The SEC West is reloading very quickly after ending the 2014 season on a down note. All seven of its teams rank among the top 25 recruiting classes in the country with less than two weeks to go until National Signing Day.

With so many stacked classes, there are sure to be players that find their way onto the field immediately. Who is going to make a splash immediately in the West?

  • Alabama — S Ronnie Harrison: The hulking safety is already on campus, getting himself acclimated with the Crimson Tide defense. With Landon Collins leaving for the NFL and Nick Perry finishing up his eligibility, Alabama has some vacancies along the back line. With sub-4.5 40-yard dash speed and skills with the ball in his hands, Harrison could be a chaos-wreaking monster from opening day.
  • Arkansas — DT Hjalte Froholdt: With Trey Flowers and Darius Philon both heading to the NFL, defensive coordinator Robb Smith needs someone to anchor his defense from the middle. Enter Froholdt, who came to the United States from Denmark as a sophomore in high school and rapidly became one of the best defensive tackles in the country. Under Smith’s tutelage, that ascension will continue immediately in Fayetteville.
  • Auburn — RB/ATH Kerryon Johnson: Alabama’s Mr. Football has the explosive skills to make himself a real threat for the Tigers from the moment he steps onto campus. With speed and excellent athleticism, Johnson has the ability to play both running back or defensive back, which he did in high school.
  • LSU — CB/ATH Donte Jackson: He just committed on Wednesday, but Jackson should already have LSU coaches drooling. After an inconsistent year returning punts, Jackson will give LSU an immediate boost in that facet. With the skills to mirror receivers, Jackson will have a chance to step up at cornerback as well, but he might need to put on some weight before he’s ready for regular playing time there. Jackson is already drawing comparisons to Tyrann Mathieu, so the ceiling is pretty high.
  • Mississippi State — S Jamal Peters: Mississippi State’s highest-ranked recruit comes at a position of real need for the Bulldogs. After finishing last in the SEC in pass defense in 2014, Mississippi State can use the 6-foot-3, 205 pound thumper to shore up the defense. That is, assuming one of the other SEC teams chasing Peters doesn’t flip him before NSD.
  • Ole Miss — OT Drew Richmond: If there was a big issue for Ole Miss in 2014, it was offensive line play. The Rebels were shaky at best and oftentimes looked a mess up front. Richmond, a four-star tackle, could be needed immediately if left tackle Laremy Tunsil isn’t back to full strength by August after breaking his leg in the Peach Bowl.
  • Texas A&M — CB Roney Elam: Texas A&M is losing its only reliable member of the secondary, CB Deshazor Everett, but Elam comes in with the potential to step on the field and immediately be the Aggies’ best cornerback. With size and instincts, Elam should help Texas A&M jump up from an SEC-worst five interceptions in 2014.