which newcomers will contribute, which players are healthy and what impact the new defensive coordinators will make.

Days before we enter the first game week, here’s how we rank the SEC West defenses from best to good.

1. OLE MISS REBELS

Strength: Creating turnovers

Weakness: Run defense

Best player: DT Robert Nkemdiche

You know that thumb-to-helmet look? The one with an open palm? Yeah, you know what I mean. Don’t pretend you aren’t aware of the Landshark defense.

Ole Miss boasted the No. 1 scoring defense in the country last year in large part due to its uncanny ability to wrest the ball from opposing offenses. Led by departed CB Senquez Golson’s 10 interceptions, Ole Miss led the SEC with 32 takeaways.

That ball-hawking mentality seems contagious with this team and its fans, and we don’t suspect it will disappear in 2015. According to an Ole Miss press release this week, junior college transfer CB Tony Bridges has made 10 interceptions in preseason camp.

Nkemdiche’s stats won’t wow you on paper. He often draws double teams and hasn’t made more than a few sacks in any one season from his defensive tackle outpost. But he’s nearly unblockable 1-on-1, and he has a penchant for tracking down ball-carriers and quarterbacks from the back side of plays. Marquis Haynes quietly can become an upper-tier SEC pass rusher, and converted end C.J. Johnson could be a decent middle linebacker. If those things happen, this group could be just as good as it was last year.

2. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Strength: Front seven

Weakness: Up-tempo offenses with mobile quarterbacks

Best player: LB Reggie Ragland

Woe to the offensive line that has to face this Tide defense without at least a few future NFL players.

Alabama could feature as many as four early-round NFL draft picks among its starting front seven: A’Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen, Jarran Reed and Reggie Ragland. Unless a team moves at hyper speed and can wear down these stars, this unit could resemble a brick wall against the run at times.

Whether due to injury or overall physical ability, Trey DePriest was a not-so-secret weakness for Alabama last season in that he couldn’t run sideline-to-sideline. The middle of the Tide defense was vulnerable to speedy players. But the continued development of Rashaan Evans, Reuben Foster and Shaun Dion Hamilton will make the linebacker corps faster and more athletic.

The real thrust of rating this defense is about the secondary. Can new position coach Mel Tucker turn around a unit that allowed an eye-opening 43 passing plays of at least 20 yards in 2014? (For comparison, the ’11 Alabama team gave up just 15.) If young five-star players Tony Brown, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey can offer significant contributions, it’s possible.

3. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

Strength: Depth at defensive line

Weakness: Linebacker

Best player: LB Brooks Ellis

Despite losing two NFL draft picks, Arkansas’ defensive line could be just as good. It now features eight fairly nameless (large) bodies that coordinator Robb Smith can rotate at will. Depth here has taken a major step forward.

Smith also did yeoman’s work with the team’s secondary last year. Henre’ Toliver could be a star this year. Jared Collins is a great tackler. This group quietly could be one of the most solid defensive backfields in the SEC.

The concern is at linebacker. Yes, the team is sliding Ellis to replace Martrell Spaight at the weakside spot, to which the team funnels a lot of plays. Coach Bret Bielema has been stumping for Ellis as a preseason All-SEC candidate, and he’s one of the conference’s better linebackers. But with Randy Ramsey no longer on the team and Khalia Hackett reportedly struggling at times in preseason practice, Arkansas is woefully thin here.

Put it this way: a 5-foot-10 walk-on could start for Arkansas at middle linebacker. Normally, that’s not the formula for a dominant SEC defense.

4. LSU TIGERS

Strength: Secondary depth

Weakness: Pass rush

Best player: CB Tre’Davious White

As if the constant drip of early-entry underclassmen from this unit wasn’t enough, the team also lost starters due to transfer and injury. Gone are Jalen Collins, Danielle Hunter, Kwon Alexander and Maquedius Bain. S Jalen Mills (leg) should at least miss the first two games of the season.

For all but a handful of defenses, that would be devastating. But LSU has the potential to perform as a top 10 unit nationally. Despite missing Mills for at least a portion of the season, the Tigers are particularly blessed at defensive back, and still could be the best secondary in the country. Linebacker Kendall Beckwith has All-SEC potential.

This unit hinges on whether the defensive line can perform. Davon Godchaux should help anchor a decent run defense that struggled early last year. But the losses of Hunter and Bain weaken an already-stale pass rush. New line coach Ed Orgeron has work to do up front.

5. AUBURN TIGERS

Strength: Veteran linebackers

Weakness: Depth in the secondary

Best player: DE Carl Lawson

The oversized presence of former Florida coach Will Muschamp has, for most outside of Auburn, eclipsed another development: the surge of talent at defensive line and in the secondary.

The Tigers wanted Lawson to return from a torn ACL during the 2014 season, but in the long run it sounds like this is an even better result, as coach Gus Malzahn has said the defensive end has been “unblockable” during preseason camp. DaVonte Lambert, the other starting end, also is back after a torn ACL. Five-star freshman Byron Cowart should add pass rush, and reports sound as if defensive tackle Montravius Adams finally is growing into his outsized potential.

Johnathan Ford and Jonathan Jones return in the secondary, which has added two power-conference transfers: Trey Matthews (Georgia) and Blake Countess (Michigan).

With two dependable senior linebackers, Auburn has the talent at all three levels to play much better on defense in 2015.

6. MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

Strength: Physicality

Weakness: Vulnerable to the deep ball

Best player: DT Chris Jones

To channel Yogi Berra, this may be the most experienced group of inexperienced players the SEC has seen in some time. Coach Dan Mullen made sure to substitute at every possible opportunity in 2014, perhaps anticipating the large exodus of starters.

The middle of this defense still should be stout, especially if Chris Jones can become an elite defensive tackle. Beniquez Brown, one of the most intelligent football players in the SEC, could also challenge for the conference lead in tackles. Richie Brown and Gerri Green also are going to be big contributors at linebacker, and the rest of the starting defensive line is solid.

Mississippi State is counting on cornerbacks Will Redmond and Taveze Calhoun to shore up a secondary that got shredded by deep passes far too often last season.

7. TEXAS A&M AGGIES

Strength: Pass rush

Weakness: Linebackers

Best player: DE Myles Garrett

In addition to Garrett, the best pure pass rusher in the SEC, new coordinator John Chavis decided to slide Julien Obioha to tackle and start Daeshon Hall at end. Garrett won’t be a one-man band this year with Chavis’ aggressive, one-gap schemes. This team should be able to get after some quarterbacks.

Armani Watts needs to learn to stick his nose into the middle of the field and hit somebody, but he and junior college transfer Justin Evans hold potential as a superstar safety tandem.

The linebackers and run defense need work, and the team’s cornerbacks aren’t close to the level at which Chavis is accustomed. Those aren’t issues that can be fixed in a few months, and the team is going to need another year or two to operate at a top 15 level nationally. But the Aggies are going to be a very tough team if the defense just makes tangible progress.