Missouri exits spring practice in an odd place: the Tigers are back-to-back defending SEC East champions, but Georgia should enter the 2015 season as the prohibitive favorite.

This summer, though, many will slot Mizzou and Tennessee as the main challengers in the division.

The team exits spring with a few main concerns. The passing game needs a lot of work between now and the fall, and the Tigers must figure out and end the game of musical chairs along the offensive line.

But with a better-than-solid defense, above-average running game and relatively tame SEC schedule, coach Gary Pinkel’s program should roll into fall with a legitimate chance at competing once again.

Here’s an educated guess of the team’s post-spring depth chart.

OFFENSE

QB1: Maty Mauk
QB2: Eddie Printz

Coach Gary Pinkel may be the most loyal and patient SEC coach when it comes to his starting quarterbacks. Mauk likely is the guy until his eligibility expires, likely after the ’16 season. Marvin Zanders created some buzz this spring, but I think Printz enters the season as the QB2, with four-star true freshman Drew Lock absorbing a redshirt season.

RB1: Russell Hansbrough
RB2: Ish Witter

Hansbrough is a candidate to rush for 1,000 yards yet again, but I get the feeling that Witter is more of a placeholder. If Morgan Steward (hip) finally gets healthy or Chase Abbington (JUCO transfer) adjusts quickly, the team could have a new backup running back to start the season.

X WR1: J’Mon Moore
X WR2: Keyon Dilosa

H WR1: Nate Brown
H WR2: Eric Laurent

Z WR1: Wesley Leftwich
Z WR2: DeSean Blair

TE1: Sean Culkin
TE2: Jason Reese

This may be Mizzou’s weakest group of pass-catchers since the team played in the Big 12. But the team has been very good at receiver, so perhaps this group can manage “serviceable.” It’s telling that Laurent, a walk-on, makes the two-deep out of spring ball. Raymond Wingo, the converted cornerback, has a legitimate chance to play, and one of the incoming freshman — Richaud Floyd, perhaps — should play as well.

LT1: Connor McGovern
LT2: Malik Cuellar

LG1: Brad McNulty
LG2: Taylor Cappell

C1: Evan Boehm
C2: Alec Abeln

RG1: Mitch Hall
RG2: Kevin Pendleton

RT1: Taylor Chappell
RT2: Nate Crawford

If it were me setting this lineup, I’d keep Boehm, McGovern and Chappell on the right side, just like the end of last season, have Mitch Hall and Brad McNulty battle for the left guard spot and try to develop Malik Cuellar at left tackle.

If the spring was any indication, this could change three more times by the time we reach September. But for now, McGovern shifts to left tackle, Boehm stays at center, Hall plays at one of the guard spots, Chappell likely starts either at the other guard spot or at right tackle, and Crawford or McNulty represent the odd man out.

DEFENSE

DE1: Charles Harris
DE2: Rocel McWilliams

NG1: Rickey Hatley
NG2: Josh Augusta

DT1: Harold Brantley
DT2: A.J. Logan

DE1: Marcus Loud
DE2: Walter Brady

The Tigers aren’t likely to land the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for a third consecutive season, especially not at defensive end. Harris and Loud still should be productive, and when Terry Beckner Jr. arrives, the team will be able to rotate four capable defensive tackles. Led by Brantley, the interior group could be the best in the SEC East.

WILL LB1: Kentrell Brothers
WILL LB2: Joey Burkett

MIKE LB1: Michael Scherer
MIKE LB2: Brandon Lee

SAM LB1: Donavin Newsom
SAM LB2: Clarence Green

Brothers and Scherer may be the most overlooked linebacker tandem in the SEC entering the fall. Overall, this group that was so inexperienced entering last season now is one of the most proven, capable collection of ‘backers in the conference. Loaded with speed, the Tigers linebackers are good in coverage and instintual and fast against the run.

CB1: Aarion Penton
CB2: Logan Cheadle

CB1: Kenya Dennis
CB2: John Gibson

SS1: Anthony Sherrils
SS2: Cortland Browning

FS1: Ian Simon
FS2: Thomas Wilson

NB1: Thomas Wilson
NB2: David Johnson

The Mizzou pass rush covered for this group on occasion last year. And the team lost Braylon Webb, sort of the quarterback of the secondary. Simon has a big role to fill. But overall, the team returns so much experience here, and so much promise at cornerback. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Tigers get better in coverage in ’15, especially if Dennis continues his ascent.

K: Andrew Baggett
P: Andrew Baggett

Baggett isn’t the best field goal kicker in the SEC and he isn’t the worst, despite some high-profile misses. But he’s definitely not the team’s punter, if Mizzou can help it. Corey Fatony should arrive this summer as the team’s primary punter.

KR: John Gibson
PR: Anthony Sherrils

Missouri surely will miss Marcus Murphy’s dynamic return abilities (and school-record seven touchdown returns). No matter whom the team send back to return kicks, the person will represent a speed upgrade, however, as Murphy ran the 40 in a surprising 4.61 seconds at the NFL Combine. Mizzou may no longer have the conference’s best, but as long as the returners secure the football, the Tigers should be fine.