FOX Sports analyst Charles Davis is like many folks — he doesn’t really know what to make of the SEC East race in 2017.

The former Tennessee safety was in Mobile, Alabama, Thursday for the annual DEX Imaging Reese’s Senior Bowl L’Arche Football Preview, and he met with reporters before the event and offered a prediction for the East and the West, among other things.

Davis has Alabama winning the West again, but he also added that no matter which team wins the West, it will be the favorite over the East, via AL.com.

“The West is still the dominant side,” Davis said. “I think no matter who comes out of the East, whoever comes out of the West will be the decided favorite in the SEC championship game until further notice, and right now, we think it’s Alabama.”

But who will play Alabama in Atlanta this year? Davis picked the popular favorite, Georgia, and he leans on the defense.

“Georgia should be the team,” Davis said. “If (quarterback) Jacob Eason comes along – but they’ve got to protect him. They recruited some high-profile offensive linemen, but they’ll be young. Getting (running backs) Nick Chubb back, Sony Michel. They’ve got 10 guys back on defense. That should be their calling card. That’s why I would make Georgia a little bit of a favorite in the East.”

Like Davis says, Georgia should be the team, but the Bulldogs should have been the team in a lot of years. That hasn’t exactly happened. That’s part of why Kirby Smart is now at the helm and Mark Richt isn’t. Regardless, like Davis, I would venture to say the Bulldogs are the favorite in the East entering the season.

For Florida, Davis knows Jim McElwain will need to develop a quarterback, but it seems like his deciding factor for why the Gators aren’t the favorite to win the SEC East is because of the personnel losses on defense.

“Here’s how I see it: It’s Florida’s until further notice, but they’ve got to develop a quarterback,” Davis said. “Is it going to be Feleipe Franks, who they’re very, very high on. Who’s going to be their guy? Remember they’ve won it the past two years without consistent quarterbacking play. So can their defense be as good as it has been? They’ve lost some key parts.”

Davis also offered a preview for Tennessee this season, his alma mater, and he mentioned the Vols’ “good spirit” ahead of a crucial season for Butch Jones in Knoxville.

“And Tennessee, they’ve got to retool,” Davis said. “New quarterback, some other players. But there’s a good spirit about them now. You just know they’re tired of being close, but can they find a way to get through? Last year should have been the year. It wasn’t.”

Davis expounded upon why he likes Alabama despite the NFL losses and builds more hype for the Tide vs. Seminoles to open the season here.