The SEC lost a number of its top tight ends to the NFL this offseason, from Texas A&M’s Jace Sternberger to Alabama’s Irv Smith Jr. to Ole Miss’s Dawson Knox to LSU’s Foster Moreau and others.

That means the position seems a little bit thin coming into the 2019 season, but it’s also worth noting that none of the guys mentioned in the previous paragraph were highly regarded coming out of high school. For example, Smith was the No. 22 tight end in the 2016 class, and Sternberger was the No. 67 tight end in the 2015 class (and had a JUCO stop and a stop at Kansas before landing at A&M).

Therefore, even though the tight end position may look a little thin heading into the 2019 season on paper, there are likely to be a few guys who break out in a big way and make names for themselves.

There’s one clear-cut star at the position this fall, but behind that, there’s plenty of intriguing candidates for spots on this top-10 list. As things stand following spring practices, here’s how I’d rank the SEC’s 10 best tight ends:

1. Albert Okwuegbunam, Mizzou

This one is easy, as Albert O might be the best tight end in the country. He’s being projected as a potential first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft (this one has him going No. 17 overall). No, he won’t have Drew Lock throwing him the ball this year, but Kelly Bryant will bring a different set of skills to the table.

If Albert O can stay healthy, he should be a dominant force in the red zone for the Tigers this fall. He had 43 catches for 466 yards and six touchdowns last season, despite missing four games. He now has 17 touchdowns in two years, so he’s the No. 1 tight end in the SEC until someone proves otherwise.

2. Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt

Pinkney is the SEC’s leader in tight end receiving yards (774) and catches (50). He added seven touchdowns for good measure.

He returns to an offense without QB Kyle Shurmur, so there will be some growing pains this fall. However, Pinkney is talented enough to become his new quarterback’s favorite target.

3. CJ O’Grady, Arkansas

O’Grady only played in eight games in 2018, but he still managed to make 30 catches for 400 yards and six touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns came against Alabama, and two more came against LSU, so O’Grady clearly knows how to rise to the occasion against tough defenses.

If he can stay healthy this year, he could put up some big numbers, even with freshman Hudson Henry (see below) breathing down his neck.

4. Charlie Woerner, Georgia

Woerner has been used primarily as a blocking tight end during his Georgia career, but with Isaac Nauta off to the NFL, this will be Woerner’s chance to shine. He’s a great blocker, and that will continue to be his strength, but he’ll try to show some pass-catching prowess this year, too.

In three seasons at Georgia, Woerner has 25 catches for 298 yards, but has yet to score his first touchdown for the Bulldogs. Expect that to change this fall.

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5. Dominick Wood-Anderson, Tennessee

It took Wood-Anderson a while to get up to speed in the SEC, and he wasn’t utilized to his maximum potential in Tennessee’s 2018 offense. However, with Jim Chaney installed as the new offensive coordinator, Wood-Anderson’s skills should be put on display more.

If he doesn’t improve on his 2018 numbers (17 catches, 140 yards and two touchdowns), it’ll be a major disappointment for a Tennessee squad hoping for big things this fall.

6. Baylor Cupp, Texas A&M

Cupp was the No. 1 overall tight end in the 2019 class, and he’ll have an opportunity to shine right away this season. The Aggies had one of the nation’s best tight ends in Jace Sternberger last year, but now he’s with the Green Bay Packers.

Jimbo Fisher clearly likes to involve his tight end in the offense, and with QB Kellen Mond poised to make a jump as well, Cupp could be one of the most impactful freshmen in the country in 2019.

7. Miller Forristall, Alabama

Forristall didn’t see the field much in 2018 after a knee injury ended his 2017 season after only three games. However, now that Smith is off to the NFL, he’ll have a chance to show what he’s made of. He doesn’t have the same skill set that Smith or even Hale Hentges had, but he’ll be a bigger part of the offense this fall, and with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, he could put up some decent numbers.

8. Kiel Pollard, South Carolina

Pollard was the go-to guy at tight end for the Gamecocks last year, though there weren’t many passes to go around. Kyle Markway caught three balls (including a big one against Mizzou) and K.C. Crosby was also in the mix, but Pollard was the top dog among Gamecock tight ends.

He should keep that role this year, and that means he should improve on his 15 catches for 181 yards and two scores from 2018.

9. Hudson Henry, Arkansas

We know what the last name “Henry” means at Arkansas. Hudson’s older brother, Hunter, is now a tight end for the Los Angeles Chargers after amassing 1,661 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during his Razorback career.

Now Hudson, a 4-star 2019 signee and the No. 4 tight end in the country, is ready to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Hudson will probably be the No. 2 guy behind O’Grady (see above) this fall, but if Chad Morris’s offense is firing on all cylinders in Year 2, there’s definitely room for two tight ends to stand out in Fayetteville.

10. Octavious Cooley, Ole Miss

Cooley has been overshadowed in his time at Ole Miss so far, but that’s what happens when you have guys like Evan Engram and Dawson Knox ahead of you on the depth chart. The 6-3, 268-pound tight end has made an impact as a blocker, though, since both Engram and Knox were more focused on the pass-catching aspects of the position.

With a new quarterback (Matt Corral) taking over the position this fall for the Rebels, Cooley could emerge as a safety net. He has the size to make big red-zone catches, and without D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown in the receiving corps, there should be more passes to go around.