Tight end is far from the SEC’s most prominent position, as fewer than 10 tight ends to catch at least 10 balls in 2014 return to the conference. Nevertheless, the conference was able to keep a few of its top talents at the position, and it was able to add even more talent through recruiting this offseason.

With spring ball now behind us, here are our top 10 tight ends from throughout the conference as we look ahead to the 2015 season this fall:

10. C.J. Conrad, Kentucky: A four-star signee and the highest-rated player in Kentucky’s 2015 recruiting class, Conrad hopes to bring a receiving threat at the tight end position that the Kentucky offense has greatly lacked in its recent bowl drought. Coaches raved about his play as an early enrollee this spring, and tight ends coach Vince Marrow took it as far as to say UK “struck gold” by adding Conrad to the offense. If he can work his way into a defined role for the fall, his presence alone should benefit the Wildcats on offense.

9. Jerell Adams, South Carolina: Adams and recent NFL draftee Rory “Busta” Anderson served as co-No. 1 tight ends a year ago, and they posted nearly identical numbers in sharing that role (Anderson: 22 catches, 260 yards, 1 touchdown; Adams: 21 catches, 279 yards, 1 touchdown). But with Anderson on his way to the league, Adams will be expected to take on a larger role this fall as the team’s primary receiving option at the tight end position. Much of Adams’ success in 2015 will hinge on the play of South Carolina’s quarterback, still yet to be named, but the 6-foot-6, 240-pound target has all the tools to be productive in the SEC East.

8. Jeremy Sprinkle, Arkansas: Playing in one of the few SEC offenses to utilize multiple tight ends, Sprinkle will take the place of former Arkansas tight end A.J. Derby, a recent draftee of the New England Patriots. Sprinkle was a star in the Hogs’ Red-White spring game last month, catching a game-high four passes for 44 yards and a touchdown opposite returning star Hunter Henry (who we’ll discuss later on this list). Sprinkle is large and athletic, and Bret Bielema should put him to plenty of use in his methodical, downhill pro-style offense. If Sprinkle can pose a dangerous play-action target the way he did in the spring game, the Hogs’ offense will be near-impossible to stop this season.

7. Sean Culkin, Missouri: Upon losing its top four pass catchers from a year ago, Missouri may be leaning heavily on Culkin this season as he prepares for his third year in CoMo. He’s the Tigers top returning receiver in terms of yards last season, and he should play a role in Mizzou’s rushing attack, to be headed this fall by senior Russell Hansbrough. Culkin is the same year at Missouri as returning starting quarterback Maty Mauk, and the two know each other well as a result. If they can maintain a rapport on the field this fall, Culkin could emerge as one of the SEC’s top talents at the position.

6. O.J. Howard, Alabama: Howard is long and athletic with phenomenal athleticism, and he should improve from his modest 17-catch season a year ago, ranking him fourth on the team in receptions. At 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds Howard can move like a receiver, but has never dominated down the seam the way Evan Engram began to do for Ole Miss a year ago (that’s another name we’ll discuss later on this list). He’ll have to develop chemistry with yet another starting quarterback, his third in three years at Alabama, but he should take the next step as an upperclassmen in an offense lacking dynamic pass catching options after last year.

5. Ethan Wolf, Tennessee: When Wolf first arrived in Knoxville, he told head coach Butch Jones that he’d be content with being used as an extra offensive lineman out of his tight end role, asked primarily to block on both rushing and passing downs. While selfless, Jones and then-OC Mike Bajakian thought Wolf might be better served catching a few passes as well, as evidenced by his 13 catches in the first three games of his collegiate career. Injuries plagued the remainder of his freshman season, but expect Wolf to make an impact on nearly every snap at Tennesssee this fall, both as a blocker and as a receiving threat. He and quarterback Joshua Dobbs can be deadly on bootlegs and in play-action situations, and as well as Wolf runs at his size (6-foot-5 and 240 pounds) he could take the top off a few defenses down the middle of the field too.

4. Jeb Blazevich, Georgia: Blazevich was the SEC’s top freshman tight end a year ago, quietly catching 18 balls in an offense that lacked explosiveness in the passing game. The Bulldogs are still searching for a new quarterback for the coming season, but once that situation is settled Blazevich may quickly become his new signal caller’s favorite option in the passing game. Nick Chubb is back to dominate the ground game, and new OC Brian Schottenheimer’s pro-style offense should lend itself to keeping Blazevich involved in an effort to balance out Chubb’s impact. A former four-star signee, Blazevich has all the tools to pose danger to opposing linebackers and/or safeties lined up across him.

3. Steven Scheu, Vanderbilt: Scheu was the top receiving option in a putrid Vanderbilt offense a year ago, and he should post even bigger numbers in 2015 if the Commodores can find consistency at the quarterback position. Vandy started four quarterbacks a year ago, prohibiting Scheu from ever finding a rhythm with one single passer. Still, he amassed 39 catches for more than 500 yards on the year, dominating the middle of the field unlike any other tight end in the SEC. He may not be the single most talented at the position in the SEC, but no team is more reliant on its tight end to move the football through the air than the Commodores, elevating Scheu on this list.

2. Evan Engram, Ole Miss: A former wideout who has since moved to tight end, Engram may be the most dangerous receiving tight end in the SEC, perhaps the nation, entering his junior year this fall. He’s long and lean at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, and he runs better than most others at the position. He’s a one-man wrecking crew down the seam, using his length and wide receiver skill set to haul in passes in traffic across the middle of the field. Linebackers can’t run with him in coverage, and placing a safety on him creates other opportunities for the likes of Laquon Treadwell and Cody Core. Those mismatch issues are why Engram is so valuable as a tight end.

1. Hunter Henry, Arkansas: The Hogs love their tight ends, and they’re thrilled to get their top tight end back from a year ago to complement their two returning 1,000-yard rushers. Henry can block, runs crisp routes, has sure hands and a high football IQ. He’s a perfect fit in Bielema’s pro-style offense, and the more success Arkansas has running the ball — something Bielema aims to establish each and every week — the easier it will be for Henry to make plays in single coverage or in play-action situations. He’s a complete player who may be the key ingredient to the Hogs’ success this fall if they can climb out of the basement of the SEC West, and he’s the conference’s No. 1 talent at an underutilized position.