Despite losing talented players like Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett and LSU RB Leonard Fournette to the NFL draft this offseason, the SEC is still loaded with returning star power.

On Friday, ESPN decided to rank the top 25 returning players in the conference, naming players from 11 of the conference’s 14 squads (Florida, Missouri and Tennessee were the only three teams not represented).

LSU only had two players named, but they were the No. 1 and No. 2 overall players, so the Tigers will have some talent under first-year head coach Ed Orgeron.

Alabama led the way with eight players on the list and returns superstar QB Jalen Hurts to a squad that finished as the national runner-up in 2016.

The whole list of players can be seen here:

  1. Arden Key, DE, LSU
  2. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
  3. Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
  4. Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
  5. Jalen Hurts, QB, Alabama
  6. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
  7. Kamryn Pettway, RB, Auburn
  8. Frank Ragnow, OL, Arkansas
  9. Braden Smith, OL, Auburn
  10. Rawleigh Williams, RB, Arkansas
  11. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
  12. Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State
  13. Da’Ron Payne, DL, Alabama
  14. Trenton Thompson, DL, Georgia
  15. Jonah Williams, OL, Alabama
  16. Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama
  17. Austin Allen, QB, Arkansas
  18. Ralph Webb, RB, Vanderbilt
  19. Jordan Jones, LB, Kentucky
  20. Shaun Dion Hamilton, LB, Alabama
  21. Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M
  22. Skai Moore, LB, South Carolina
  23. Trayveon Williams, RB, Texas A&M
  24. Marquis Haynes, DL, Ole Miss
  25. Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama

That’s quite a list of returning players, with the talent spread out all over the conference.

With an influx of talented freshmen joining the mix, as well, 2017 promises to be another exciting year of SEC football.

We can’t wait!