The SEC has a firm grip on how the College Football Playoff picture will unfold this season. It is widely viewed that the SEC will have at least one team in the CFP, and could easily have two.

By extension, a host of players are playing key roles in how the CFP will play out, and they’re not simply high-profile quarterbacks. ESPN’s Bill Connelly outlined this breakdown of players who he figures, “through opportunity and development could make the biggest difference — either directly or indirectly — in how we end up viewing 2019.”

What’s more, former SEC players Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields, Jacob Eason and Shea Patterson are also mentioned.

Connelly included in the category of “players with pure transcendent potential” as Alabama’s Anfernee Jennings, LSU’s Kristian Fulton and Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, who is called the “healthy anchor” of maybe the best (offensive) line in college football. About Jennings, Connelly wrote, “Last year, despite linemen Quinnen Williams and Isaiah Buggs logging 33 tackles for loss up front, Jennings still found the opportunity to make 13 TFLs and 16.5 run stuffs. Given more of a role in the pass rush, his numbers could ignite.”

For Fulton, Connelly wrote, “If he develops further, an already great LSU defense gets to basically erase about one-third of the field from its game plan.”

South Carolina’s Jake Bentley, Missouri’s Kelly Bryant and Tennessee’s Jarrett Guarantano are three veteran quarterbacks who could beat a contender. About Bentley, Connelly wrote that he, “quietly helped the Gamecocks to improve to 21st in offensive S&P+ last year, and his skill corps has massive experience. He could pick off one of these contenders, at least.”

Joe Burrow at LSU and Kellen Mond at Texas A&M fit in the category of, “Quarterbacks with both a potential game-changing leap in them and a shot at lots of contenders.”

“Over his first nine games as LSU’s starter, he went just 14-for-38 on these passes (37%) at 12.6 yards per attempt. But late in the season, the big plays began to flow. Over his last four games, he completed nine of 17 deep attempts (53%) for 303 yards (17.8 per pass), with six scores and no picks. Against UCF in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, he was 4-for-5 for 129 and three scores.”

Connelly also noted Mond’s play last season against Clemson and LSU, and wrote that he has the potential to knock off one of the several national title contenders on the Aggies’ schedule.

Here are the SEC players listed by ranking:

1. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
2. Joe Burrow, LSU
10. Jake Bentley, South Carolina
11. Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
14. Tyler Simmons or Demetris Robertson, Georgia
16. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU
21. Andrew Thomas, Georgia
22. Kristian Fulton, LSU
23. Anfernee Jennings, Alabama

Honorable mention: Kelly Bryant, Missouri, Jarrett Guarantano, Tennessee.