Joel Klatt is out with his way-too-early top 10 rankings for the 2024 season, and he has 4 SEC teams in the mix, including No. 1.

Klatt has Georgia atop the rankings ahead of Ohio State at No. 2. Then Texas at No. 4, Alabama at No. 5 and Ole Miss at No. 6.

About Ole Miss, Klatt opened up about the “portal kings” and how the Rebels landed “significant” talent from the transfer portal. Then he referred to Jaxson Dart as an experienced quarterback, and those returning signal callers “pay off in a big way.”

“Look at how he played in the bowl game, he’s going to be a 3rd-year starter, he has now 28 starts over his last 2 years, and he’s going to be in the middle of, surrounded by a lot of talent,” Klatt said, and acknowledged the loss of Quinshon Judkins.

Klatt also pointed out that South Carolina transfer Juice Wells will pair with Tre Harris for a big-time wide receiver duo.

“Lane’s got something going, Lane’s got something going,” Klatt said. “You look at the losses this year, and you’re like, ‘OK, I can see it. I can see it building.’ I think Lane Kiffin is a helluva football coach. He’s not just a great troller on Twitter, although he’s unbelievable at that.”

Klatt added that he would be surprised if Ole Miss is not in the Playoff.

At No. 5, Klatt admitted that he put Alabama there based on reputation.

“They hired an unbelievable coach, is he going to be allowed to be himself? I’m not sure,” Klatt said. “There’s a lot of unknowns with Alabama, but Alabama’s going to be at No. 5.”

Klatt said he loved that Athletics Director Greg Byrne did not follow the “prototypical” SEC search and “had to” have an SEC guy. Klatt believes in true meritocracy for any opening, and that the best person should get the job, period.

“I don’t care where they came from, I don’t care what they look like, Kalen DeBoer was the best person for the job,” Klatt said. “… Is it going to look exactly like Nick Saban? No, but let him be himself.”

Beyond recruiting, Klatt wondered about the partnership between Jalen Milroe and DeBoer, as Milroe should enter next season as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy.

At No. 4, Klatt recalled how Texas outperformed expectations in 2023, and he expects another big season in 2024. However, the Quinn Ewers return is “interesting” in part because of how the quarterback played against Washington in the College Football Playoff.

“Is he really good? Yes. Did he have great talent around him? Obviously,” Klatt said. “… The difference is that Arch Manning is going to be sitting over there and I tell you what, if there is one guy that I would not want sitting behind me, it would be Arch Manning. So we’re going to see everything we need to see about the mental toughness of Quinn Ewers.”

For Georgia, Klatt said you can’t recruit like the Bulldogs have, and be 29-1 in the last 30 games and not be No. 1 in the country.

“Talent’s never been a question,” he said. “… This program is still 46-2 over the last 48. I know that they lose (Brock) Bowers and (Ladd) McConkey, but you’ve gotta at least assume that they’re going to reload and develop.”