There has been a lot of talk about how the Auburn Tigers should have one of the SEC West’s most impressive offenses this season, but what about the defense?

That side of the football lost some important starters along the defensive line — end Carl Lawson and tackle Montravius Adams — and in the secondary with safety Rudy Ford and cornerback Josh Holsey. The group of linebackers, however, might be the most impressive group from top to bottom that Auburn has had under coach Gus Malzahn.

The Tigers return all three of their starters from last season: Tre’ Williams, Deshaun Davis and Darrell Williams.

The starters

Tre’ Williams: The former 5-star prospect is the leader of the group after seeing playing time in each of the past three seasons — including six starts in 2016. He posted the second-most tackles with 67 — trailing only returning safety Tray Matthews, who had 76. Williams, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior, struggled with injuries but he was effective when he was on the field. His ability to play either weak side or middle linebacker gives the Tigers’ defense versatility.

Deshaun Davis: Davis didn’t have the pedigree when he arrived on The Plains like the other two starters, but the redshirt junior has managed to make a name for himself regardless. He finished the 2016 season with 63 tackles and seven tackles for loss — which ranked first among the linebackers. The former 3-star was the only linebacker to start every game. At 5-11, 246, Davis doesn’t have an ideal linebacker’s size or speed but he’s a gritty defender who might be the Tigers’ most balanced player at the position.

Darrell Williams: Also known as the “other” Williams, Darrell returns as as a strong side starter after earning nine starts there in 2016. Out of all of the linebackers on the roster who are considered off-ball players, Darrell is the most impressive pass rusher. He didn’t post any sacks during his sophomore season, but did put pressure on the quarterback in more than one clutch-situation. When the Tigers are in a 4-3 defense, Darrell will be on the strong side, but he can move to the weak side when the defense is in a 4-2-5. His 52 tackles i 2016 were good for sixth best on the team.

The rotation

Montavious Atkinson: Listed at 6-1, 218, Atkinson is undersized for a typical linebacker. The former 4-star is a converted safety, and the athleticism that led him to play in the secondary is evident. Atkinson isn’t a starter, but he will receive significant playing time. The versatility of the starters means that if anyone misses action for any reason, Atkinson will be the first one off the bench. In obvious passing situations, expect to see the Fairburn, Ga., native on the field as well.

The depth

Richard McBryde: The redshirt sophomore saw most of his snaps on special teams last season. The 6-1, 237-pound linebacker from Troy, Ala., should be the primary backup to Darrell Williams at strong side linebacker. McBryde is a former top 200 prospect who was listed as a 4-star recruit according to 247Sports.

Tre’ Threat: He arrived at Auburn as only a 3-star recruit, but surprisingly made a push for early playing time on special teams. He has excellent size at 6-1, 244, and should continue to make an impact similar to last season. With the young group of linebackers who were brought in, it’ll be interesting to see how much playing time Threat receives in the next couple of years.

T.D. Moultry, K.J.Britt and Chandler Wooten: The Tigers brought in two former 4-star guys in Moultry (No. 3 ILB) and Britt (No. 15 ILB) in addition to the former 3-star Wooten. This trio is the future for Auburn, but don’t be surprised if a guy like Moultry or Britt end up earning playing time sooner rather than later.