More than three months ago, we set out to dissect what could be one of the tightest, most competitive college football divisions in years.

We broke down the SEC West offenses, defenses, coaching staffs and X factors. That gave us a predicted order of finish in the division.

Now that we’re closer to the season, we’re going to re-rank the division’s offenses and defenses. Since we last attacked this exercise, we’ve at least gotten some clarity about which newcomers will contribute, which players are healthy and which quarterbacks will start. (OK, so that last element remains clear as mud for a few teams.)

Days before we enter the first game week, here’s how we rank the SEC West offenses from best to good.

1. Auburn Tigers

Strength: Gus Malzahn’s track record

Weakness: Inexperience at the skill positions

Best Player: WR D’haquille Williams

Auburn’s two-year rushing totals under head coach Gus Malzahn are better than every non-triple option team in the country. But he’s transforming the offense to match quarterback Jeremy Johnson’s skill set and replacing the SEC’s leading rusher for a second consecutive season.

We anticipate the running game to slip just a smidge. Right now, it appears that Auburn will take a by-committee approach, as Roc Thomas, the current favorite to start at running back, barely tops 200 pounds. Feeding him more than 200 carries may not be wise, so Peyton Barber and JUCO sensation Jovon Robinson also should get opportunities.

The downfield passing game should be as sharp as it has been at Auburn. The Tigers threw deep passes more often than one would surmise with Nick Marshall at quarterback. Now that the team features a 6-foot-5, 240-pound passer potentially with an NFL arm, one would expect the success rate on those throws to improve. It helps that D’haquille Williams, Ricardo Lewis, Melvin Ray and company seem capable of big production at receiver.

The bottom line is that Malzahn is a proven offensive coaching commodity in the SEC dating back to his days as a coordinator at Arkansas. There are more moving parts this season than most, but we trust Malzahn to pull it together.

2. Texas A&M Aggies

Strength: Abundance of pass-catchers

Weakness: Below average (by West Division standards) at the point of attack

Best Player: WR/KR Speedy Noil

Even LSU may have trouble matching up its defensive backs with Texas A&M’s overload of passing targets. On the outside is Josh Reynolds, who claimed 13 receiving touchdowns in 2014, and Speedy Noil, perhaps the unit’s most talented individual who is now a sophomore. Up the seams is Christian Kirk, one of the quickest players in the division, and Ricky Seals-Jones, a glorified tight end who at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds presents a matchup nightmare.

Now that Kyle Allen has won the job, the Aggies officially can move forward with a confident, experienced quarterback — and a five-star backup in Kyler Murray. No longer does Johnny Manziel’s huge shadow linger over the position.

The only question is whether new offensive line coach Dave Christensen can manage to convert the NFL talent across the offensive line into a nastier bunch capable of blowing back SEC defenders and pounding the ball when it needs tough yards or wants to run out the clock.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide

Strength: Unrivaled depth

Weakness: Unsettled quarterback position

Best Player: RB Derrick Henry

The sporadic, filtered quarterback updates emerging from Tuscaloosa are about as chaotic as the stock market this week. Jake Coker and David Cornwell are the two favorites. Blake Barnett is going to redshirt. Wait, Barnett is amazing even at 18 and could be a legitimate part of the competition. Hold on … Coker is hurt. There go his chances. No, he’s back. What’s that, Coach Saban? Alec Morris has “taken command” of the offense?

Alabama essentially is starting with a new canvas other than a quartet of great players — RBs Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake, LT Cam Robinson and C Ryan Kelly.

The running game won’t be historically good as the team replaces three starting offensive linemen, but it should be a major asset. Whether coordinator Lane Kiffin can leverage an inexperienced but deep group of receivers, in addition to mixing throws to Drake and TE O.J. Howard, will determine how effective the Tide offense will be.

4. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Strength: Experienced, versatile quarterback

Weakness: Offensive line

Best Player: QB Dak Prescott

Coach Dan Mullen has produced 1,000-yard backs like he operates some sort of running game factory on a farm out beyond the edge of Starkville. As much fun as we had watching Josh Robinson, a bowling ball of a runner, we suspect that Ashton Shumpert and Aeris Williams will acquit themselves just fine. Quarterback Dak Prescott fell 14 yards shy of giving Mississippi State an unconventional pair of 1,000-yard rushers in ’14, and his presence makes life easier for whomever shares his backfield.

