In the SEC, cornerbacks and safeties have long been among the biggest stars the conference has to offer. For Defensive Backs Week, SDS hands out superlatives to the SEC’s returning players in the secondary.

Smallest — Mike Hilton, Ole Miss: Hilton, a rising junior, might not come in a big package; he’s listed at 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds. That doesn’t stop him from being one of the most dynamic defensive backs in the SEC. He led the Rebels in tackles from their nickel position as a junior and will emerge as a star without Cody Prewitt and Senquez Golson around to garner the headlines.

Biggest — Ronnie Harrison, Alabama: Harrison hasn’t taken his first college snap yet, but the freshman is already one of the most hulking players in the conference. The four-star safety is listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, and one can only imagine that with his frame and a college training program he’s only going to get bigger.

Fastest — Kailo Moore, Ole Miss and Marlon Humphrey, Alabama (tie): This one is a toss up. Moore might be perhaps the fastest player in the SEC when it comes to straight line speed, and he’s one of the fastest 100-meter runners in Ole Miss history. Humphrey isn’t as quick as Moore, but we should see on the field this fall that his speed comes with endurance as well.

Best tackler — Tony Conner, Ole Miss: One of the more versatile defenders in the SEC, Conner has the ability to play near the line and in coverage. He’s a consistent tackler against both the run and the pass and rarely lets a ball carrier get out of his grasp. He finished second to Hilton on the team with 69 tackles a year ago, one of the highest defensive back totals in the conference.

Biggest ballhawk — Jonathan Jones, Auburn: Jones is targeted a good bit, but quarterbacks do so at their own peril. Jones is the top interception man returning from a year ago after he picked off six passes in 2014, and he tied with Senquez Golson for the conference lead with 18 passes defended. After his breakout 2014 season, Jones will be expected to be among the best corners in the conference in 2015.

Best cover man — Vernon Hargreaves, Florida: It didn’t take long, but Hargreaves doesn’t get thrown at much anymore. In just two years in the SEC, he’s already developed into one of the best corners the conference has seen in years, and he’s nowhere close to his ceiling. The junior has impeccable technique and is capable of running stride for stride with any receiver in the conference.