With the exception of one or two stragglers, all 14 SEC recruiting classes are finalized for 2015.

How does each program’s recruiting ranking compare with historical averages?

RELATED: Average recruiting class rank for every SEC coach

After a close look, we graded four programs as “better than usual” and 10 as “in line with normal trends,” although a case could be made for bumping LSU down to that second grouping. As hard as we tried, we couldn’t classify any of the teams as “worse than usual.”

SEC recruiting is as strong as ever, with six of the top 12 teams and a huge chunk of the top-rated players. If the SEC can’t win another national championship in the next few seasons, don’t blame the talent level.

BETTER THAN USUAL

  • LSU. This is splitting hairs, but the Tigers will finish with a Top 5 class for the second time in the last six recruiting classes. Les Miles’ average recruiting ranking in a decade at LSU is No. 8, and the difference between slots at the top gets exponentially more difficult to bridge at each rung.
  • Tennessee. The Vols are a historically good recruiting program, but not since the Phillip Fulmer era have the Vols claimed a recruiting class this acclaimed. Butch Jones outdid himself with this group, and he may not be able to offer immediate playing time again.
  • Mississippi State. The Bulldogs’ 18th-ranked class is well ahead of Dan Mullen’s average class rank of 28.5. The team dominated inside the Magnolia State, including Leo Lewis, and met a lot of pressing needs after losing more starters than any team in the SEC.
  • Missouri. Gary Pinkel parlayed back-to-back SEC East titles into arguably his best class ever. Led by DT Terry Beckner Jr. and QB Drew Lock, Mizzou’s excellent player development can apply itself to a higher talent level than usual with this crop.

IN LINE WITH NORMAL TRENDS

  • Alabama. This one’s difficult, but the Crimson Tide will finish with the consensus No. 1 recruiting class for a fifth consecutive season. It’s difficult to classify Bama as “better than usual” because, well, dominating the rest of the country has become normal. Still, the job Nick Saban’s staff did despite some significant turnover is commendable.
  • Auburn. Gus Malzahn has to compete with Nick Saban to the West, Butch Jones to the North, Mark Richt to the East and Jimbo Fisher to the South. Yet he raked in yet another Top 10 recruiting class with a number of impact players on both sides of the ball.
  • Georgia. Is it just me or do the Bulldogs recruiting classes remind you a lot of their seasons? Full of promise, commendable, but not quite championship-worthy? Mark Richt and UGA collect Top 10 classes year after year.
  • Texas A&M. The Aggies didn’t quite reach fever-pitch Swagcopter/Johnny Manziel quarterbacked our team in our last game levels in 2014, but the team’s 12th-ranked class includes three five-star signees and 11 three-star signees.
  • Ole Miss. Not nearly as strong as the team’s celebrated 2012 group, Hugh Freeze still landed a class clearly inside of the Top 20, filling some crucial positional needs in the process. The Rebels’ 2015 class is a pretty average group by SEC West standards, which is on par with historical trends in Oxford.
  • South Carolina. The Gamecocks appeared on track for the best class in school history, but a major on-field regression after three consecutive 11-win seasons and uncertainty about Steve Spurrier’s eventual retirement cost the team a few recruits. South Carolina’s ’15 class eventually settled right in line with historical trends under Spurrier.
  • Arkansas. Bret Bielema landed the quintessential Razorbacks recruiting class, one that ranks on the fringe of the Top 25 and includes plenty of giant bodies.
  • Kentucky. The Wildcats scored big in 2014 with QB Drew Barker and DT Matt Elam, both in-state products, and a slew of receivers for the team’s Air Raid offense. Though coach Mark Stoops couldn’t maintain a Top 25 class in back-to-back years, overall he signed a solid group (ranked No. 40 by the 247Sports Composite) that’s more indicative of what UK fans can expect with a solid head coach running the program.
  • Vanderbilt. The Commodores finished 46th, disappointing considering the disadvantage Derek Mason faced in 2014, when he came in late, got pilfered by outgoing coach James Franklin and finished 45th. But considering Vandy’s 3-9 season and the fact the team fired both its coordinators, the program held its own by claiming three four-star players.

WORSE THAN USUAL

  • None. It’s just difficult to argue that any of these programs are below the historical average, particularly for the current head coaches.