De’Runnya Wilson hasn’t shown enough development — yet — to be considered in the same class as receivers like Laquon Treadwell, D’haquille Williams and Pharoh Cooper. But at 6-foot-5, the former basketball player has an enviable size/speed combination. Prescott will want to show NFL personnel folks that he can zip the ball downfield, and Wilson should be the No. 1 recipient of his development as a passer.

The offensive line is the most pressing concern. Last year’s group wasn’t conventionally talented — none of the departed seniors got drafted — but Dillon Day, Ben Beckwith and Blaine Clausell were nasty. Sometimes they even crossed the line. But it’s going to be challenging to replicate how well that group controlled games last year, even against the SEC’s best.

5. Ole Miss Rebels

Strength: Good pass-catchers

Weakness: Running game

Best Player: LT Laremy Tunsil

Ole Miss claims as many as three first-team All-Americans preseason — on offense alone. Assuming LT Laremy Tunsil and WR Laquon Treadwell stay healthy, they’re close to sure things as first-round picks in the 2016 NFL draft. And Evan Engram may be the best pass-catching tight end in the nation.

Players like Cody Core, Quincy Adeboyejo and Damore’ea Stringfellow are tremendous when framed as third or fourth options in the passing game.

There are several areas in which the team must prove competent. The offensive line allowed 89 tackles for loss last season, 13th in the SEC. It’s a more veteran group this year, and given better health, that should improve. But how much?

For all the negative plays, Bo Wallace was a proven commodity at quarterback who also made things happen despite lots of pressure. Chad Kelly (or Ryan Buchanan) gives Ole Miss physical talent at the position, but we need to see it on the field.

Finally, this team averaged 3.9 yards per carry against SEC opposition last year. Without an alpha running back, it’s difficult to imagine the Rebels making a giant leap forward in that aspect.

6. LSU Tigers

Strength: Surplus of talented young skill players

Weakness: Below-average quarterback play

Best Player: RB Leonard Fournette

Is there a more talented true sophomore receiver-running back combination in the country? Malachi Dupre and Leonard Fournette produced as freshmen in 2014, despite immense expectations and what proved to be a steep learning curve. Both players appear poised to play like the superstars they were recruited to be in 2015.

Bookend offensive tackles Gerald Hawkins and Vadal Alexander should be very good. And if Travin Dural can only learn to run a wider variety of routes with precision, he has a chance to be a top 10 receiver nationally.

Unless Les Miles and Cam Cameron have us fooled, LSU will give Brandon Harris an opportunity at quarterback this fall. Of course, Harris played one of the most disappointing games in the conference all of last year in his lone SEC start, a 41-7 loss to Auburn. The same Auburn that allowed an SEC-worst 22 passing touchdowns in its 12 other games.

But the coaching staff insists this is a more mature Harris. It sounds like he still doesn’t know the playbook as well as Anthony Jennings. If he can only tap into a higher percentage of his natural athleticism and limit big-time mistakes, there are enough good skill players on the team to ensure adequate offensive production.

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

Strength: Commitment to the power running game

Weakness: Lack of vertical threats

Best Player: LG Sebastian Tretola

Look past the fact that Arkansas produced a pair of 1,000-yard rushers last season, and the running game didn’t perform as well as you’d think. In SEC games, the Razorbacks averaged just 4.0 yards per carry, compared with 6.5 ypc out of conference.

On the plus side, coach Bret Bielema has shuffled around his offensive line, tinkering with positions and asking a few players to trim weight. The group should be more athletic, with better endurance, in 2015. On the minus side, Jonathan Williams (foot) is out for at least the regular season. Alex Collins hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in a game after September, so the team better hope he stays focused and gets in tremendous shape while he can. Overall, though, the running game should produce, even Kody Walker and Rawleigh Williams III.

With a few major exceptions, fifth-year senior quarterback Brandon Allen took great care of the football last season. New offensive coordinator Dan Enos seems poised to employ more screens and dump passes, which fit Allen’s skill set well and should take advantage of the team’s talent at tight end and running back. If Dominique Reed can provide a true downfield threat, this could be the most balanced Bielema offense we’ve seen in Fayetteville.