About midway through the 2014 season, I remarked to one of my colleagues about how SEC players had suffered a remarkably low number of injuries.

That remained true, I think, on the whole. But about that time, a number of high-profile players suffered gruesome leg injuries, the kind that make you nauseous and force TV producers into internal debate on whether to show a replay.

As a result, there’s a big pool of important SEC players returning from major injuries last season, many of whom will play leading roles for their teams this fall. The list should make Ole Miss and Auburn fans happy, in particular.

LT Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss: A potential No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL draft, Tunsil first needs to prove he can make it through an entire season healthy. Still recovering from a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle he suffered in the Peach Bowl against TCU, Tunsil hasn’t been able to practice with his teammates this spring. But the Rebels are counting on him to anchor an offensive line that may be the team’s biggest liability this fall, ahead of even the starting quarterback.

WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss: The standout Rebels receiver suffered one of the most notable injuries in SEC history last season against Auburn, equal parts gruesome and crucial to the outcome of a game that saw Ole Miss’ College Football Playoff hopes vanish. Now he’s back on his feet, probably healthy enough to practice full-bore. Instead the training staff will limit him until the fall for precautionary reasons. Treadwell should be a true No. 1 receiver again in ’15.

DE Carl Lawson, Auburn: Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp’s biggest addition for ’15 probably isn’t Byron Cowart, but Lawson. Likely the Tigers’ best pass rusher in ’15, he’ll add a sorely-missed element to Auburn’s defense. About one year after tearing his ACL, he’s still limited in practice and didn’t participate in Saturday’s scrimmage, but Muschamp said that’s part of an intentional plan to get his body ready for the season.

RB Kenyan Drake, Alabama: After running a 40-yard dash in the low 4.4-second range during team testing, Drake also has been practicing a lot at receiver this spring. But with the Tide running back depth getting depleted seemingly by the week, Bama may need him in the backfield more than anticipated. Either way, Drake seems recovered from a catastrophic leg injury. The team is talking about putting him on the field at the same time as Derrick Henry, creating a dilemma for opposing linebackers.

DB Dwayne Thomas, LSU: The blitzing nickelback and special teams ace tore his ACL against New Mexico State last season. Barely five months later, he blitzed during LSU’s spring practice. Although he’s been a little hesitant mentally to trust his knee, Thomas’ rehab has been exceptional. If he can get past the mental hangups with recovering from a major injury, he should play an important role in the Tigers’ defensive backfield in ’15.

DL DaVonte Lambert, Auburn: The Tigers’ best healthy pass rusher for most of last season, Lambert joined Lawson when he tore his ACL in November. Lambert hasn’t practiced this spring, but Auburn expects he’ll be healthy by September. Exclusively a defensive end last season, Muschamp has told the media he plans to play the 6-foot-2, 293-pound Lambert inside as well this fall. A healthy Lambert and Lawson could give the Tigers a strong pass rush inside and out.

LB Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss: One of the best coverage linebackers in the SEC, Nkemdiche missed the last five games of last season with a broken ankle. But unlike Tunsil and Treadwell, he reportedly has been practicing without limitations this spring. With the team set to field a monstrous defensive line, and senior C.J. Johnson moving from defensive end to middle linebacker, run defense shouldn’t be an issue. Nkemdiche’s biggest role will be helping the short-to-intermediate pass defense.

OT Mike Matulis, South Carolina: The 6-foot-5, 293-pound rising senior has been written off numerous times. He’s out this spring while he recovers from a torn ACL, and he’s undergone two shoulder surgeries in college as well. Matulis started for the team in 2012 and should claim either the right or left tackle job to start the season once he’s healthy. That’s good news for Connor Mitch or whomever starts for the Gamecocks at quarterback.

RB Keith Marshall, Georgia: Back in 2012, Marshall was Robin to Todd Gurley’s Batman. He accounted for more than 800 yards of offense and ran for 6.5 yards per carry as part of the scary-good true freshman duo. But Marshall has dealt with various knee and leg ailments since tearing his ACL in ’13 and has missed more time than even Gurley. He suffered a hamstring injury this spring that’s limited him even more. But if he can get on the field, even for 5-10 touches per game, he can reclaim his Robin role behind Nick Chubb.

WRs Marquez North, Josh Smith and Jason Croom, Tennessee: North (shoulder), Smith (ankle) and Croom (knee) all missed Tennessee’s TaxSlayer Bowl win against Iowa, and two of them missed even more consecutive games to end last season. If the Vols can keep all of its receivers healthy this year — Von Pearson also missed a few games in ’14 — it could have the deepest group of players at the position in the conference.