Individual Position Rankings

Anyone else excited to see a couple fabulous true freshmen make their debuts at defensive tackle this season? The SEC is littered with five-star talent in the middle, especially the Eastern Division where three perceived favorites should dominate up front.

How many of these players are heavy contributors by season’s end remains to be seen but you can bet all will make an impact in the trenches alongside their veteran brethren.

Exiting spring practice, Mizzou’s Harold Brantley was No. 3 in this list, but season-ending injuries sustained in a car accident this summer eliminates one of the SEC’s best pass rushers and lessens the overall strength of the Tigers’ defensive front.

Coming soon to a backfield near you …

Others considered: Julien Obioha, Texas A&M; Shy Tuttle, Tennessee; Melvin Lewis, Kentucky; Dexter Wideman, South Carolina; Issac Gross, Ole Miss; Adam Butler, Vanderbilt; Josh Augusta, Mizzou

10. Christian LaCouture, LSU: One of the co-anchors of a depleted defensive front in Baton Rouge, it’s essential LaCouture produces for DC Kevin Steele during his second season as a starter. The Nebraska native picked up 40 tackles (4 behind the line of scrimmage) and 2.5 sacks last fall and hasn’t yet reached his ceiling. LaCouture’s not as quick gap-to-gap as teammate Davon Godchaux, but possesses great size and strength at 6-foot-5, 300 pounds.

9. Terry Beckner Jr., Mizzou: The first of three five-star true freshmen in our rankings update, Beckner will play a ton of snaps for the Tigers in the middle now that Brantley’s unavailable this season. There’s no doubt Beckner will receive expert teaching from renown DL coach Craig Kuligowski who has helped the Tigers lead the SEC in total sacks back-to-back years with multiple draft picks and become a Day 1 difference-maker.

8. Kahlil McKenzie, Tennessee: We know this — McKenzie looks the part and that’s half the battle in the SEC. By most accounts, McKenzie’s just a hair more talented than touted four-star freshman teammate Tuttle along Tennessee’s interior, but both are expecting to play expansive roles this fall. Anchored by Derek Barnette and Curt Maggitt, the Vols’ front seven — with the addition of McKenzie and Tuttle — could potentially be the SEC’s best this fall.

7. Taiwan Johnson, Arkansas: Believed to be the biggest force up front for the Hogs this season, Johnson has escaped the shadow of Darius Philon and Trey Flowers and should create a serviceable 1-2 pass rush with Deatrich Wise on Robb Smith’s defense. Johnson started every game at nose guard as a sophomore and posted commendable impact numbers (4.5 sacks, 8 TFL) on a dominant unit. With a bigger role this fall, Johnson’s production could double.

6. Trent Thompson, Georgia: As Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee put it so eloquently Thursday, choosing between Thompson, McKenzie — and I’ll throw in Beckner — is next to impossible from a production standpoint. One could argue Thompson has the most upside considering he’s playing for one of the SEC’s top defensive coordinators in Jeremy Pruitt. Thompson, the latest 300-pounder to join Georgia’s long lineage of run-stoppers, gives the Bulldogs an instant upgrade at the line of scrimmage and perhaps wins the starting job this month. He’s talented enough to plug into any defensive scheme and find success.

5. Davon Godchaux, LSU: Poised to be one of the leaders on defense for the Tigers, Godchaux is the other half of LSU’s dominant tackle tandem who contributed quality snaps as a true freshman last season. He plays the traditional three technique as good as any player on LSU’s roster and according to the program’s media guide, ‘reminds people of former standout Glenn Dorsey.’ That’s tremendous praise for a guy only entering his second season in the SEC.

4. Chris Jones, Mississippi State: Putting Jones in the No. 4 slot feels high considering he didn’t make a single start his sophomore season after a standout rookie campaign, but I get the sense he’s poised to produce for his best season yet for the Bulldogs. Challenged during the spring to become a more consistent player from an effort standpoint, Jones showed marked improvement in that area according to Dan Mullen. Jones is a great athlete with early-round NFL potential if he shows it this season.

3. Montravius Adams, Auburn: Like the aforementioned Jones, Adams had the potential to be one of the nation’s best at his position if he plays at a more consistent level as a junior. In the short time Will Muschamp’s been around Adams, he’s picked up on the Georgia native’s ability to rush the passer and plans on turning him loose a bit off the snap this season. Carl Lawson may be the focal point of the Tigers’ defensive line, but Auburn’s ultimate value up front lies with players like Adams and DaVonte Lambert.

2. A’Shawn Robinson, Alabama: I was asked last week why Alabama’s defensive line could be the best Nick Saban’s had in Tuscaloosa … Robinson’s a primary reason. Despite lofty expectations following a standout freshman season, Robinson responded with similar numbers as a sophomore — 49 total tackles, 6.5 TFL — and moonlighted as a five technique defensive end in Kirby Smart’s 3-4 base. I’m sure NFL scouts appreciate Robinson’s versatility and his obvious looming presence at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds. Alabama’s hoping Robinson earns All-American status this fall.

1. Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss: Widely-considered the SEC’s second-best defensive player overall behind Vernon Hargreaves (Myles Garrett and Derek Barnett take exception to that, btw), Nkemdiche’s been an immovable force since arriving in Oxford as prep football’s top-ranked player in 2013. Numbers don’t reveal his true dominance, but the accolades do as a two-time All-American. The Rebels knew they had a three-year player from the outset and after Nkemdiche posts another All-SEC campaign as a junior, he’ll be off to the draft.