Wednesday was JUCO National Signing Day, and most of the nation’s top junior college prospects signed with their schools of choice. Many of those prospects came to the SEC, following a recent trend in recruiting especially at the JUCO level.

Junior college recruits are always interesting because while they are perhaps more seasoned as collegiate athletes, they also have less time to make an impact on whichever FBS program they join. Many of these prospects must hit the ground running at the Division I level or risk closing their college careers stashed on the bench.

So in honor of Throwback Thursday, let’s take a look at some of last year’s JUCO signees from around the SEC to see who panned out, who did not and who surprised us all from the class of 2014.

LIVED UP TO THE HYPE

These players weren’t necessarily all-conference performers (although some were) but they are former four-stars who played impactful roles for their respective teams in 2014.

D’haquille Williams, WR, Auburn: Williams was highly regarded coming out of junior college thanks to his incredible combination of size, strength and speed on the outside. However, it remained a mystery how Gus Malzahn would use Williams in a run-heavy spread attack that already had a perceived No. 1 wideout in Sammie Coates. It didn’t take long for Malzahn and the rest of the SEC to realize just how dynamic Williams truly is, as the former JUCO star translated his incredible measurables into success at the Division I level. He finished the year with 730 yards and five touchdowns in just 10 games, and his 16.2 yards per reception ranked ninth in the SEC among players with at least 25 catches. Williams was as ntengerous a big-play threat as anyone in the SEC (Amari Cooper aside), ensuring he more than lived up to his hype as a former JUCO recruit.

Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama: The Crimson Tide’s depth along the defensive line was unmatched throughout college football, and Reed’s services as a second-string defensive tackle were a big part of that. Let’s stick with calling Reed a “second-stringer” rather than a backup, because he certainly saw enough snaps to be considered an impact player on the Alabama defense. The Tide boasted the SEC’s No. 1 rushing defense thanks to defensive tackles like Reed, and the former JUCO star delivered 51 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five passes defended at the line of scrimmage to wreak havoc on opposing offenses in a number of ways. Reed could take on a bigger role next year, but he’s certainly proven himself worthy of playing on Kirby Smart’s electrifying defense.

Von Pearson, WR, Tennessee: The Vols finished with the SEC’s third-least productive offense in 2014, but it’s passing game was actually ranked eighth in the conference despite a startling lack of protection and multiple quarterbacks leading the offense. Pearson certainly wasn’t a superstar, but he did make an impact almost immediately for an offense in desperate need of playmakers. He caught 31 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns, and had at least one reception in all 10 games he played. He caught fire in SEC play, with 21 of his 31 catches coming in UT’s final six games of the season, and he’ll be an even bigger part of the offense next season as one of Joshua Dobbs’ top returning targets.

FELL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS

These players will have a chance to redeem themselves in 2015, but they were far from impactful in 2014 despite being slated as four-star prospects out of junior college.

Dominick Jackson, OT, Alabama: Jackson, slotted as a top 5 JUCO prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings, spent much of the 2014 season on the bench, which is absolutely a credit to Alabama’s depth along the offensive line but also a sign of what little impact Jackson made upon arriving in Tuscaloosa. Alabama allowed the fewest sacks of any team in the SEC and it boasted one of the conference’s top rushing attacks, all without Jackson helping to pave the way up front. The Tide didn’t necessarily Jackson to be a star this season, but he must show up as a dominant force next season in order to avoid the unwanted title of “bust” when his college career comes to an end.

Derrick Moncrief, DB, Auburn: The brother of former Ole Miss wideout and current Indianapolis Colt Donte Moncrief was regarded as one of the best JUCO players at any position in the nation when he arrived at Auburn last year. Instead, he was merely a situational defensive back who made little impact on an underwhelming Auburn defense. The Tigers closed the year with the SEC’s second-worst pass defense, and Moncrief never recorded an interception, a pass breakup or even a pass defended. His 21 tackles were of little help to the Auburn defense, and his lack of pass breakups or takeaways left the Tigers vulnerable over the top. He had plenty of opportunities to break into the lineup as an impact player, but instead struggled like many of his teammates, resulting in a disappointing four-loss season on the Plains.

HIDDEM GEMS

These players were all two- or three-star prospects coming out of junior college who ended up making a major impact for their respective teams in 2014.

Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M: Reynolds was one of the most productive wideouts in the SEC, leading the way for a deep group of receivers at Texas A&M. The former three-star prospect caught 47 passes for 762 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranking in the top 10 in the SEC in all three categories. Reynolds rarely beat defenses over the top, but he was a great route runner who rarely dropped passes on short or intermediate routes both on the outside and across the middle of the field. His ability to pick up yards after the catch was second-to-none in the SEC, helping the unheralded wideout emerge as one of the most dangerous threats in a conference with some deadly passing attacks.

Sebastian Tretola, OL, Arkansas: Whenever discussing Tretola’s season it’s almost mandatory to mention the touchdown pass he threw on a fake field goal in a win earlier this season, but that’s not why he’s on this list (though it helps). The former three-star lineman helped anchor one of the SEC’s most powerful lines in 2014, and he played a vital role in leading Arkansas to more than 220 rushing yards per game. The Razorbacks are deep along the offensive line and it’s no secret Bret Bielema is looking for powerful linemen to lead his offense. Tretola stepped right in and fulfilled those needs when few thought he’d emerge as anything more than an average player. And yes, he’s got a pretty good arm, and it’s safe to say no one saw that coming.

Kenya Dennis, CB, Mizzou: The Tigers had one of the most underrated defenses in the nation this season, and Dennis was a big reason for their success on that side of the football. The same player who failed to crack 247’s list of its top 100 JUCO prospects in the class of 2014 stepped into a major role in the Mizzou secondary and shined like he’d been playing in the league for a couple of years. Opposing quarterbacks tested Dennis time and time again, and the little-known corner burned those quarterbacks time and time again with nine passes defended in 13 games. His 55 tackles were critical as part of the last line of defense, and his 4.5 tackles for loss added a source of athletic pressure off the edge that most defenses don’t have. He wasn’t necessarily a star, but there was never a moment where he didn’t deserve his spot on the field.