No quarterbacks allowed here. The SEC’s signal callers get enough attention as it is.

After reading through an analysis of the most important positions for the league’s playoff contenders by ESPN’s Sam Kahn Jr., I went through the entire league to assess what the most important non-quarterback position group will be for each team this season.

Alabama: Defensive back

The Crimson Tide pass defense (yards allowed per game) dropped from 11th in the country in 2013 to 58th last season. Alabama will have to replace All-American safety Landon Collins. The hope is that former cornerback Eddie Jackson will be a productive safety after making a position change in the spring. Cyrus Jones has flashed big-time potential from the cornerback position at times.

Arkansas: Linebacker

Martrell Spaight led the SEC with 128 tackles last season, making him a tough man to replace for the Razorbacks. Arkansas is going to try to do so by moving Brooks Ellis, who is the team’s best returning linebacker, to the outside to play the role of Spaight this season. How well he adapts to the change and the subsequent performance of his replacement on the interior likely will determine whether Arkansas can maintain its noticeable improvements on the defensive side of the ball from one year ago.

Auburn: Running back

The Tigers running game has been phenomenal under Coach Gus Malzahn, but once again they will have to replace the SEC’s leading rusher. Cameron Artis-Payne’s 1,608-yard season in 2014 eased the pain of losing Tre Mason’s 1,816 yards in 2013, but who will replace Artis-Payne? The answer may be Jovon Robinson, who arrives on campus as one of the top-rated junior-college transfers in the country.

Florida: Offensive line

The Gators begin the Jim McElwain era with glaring issues to resolve on the offensive line. Gone are C Max Garcia and OT D.J. Humphries, who were consistent producers in the midst of some tumultuous seasons on the offensive side of the ball under former coach Will Muschamp. But their departures are only part of the story, as the Gators have serious depth issues along the line. The Gators practiced with only six scholarship linemen in the spring, and senior Trip Thurman is Florida’s only lineman to have started a game.

Georgia: Defensive line

As Khan points out in his article, the Bulldogs return very few experienced options on the defensive line. While outside linebackers Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins are sure to provide plenty of pressure off the edge in Georgia’s 3-4 scheme, the performance of the interior line may make or break the defense’s season. Trent Thompson, a five-star defensive tackle, may have an immediate impact for a defense that ranked 61st in the country against the run last season (166.8 yards per game).

Kentucky: Defensive line

The Wildcats were fortunate to have two top-notch edge rushers last season in defensive ends Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith, but both have moved on to the NFL. That leave the Wildcats with some big shoes to fill at the position. Jason Hatcher and Farrington Huguenin may be the best of the bunch trying to fill the void, though Kentucky is likely to look for several players to piece together some of that missing production.

LSU: Defensive end

The Tigers are an interesting team for this discussion, as their need to get better play out of the quarterback position is so obvious. New LSU defensive coordinator Kevin Steele inherits an experienced and talented defense, but he will need to develop some talent at defensive end to help generate a better pass rush this season. The Tigers only had 19 sacks last season and are looking to replace Danielle Hunter and Jermauria Rasco, who each started 13 games last season.

Mississippi State: Offensive line

We all know that senior QB Dak Prescott has the talent to have a special season in his final year in a Bulldogs uniform, but he will need some new guys to step up on the offensive line to make that possible. Mississippi State is replacing three starters, including an opening at center, guard and tackle. The Bulldogs shuffled some guys around to different positions during the spring in an attempt to get their most talented players on the field.

Missouri: Wide receiver

The Tigers will undergo a major remodel at the wide receiver position this season. Bud Sasser, who had 77 receptions and 1,003 yards in 2014, was quarterback Maty Mauk’s go-to guy last season. But he is gone, and so are counterparts Jimmie Hunt, Darius White and Marcus Murphy. That leaves just three receivers on the roster who have caught a college pass, and they’ve combined for 10 career receptions. If Missouri is going to again defend its SEC East crown, some new playmakers must emerge at receiver this fall.

Ole Miss: Offensive line

The Ole Miss season was derailed late last season due in large part to significant injuries on the offensive line. In order for the running game, and the offense as a whole, to get back on track, the Rebels are going to need a healthy season from a line that technically returns all five starters. LT Laremy Tunsil has the ability to make a difference for a rushing attack that fell off nearly 40 yards per game from 2013 to 2014.

South Carolina: Offensive line

The Gamecocks will need to replace seven starters on offense, and perhaps none are more important than the duo of G A.J. Cann and T Corey Robinson. Among the players that do return on the line, senior tackles Brandon Shell and Mike Matulis both come with injury concerns.

Tennessee: Offensive line

If the Vols are going to take another step forward in Butch Jones’ third year, it will take an improvement from the offensive line. Last season, Tennessee struggled to get a consistent push up front for the run game (146.4 per game, 89th in FBS) and failed to protect the quarterback (an SEC-high 43 sacks allowed). The Vols return three starters on the interior with seniors Mack Crowder and Marcus Jackson joined by sophomore Jashon Robertson, but there are still questions at both tackle positions.

Texas A&M: Linebacker

The Aggies have brought in experienced defensive coordinator John Chavis to improve upon a defense that allowed 450 yards per game to opposing offenses last season. To do so, he’s going to need find some playmakers amidst a group of banged up linebackers. Shaan Washington, Josh Walker and A.J. Hilliard have all missed time recently due to injury, but are expected to be contributors this fall.

Vanderbilt: Wide receiver

Life after Jordan Matthews proved to be very tough for the Commodores last season. C.J. Duncan led the Vanderbilt receiving corps with 441 yards in what was an underwhelming season for the position under the direction of former offensive coordinator Karl Dorrell. With Andy Ludwig now in charge of the Commodores offense, finding a way to get production from this position is imperative if Vanderbilt wants to see significant progress in Derek Mason’s second season at the helm.