Given the sheer amount talent available in the southeast, one doesn’t have to go far to recruit the majority of a class at an SEC program. When a program like Tennessee can’t fill its slots with in-state talent it can go to nearby places like Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.

A few months back I wrote a piece on the state of Georgia truly being “SEC Country.” Now this piece is a little more exact as we are going to find each team’s best rate of success with out of state recruiting.

Every SEC team has done some measure of out-of-state recruiting even if it’s just to the neighboring state. Also the internet, social media and national TV contracts have shortened the distance somewhat.

For example, 10 years ago Mississippi State probably wouldn’t think of recruiting a prospect in Ohio or Pennsylvania, but now the Bulldogs have 10-11 games televised with national reach so a prospect from the Northeast can watch the Bulldogs and learn about their program.

But here are the out-of-state recruiting hotbeds for each of SEC program.

ALABAMA

Out-of-state hotbed: Florida

The Tide are a national brand and recruit everywhere. Of course Nick Saban doesn’t want to deal with satellite camps when the program already has national reach. The Tide have done well in Louisiana with guys like Cam Robinson and Landon Collins. But Trent Richardson, Derrick Henry, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are all Floridians and have all been major parts of the Tide’s recent championship legacy.

ARKANSAS

Out-of-state hotbed: Florida/Texas

Arkansas had a great recruiter in South Florida when Charlie Partridge was on the staff and recruited Alex Collins and Denver Kirkland in the 2013 class. Partridge is now the head coach at Florida Atlantic and the Razorbacks are recruiting Texas much harder these days. When head coach Bret Bielema disclosed that he was in plans for doing a satellite camp with help from the Dallas Cowboys, it was a clear indication of where Arkansas recruitment is heading.

AUBURN

Out-of-state hotbed: Georgia/Florida

The Tigers have been relatively strong in Florida with Tre Mason, Melvin Ray, Ricardo Louis, Robenson Therezie, Avery Young and others, but Georgia has also been big for the Tigers with Cam Newton, Montravius Adams, Carl Lawson, Quan Bray and Gabe Wright playing major roles in the program.

FLORIDA

Out-of-state hotbed: North Carolina

Oddly enough Florida has had a lot of success outside of SEC country. D.J. Humphries, Jonathan Bullard, Alex McCalister and even Will Grier (for seven games) were North Carolina products. The program hasn’t gotten a prospect from the Tar Heel state since 2014 and is rightfully re-focusing on in-state recruiting, so it appears that the North Carolina insurgence in the program is over.

GEORGIA

Out-of-state hotbed: Florida

Georgia, like Florida, stays local for most of its recruiting classes. But quarterback Aaron Murray, linebacker Ramik Wilson, offensive lineman John Theus, running back Sony Michel and receiver Riley Ridley are among the haul of players Georgia has gotten from the Sunshine state in recent years.

KENTUCKY

Out-of-state hotbed: Florida

Not surprising that Mark Stoops and D.J. Eliot and new assistant coach Eddie Gran would dip into Florida early and often for prospects. All three were part of Jimbo Fisher’s first staff at Florida State and previous to that Stoops was a defensive coordinator at Miami. Garrett Johnson, Denzil Ware, Alvonte Bell, Blake McClain, Kendall Randolph and Jojo Kemp are among the many Florida prospects on the Wildcats’ roster.

LSU

Out-of-state hotbed: Texas

LSU basically builds a wall around Louisiana and rightfully so because the state is one of the underrated gems in college football recruiting. In the past three years the Tigers have shifted their out-of-state recruiting focus from Florida to Texas with more than a dozen Texas prospects signed in the past three years.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Out-of-state hotbed: Alabama

Between the growing number of in-state recruits and the junior colleges Mississippi State doesn’t leave the state often. However, the Bulldogs have found a lot of prospects in Alabama, signing 17 over the past four years, including linebacker Beniquez Brown.

MISSOURI

Out-of-state hotbed: Illinois

Missouri is an interesting case. The Tigers have gotten a lot of players from Florida and some from Texas, but not necessarily a lot of impact guys. Because Missouri’s recruiting zone includes Big 12 and some Big Ten interests they have to reach out farther than most to fill classes. Terry Beckner is from East St. Louis and Barry Odom definitely wants to do more recruiting on the Missouri/Illinois border.

OLE MISS

Out-of-state hotbed: Texas

The top five players Ole Miss’ famous 2013 recruiting class came from five states (Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi). In the last couple of years I’ve seen a shift to Texas and with prospects like Damarkus Lodge, Gregory Little and Deontay Anderson on board, the Lone Star State seems to be a good spot for Ole Miss right now.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Out-of-state hotbed: Georgia

The Gamecocks had a nice run in New Jersey while assistant G.A. Mangus was there. He’s gone, but the Gamecocks’ presence in Georgia will continue regardless of coaching changes. Over the past five years the Gamecocks have signed as many Georgia prospects as they have with any state including South Carolina. Bryson Allen-Williams, Dexter Wideman and Dante Sawyer are among the recent haul of Georgia prospects.

TENNESSEE

Out-of-state hotbed: Georgia

Florida is right there as well for Tennessee, but Josh Dobbs is from Georgia and he might be the most important player in the conference this year, so that has to speak for something. Otherwise there’s a long history of Tennessee recruiting Georgia. Two of the top five prospects in Tennessee’s 2016 recruiting class come from Georgia.

TEXAS A&M

Out-of-state hotbed: Arizona

The sample size of Texas A&M out of state recruiting is very very small because more than 90 percent of its recruiting classes come from Texas. It’s probably easier to decide where in Texas is the Aggies’ hotbed. That being said, Christian Kirk is a young star in the SEC and he’s from Scottsdale, Ariz. That’s good enough for me!

VANDERBILT

Out-of-state hotbed: Georgia

Vanderbilt has done well in Florida with former Gainesville resident Ralph Webb leading the charge, but year in and year out it seems like Georgia has the overall edge for depth on the roster. Young talent like Dallas Rivers, Sam Dobbs and Jared Pinkney are Georgia prospects who will be major contributors this year.