Picking the 10 best players in the SEC East heading into September is like walking into a bakery with $20 on an empty stomach. There are many combinations and very few wrong answers.

We’re looking for players who stick out on film and on the stat sheet as game-changers, guys who teams can count on to produce this season in a division hoping to conquer its West brethren in Atlanta for the first time since 2008.

RELATED: 10 best players SEC West

Here are the 10 best individual players in the SEC East entering the fall:

10. Cam Sutton, Tennessee, DB — John Jancek’s lucky to have a reliable cornerback like Sutton in his secondary arsenal, a veteran who has started all 25 games of his career. Sutton’s rarely beaten and is one of the league’s better tacklers in run support at his position. When the ball’s thrown his way, he makes plays.

9. Kentrell Brothers, Mizzou, LB — A glaring omission on most preseason lists, Brothers deserves mention with the rest of these guys as one of the Tigers’ most productive players last season. Performing in the shadow of Shane Ray and Markus Golden, Brothers was a tackling machine (122) and showed a true nose for the football. Instinctive and strong, Brothers will be playing on Sundays.

8. Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee, QB — Dobbs’ sophomore season ended with a sizzling flurry through the air and on the ground. That’s led to substantial praise heading into September. He’s a dual-threat facilitator and arguably the division’s top returning player at the position. And best of all? Dobbs knows where to go with the football and rarely makes careless mistakes.

7. Greg Pyke, Georgia, OL — Looking for a pulling guard who can get out in open space and de-cleat an approaching linebacker? Pyke’s your guy, a returning starter who helped Georgia rush for an SEC-leading 257.8 yards per game as a redshirt sophmore. He’s one of four starters back up front for the Bulldogs’ top-notch unit.

6. Curt Maggitt, Tennessee, LB — This guy is extremely disruptive no matter where he lines up on Tennessee’s defense. He’ll shoulder an even bigger role this season with the Vols’ middle linebacker spot in flux. His skill set’s similar to former Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones in that he’s fantastic at shedding blocks and wreaking havoc behind the line of scrimmage. Maggitt is one of college football’s best blitzers.

5. Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, WR — No longer an unknown, Cooper might be the league’s best all-around player on his side of the football thanks to supreme talents as a multi-position threat. When the football is in his hands, he gives the Gamecocks a serious weapon and keeps drives alive on third down. Expect him to be even more involved this fall within an inexperienced unit.

4. Derek Barnett, Tennessee, DL — Is there a weakness in this sophomore’s game? If there is, we haven’t seen it. Not only does Barnett have the complete package from a pass rusher’s perspective (10 sacks), but his appetite for sealing the edge led to 20.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage as a freshman — second only to SEC defensive player of the year Shane Ray.

3. Leonard Floyd, Georgia, LB — There’s tremendous upside for Floyd to become a first-team All-America tackler and pass rusher, but he hasn’t yet put a full season together and enters September with an ailing shoulder. Floyd’s a freak of nature athletically. He’ll generate first-round buzz with a standout junior season.

2. Vernon Hargreaves, Florida, DB — College football’s top cornerback, Hargreaves is the SEC’s most dominant defensive player without having to make a bunch of noise. He sticks on the opposition’s No. 1 like glue and isn’t afraid to help out when a running back is sprinting toward the boundary. The former five-star is a first-round lock in next season’s draft barring injury.

1. Nick Chubb, Georgia, RB — If Brian Schottenheimer can keep him fresh in a deep backfield this season, Chubb should lead the conference in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and could be a Heisman finalist if the Bulldogs are in contention for a national title at year’s end.

Also Considered: Russell Hansbrough, Mizzou, RB; Jalen Hurd, Tennessee, RB; John Theus, Georgia, OL; A.J. Stamps, Kentucky, DB; Lorenzo Carter, Georgia, LB; Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt, RB; Demarcus Robinson, Florida, WR; Isaiah McKenzie, Georgia, WR; Brandon Shell, South Carolina, OL; Jordan Jenkins, Georgia, LB