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Offensive linemen are popular between Nos. 40 and 31 on our ranking of the SEC’s Top 50 players.

When talking about the guys who make their living in the trenches, units such as Arkansas, Georgia and Missouri stand out among the best in the SEC this season. There are also plenty of players out to stop them.

Here’s a look at the top players in the SEC, Nos. 40-31:

No. 40: Hunter Henry, Arkansas

Position: TE
Size: 6-foot-5, 253 pounds
Year: Junior

Intriguing Matchup: at Alabama, Oct. 10; Henry could be the top tight end in the SEC this season. To do so, he’ll have to test his mettle against the conference’s most-formidable linebackers, including Alabama’s Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster.

Why Henry: Hunter Henry was built for Bret Bielema’s tight end-friendly offense — which has placed four players in the NFL dating back to the coaches’ Wisconsin days. The junior (513 yards, 2 touchdowns) finished 45 yards shy of tying Keon Hatcher for the team lead last season. A possession-type receiver, Henry creates a big target and a quality second option in the resurgent Arkansas passing game under Brandon Allen.

No. 39: John Theus, Georgia

Position: LT
Size: 6-foot-6, 303 pounds
Year: Senior

Intriguing Matchup: at Tennessee, Oct. 10; Theus and his linemates clash with Volunteers defensive ends Derek Barnett and Curt Maggitt.

Why Theus: Georgia back Nick Chubb will have his running lanes cleared once again this year by fellow preseason first-team All-SEC selection John Theus. The Bulldogs led the SEC in rushing yards per game (257.8) in 2014. Theus was the third true freshman in Georgia history to start along the offensive line. Since then, he’s started 35 of his 40 career games — including every game during his freshman and junior seasons.

No. 38: Denver Kirkland, Arkansas

Position: LT
Size: 6-foot-5, 340 pounds
Year: Junior

Intriguing Matchup: vs. Ole Miss, Nov. 7; Kirkland and the Arkansas offensive line will have to contain Rebels’ bruising DT Robert Nkemdiche.

Why Kirkland: Big and athletic, Denver Kirkland moved to left tackle this offseason and still garnered preseason second-team All-SEC recognition. The Outland Trophy candidate helped the Razorbacks possess the only rushing duo in 2014 to each amass more than 1,000 yards (Jonathan Williams, 1,190, and Alex Collins, 1,100). With Dan Skipper moving from left to right tackle and Sebastian Tretola lining up along Kirkland, Arkansas has a dynamic run-blocking offensive line.

No. 37: Jalen Mills, LSU

Position: FS
Size: 6-foot, 196 pounds
Year: Senior

Intriguing Matchup: at Mississippi State, Sept. 12; The LSU secondary gets an early-season test in the Tigers’ second game with a road tilt in Starkville against Heisman-potential quarterback Dak Prescott.

Why Mills: Mills only made one interception last season in his first year at free safety. But it was a big one, setting up the Tigers’ late rally in their season-opening win over No. 14 Wisconsin. The veteran senior who has started every game in his career (39) is part of a loaded LSU secondary that should rank among the conference’s best. Expect the interceptions total to rise; after all, Mills does have six career picks, to go along with 186 tackles.

No. 36: Evan Boehm, Missouri

Position: C
Size: 6-foot-3, 320 pounds
Year: Senior

Intriguing Matchup: at Arkansas, Nov. 27; Boehm draws the unenviable task of protecting Maty Mauk from the defensive tackle tandem of Taiwan Johnson and Bijhon Jackson.

Why Boehm: At 320 pounds, the veteran team leader is a rock in the metaphorical and the physical sense of the word. Boehm enters his senior campaign having started all 40 of his career games. The senior proved he had the size and speed necessary after his freshman season and was switched from left guard to center for his sophomore year. Expect to hear Boehm’s name come up at the end of the season as a Rimington Award candidate for the nation’s top center.

No. 35: De’Runnya Wilson, Mississippi State

Position: WR
Size: 6-foot-5, 215 pounds
Year: Junior

Intriguing Matchup: vs. Ole Miss, Nov. 28; As if a rivalry game needed any more hype, Wilson tests his speed and play-making capability against Ole Miss DBs Tony Conner and Mike Hilton, two of the best in the SEC West this season.

Why Wilson: De’Runnya Wilson led the 2014 Bulldogs in receiving with 680 yards, 9 touchdowns and a habit of making big plays. Of his 12 career scores, five of them have come on third downs. Pretty good for a guy who didn’t play football until his senior year at Wenonah (Ala.) High School. As for that aforementioned Egg Bowl “Intriguing Matchup?” Wilson burned the Rebels last year to the tune of 117 yards and a touchdown.

No. 34: Sebastian Tretola, Arkansas

Position: G
Size: 6-foot-5, 334 pounds
Year: Senior

Intriguing Matchup: at Alabama, Oct. 10; Tretola and the Razorbacks would’ve beaten the Tide last year with any semblance of offensive success. Avoiding the same fate will require that Tretola and the offensive line get push against A’Shawn Robinson, Jonathan Allen and Jarran Reed.

Why Tretola: The guy can do it all — except for relenting a sack of quarterback Brandon Allen. Tretola yielded zero sacks last season and accrued a paltry four penalties. In fact, the left guard tossed more touchdowns (1, vs. UAB) than he had sacks allowed. The Razorbacks should have a dominant run game this season, thanks in large part to Tretola.

No. 33: Jamal Adams, LSU

Position: S
Size: 6-foot-1, 211 pounds
Year: Sophomore

Intriguing Matchup: vs. Auburn, Sept. 19; a week after facing Dak Prescott, the LSU secondary gets another early-season test when newly-anointed Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson arrives in town.

Why Adams: Jamal Adams enters his sophomore season drawing comparisons to former embattled LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu. The sophomore earned Freshman All-American and All-SEC Freshman Team honors coming off the bench last season as the Tigers’ fifth defensive back in nickel packages. Adams already plays with a swagger that he earned while making 66 tackles to go along with a sack and 8 tackles-for-loss as a frosh.

No. 32: Jordan Jenkins, Georgia

Position: OLB
Size: 6-foot-3, 253 pounds
Year: Senior

Intriguing Matchup: vs. South Carolina, Sept. 19; The Gamecocks’ Brandon Shell is moving to left tackle this year. His reward is a Week 3 matchup against Jenkins.

Why Jenkins: With all the talk of Georgia’s offense, the Bulldogs’ defense is sometimes overlooked. Jenkins is a leader of a Georgia linebacker corps that should be able to hold its own against any other group in the SEC, perhaps even in the nation. The senior has 146 tackles in 40 career starts and seems to have a knack for prying footballs from ball-carrier’s hands (five fumble recoveries).

No. 31: Jovon Robinson, Auburn

Position: RB
Size: 6-foot, 230 pounds
Year: Junior

Intriguing Matchup: vs. Alabama, Nov. 28; The JUCO transfer gets a shot against what will likely be the best defense the junior has ever faced.

Why Robinson: Jovon Robinson arrives in Auburn this fall after posting cartoonish numbers at Georgia Military College (3,198 yards, 43 TDs) in two seasons. The National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year joins a crowded backfield with Peyton Barber, Kerryon Johnson and Roc Thomas, but should see plenty of playing time thanks to his downhill, bruising style. Robinson set NJCAA single-season records for rushing (2,387), touchdowns (34) and points scored (204).