It’s never too early to talk about next season, right?

The quarterback position’s the most scrutinized on the field, often the recipient of pre- and postgame barbs from fans, media members and even coaches. There’s a few SEC teams in immediate good hands while others are ultra-thin and unproven on the second team heading into 2015.

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the SEC East looks to be even weaker under center next fall based on our current projections. At least two teams — South Carolina and Georgia — are guaranteed to have rookie starters with minimal game reps.

Ranking the SEC’s backup quarterbacks

14. Jeff Driskel, Florida, Jr.: No passer in the SEC had a more devastating fall from grace this season than Driskel, a multi-year starter who hasn’t been the same since returning from last year’s season-ending injury. Driskel’s been careless with the football, leading to a switch at the position from coach Will Muschamp. Freshman Treon Harris appears to be Florida’s quarterback of the future, damaging the rising senior’s chances at retaining his position during his final campaign.

13. Reese Phillips, Kentucky, Frosh.: Sophomore Patrick Towles won the job over this redshirt freshman in fall camp, but his job’s not set in stone if his play turns sour. An early enrollee at Kentucky in 2013, Phillips has had nearly two years in Neal Brown’s system and could be a viable fill-in for Towles if his number’s called.

12. Connor Mitch, South Carolina, Frosh.: One of the jewels in the Gamecocks’ 2013 signing class, Mitch was brought in to bring South Carolina back to prominence as the long term replacement post-Connor Shaw. This pro-style passer and redshirt freshman from Raleigh, N.C. is currently listed as South Carolina’s No. 2 behind senior Dylan Thompson. He saw his first game action on Oct. 18 against Furman, but was ineffective.

11. Brice Ramsey, Georgia, Frosh.: Ramsey will battle five-star redshirt freshman Jacob Park during spring practice to succeed Hutson Mason as the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback. In limited action this season, Ramsey’s completed 7-of-10 passes and thrown a 6-yard touchdown pass against Troy.

10. Austin Allen, Arkansas, Frosh.: Brandon Allen’s not going to lose his multi-year starting job to his brother, Austin, as a senior, but the freshman from Fayetteville has the tools to be a reliable passer down the line. He’s played in three games this season and is more mobile than Brandon.

9. Eddie Printz, Mizzou, Frosh.: Printz beat out junior Corbin Berkstresser for the Tigers’ No. 2 spot behind Maty Mauk before the season and is progressing well at Mizzou. He’ll continue to provide pressure on Mauk next season, especially if the dual-threat sophomore continues to put up average outings through the air.

8. Patton Robinette, Vanderbilt, Soph.: The incumbent before an injury gave his position away to redshirt freshman Johnny McCrary, Robinette’s a proven option who had a hand in several SEC wins as a freshman last season. McCrary’s emergence in recent weeks makes next year’s spring quarterback battle one of the SEC’s most intriguing.

7. DeVante Kincade, Ole Miss, Frosh.: Battling with Ryan Buchanan for the starting spot next season will be this rising sophomore, a player capable of leading Hugh Freeze’s offense to new heights as a run-pass threat. Jeremy Liggins, the Rebels’ 300-pound short-yardage threat, will also be utilized in certain third down and goal-to-go situations.

6. Damian Williams, Mississippi State, Soph.: A well-known prodigy in Starkville behind Heisman frontrunner Dak Prescott, Williams’ time may come sooner than we expected if Mississippi State’s starter leaves early for the NFL. As a freshman in 2013, Williams scored the game-winning touchdown at Arkansas and was a reliable fill-in for Tyler Russell and Prescott while both quarterbacks were on the mend. Most of his reps came as a freshman including his only career start against Ole Miss.

5. Brandon Harris, LSU, Frosh.: Talented enough to become the SEC’s best dual-threat option in 2015, the big stage has been a little too bright early for the five-star freshman in Baton Rouge. He’s still developing as a pocket passer and has a few problem areas to fix before replacing Anthony Jennings — who still has two more seasons — as next year’s starter.

4. Jacob Coker, Alabama, Jr.: Lane Kiffin’s offense is Coker’s for the taking after this season, but he hasn’t made the gigantic splash most were expecting during his first year in Tuscaloosa. Blake Sims earned the starting job, has maintained it with stellar play and is letting go the rest of the way. Benched as a backup for the second straight season, it’s likely a humbling experience for the talented Florida State transfer.

3. Joshua Dobbs, Tennessee, Soph.: The aerospace engineering major makes this list on a technicality since first-teamer Justin Worley’s sidelined with an injury, but what he’s done the last two weeks in the senior’s place brings the Vols hope for the future. In last week’s win over South Carolina, Dobbs accounted for five touchdowns and 467 yards of total offense. Thrown into the fire as a freshman last fall, Dobbs didn’t have a chance to develop against the likes of nationally-ranked Alabama, Mizzou and Auburn his first three outings.

2. Jeremy Johnson, Auburn, Soph.: Naturally-gifted as a 6-foot-5, 230-pound pocket passer who can make plays on the move, Johnson should be Auburn’s starters for the next two seasons post-Nick Marshall. Not as fast as the Tigers’ current starter, Johnson’s has an NFL arm and has shown precise accuracy thus far on the Plains. The sophomore’s completed 51-of-69 (73 percent) passes for 813 yards and nine touchdowns in nine career appearances. Gus Malzahn’s offense could be even more deadly next fall under the direction of Johnson.

1. Kenny Hill, Texas A&M, Soph.: The Trill may have evaporated, but the talent’s still there for Texas A&M’s former sophomore starter. Through the season’s first month this season, Hill led the SEC in nearly all statistical categories and leaped into the Heisman race as Johnny Manziel’s first-year replacement. His current two-game suspension led to a second-team role along with so-so performances against three nationally-ranked teams. Hill’s the ideal facilitator in Kevin Sumlin’s Air Raid and has a great opportunity at winning his job back before the end of the season.