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Defensive stars dominated the SEC in 2016. Here’s a look at what every team loses
By Joe Cox
Published:
As we look ahead to 2017, it’s time to figure out what parts everyone has to replace. So we break down the SEC picture, isolate the guys who won’t be back (this time on the defensive side of the ball), and start to ponder how their respective teams will fill the holes they leave.
Here are our guesses.
SEC West
Alabama: DL Jonathan Allen (below) and Dalvin Tomlinson, LB Tim Williams, Ryan Anderson and Reuben Foster, DB Marlon Humphrey and Eddie Jackson.
Poor Alabama. The Tide lose a large amount of talent, but they will have to somehow get by. Particularly in the secondary, Alabama is absolutely loaded, and having Minkah Fitzpatrick back will be huge. Linebackers Shaun Dion Hamilton and Rashaan Evans return, and don’t forget guys like Mack Wilson, who barely played this year, but could star in 2017.
Arkansas: DL Deatrich Wise, Jeremiah Ledbetter and Taiwan Johnson, LB Brooks Ellis, DB Jared Collins.
The Hogs lose much of their defensive line experience, as well as top linebacker and defensive back. McTelvin Agim will have to produce more in 2017, as will DB Ryan Pulley. Whether Bret Bielema can coax production from whoever plays beside Agim might be the key to the season.
Auburn: DL Montravius Adams and Carl Lawson, LB T.J. Neal, DB Rudy Ford and Joshua Holsey.
Other than the pass rush, Auburn doesn’t lose a ton in this class. Lawson and Adams combined for 13.5 sacks, but the continued development of Marlon Davidson up front should help ease those losses. Ford and Holsey are losses in the secondary, but corner Carlton Davis and safety Tray Matthews are both impact players who will return.
LSU: DL Lewis Neal, Davon Godchaux and Christian LaCouture, LB Duke Riley, Kendell Beckwith and Tashawn Bower, DBs Tre’Davious White and Jamal Adams.
LSU certainly takes a hit, losing their top five tacklers, but the cupboard is hardly bare. Pass-rushing star Arden Key will come up big in 2017, and DB Donte Jackson showed impressive skills last season as well.
Mississippi State: DL A.J. Jefferson, Nick James, Johnathan Calvin and Will Coleman, LB Richie Brown, DB Tolando Cleveland, Cedric Jiles and Kivon Coman.
State loses a ton up front, as well as in the secondary, and team leader Brown at linebacker. A good pair of young linebackers, Leo Lewis and J.T. Gray, will try to pad the loss. Jeffery Simmons, solid as a freshman, will have to grow up fast up front.
Ole Miss: DL Fadol Brown and Issac Gross, LB Rommel Mageo, DBs Tony Conner and Tony Bridges.
Unlike most of the West, Ole Miss lost little on defense. This is good, because its defense struggled in 2016, but the top tackler (DeMarquis Gates), top interceptor (Zedrick Woods), and top sack artist (Marquis Haynes) will all be back. Ole Miss doesn’t lose a player who topped 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks, or five passes broken up.
Texas A&M: DL Daeshon Hall and Myles Garrett, LB Shaan Washington and Claude George, DB Justin Evans.
A&M loses little in numbers, but lots in talent. Garrett was a one-of-a-kind force, Washington was the team’s leading tackler, and Evans led the team in picks. Still, A&M returns some players, like LB Otaro Alaka, CB Nick Harvey and Jarrett Johnson and Zaycoven Henderson as pass-rushers.
SEC East
Florida: DL Bryan Cox, Martez Ivie and Caleb Brantley, LB Alex Anzalone, Jarrad Davis and Daniel McMillian, DB Teez Tabor (pictured), Quincy Wilson and Marcus Maye.
There is a temptation to look at Florida’s losses and figure that there’s no way to replace that much talent. And that is a solid point. But consider — Florida returns its top tackler (Marcell Harris), sack artist (Jabari Zuniga), and leader in interception return yards (Chauncey Gardner). Florida’s defense will take a step back, but then again, they were unbelievably good in leading the Gators to a second consecutive East title in 2016.
Georgia: DB Quincy Mauger and Maurice Smith.
UGA loses almost nothing. With guys like Lorenzo Carter and Dominick Sanders coming back, UGA will field the most talented defense in the East in 2017. Roquan Smith’s 95 returning tackles is also impressive.
Kentucky: DL Courtney Miggins, DB Blake McClain and Marcus McWilson.
Kentucky loses little, mostly in the secondary. Highly-regarded recruit Darius West has missed two years out of three for injuries, but he could help if healthy. If not, Kentucky had a solid class of redshirts and recruits who could chip in.
Missouri: DL Charles Harris and Josh Augusta, LB Michael Scherer and Donavin Newsom, DB Aarion Penton and John Gibson.
The Tigers lose their leading tackler (Newsom), pass-rusher (Harris), and coverage man (Penton), as well as perhaps their best all-around player, Scherer. In light of the poor recruiting class just completed, it’s fair to wonder how they’ll be replaced. DL Marcell Frazier will help, but Mizzou has to get better linebacker play in 2017.
South Carolina: DL Marquavius Lewis, Darius English and Kelsey Griffin, LB T.J. Holloman, DB Jordan Diggs and Chaz Elder.
Will Muschamp loses virtually no offensive players, but several defensive playmakers. But all is not lost. DB D.J. Smith was the leading tackler in 2016 and will be back. DB Jamarcus King also came on with a solid season. Pass-rushers will be needed, but LB Skai Moore will be back and Muschamp likely has a recruiting ace or two up his sleeve.
Tennessee: DL Derek Barnett and Corey Vereen, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, DB Malik Foreman and Cam Sutton.
Tennessee’s losses were prominently on offense, although Barnett, Reeves-Maybin and Sutton were among the best players in the team and the league. UT lost 20.5 sacks in Barnett and Vereen. One of the few good things about the horrific injuries that UT had last year is that they’ve already had a chance to play without their stars, and guys like Todd Kelly and Micah Abernathy should be ready to go in 2017.
Vanderbilt: DL Adam Butler, LB Zach Cunningham, DB Torren McGaster.
Vandy loses little in numbers, but much in quality. No two players can replace Cunningham (No. 41, above), and McGaster and Butler were superb as well. The good news is that Derek Mason has built up substantial depth, and will return guys like LaDarius Wiley and Oren Burks.
Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.
