With the NFL Draft over and spring practices wrapping up around the country, we’re going to be without any major football for a few months. This is always a tough time of year for football fans, but in the SEC, baseball is in full swing.

In the D1Baseball rankings, the SEC has 4 of the top 5 teams (No. 1 Arkansas, No. 2 Vanderbilt, No. 4 Mississippi State and No. 5 Tennessee). Three other SEC squads are in the top 25 of the rankings.

If you want to keep up with everything SEC baseball, check out Saturday Down South writer Joe Cox’s weekly “9 Innings” column. He does a great job breaking down all the SEC baseball action.

Oh, and then there’s softball. The SEC has 2 top-5 teams (No. 3 Alabama and No. 4 Florida) and 8 total teams in the top 25 of the rankings.

Basically, when the College World Series (both men’s and women’s) roll around, there are likely going to be several SEC teams in the mix for a title. It should be a fun summer on the diamond!

Now, let’s dive into your questions for this week’s Mailbag:

@SChinni12:

Which SEC team do you think will improve its win total the most from 2020 to 2021?

Well, that depends on if we’re talking total wins or win percentages. I think Vanderbilt will have an infinitely better winning percentage this season, as I like the Commodores to win at least 1 game!

But, I’m guessing that what you’re really asking is which team will improve in terms of total wins the most. Every team should theoretically have 2 more games this fall than last, so that should help add wins.

LSU is intriguing, as the Tigers went 5-5 last year. But, to be the most improved, I’m looking for a 5-win jump, and I don’t know if LSU will be a 10-win team this fall. I also like Ole Miss, but same thing — the Rebels aren’t winning 10 games, I don’t think.

I’ll give you 2 guesses. My bold prediction is Georgia. The Dawgs won 8 games last year. I have them winning the SEC East this fall. Week 1 will be the key, as Georgia starts its season against Clemson in Charlotte. That will be one of the most highly-anticipated games of the entire 2021 campaign.

Win that one and I think the Dawgs can go undefeated in the regular season. Even with a loss, they’re talented enough to win the rest of their games. That’s 11 or 12 wins there. The SEC Championship Game should be a tossup this year no matter who wins the West. Then, it’s just a matter of winning a bowl game (or 2 if the Dawgs make the College Football Playoff). Likely? No. But possible? Absolutely.

I also think Arkansas is a team to watch. The Hogs had 3 wins in 2020. Could they go 7-5 in the regular season and win a bowl game? Oh yeah. I like what Sam Pittman is building down in Fayetteville.

John:

ESPN updated its 2021 power rankings after most teams have finished spring practices. Which team currently outside the top 10 has the best chance to make the Playoff this season?

Notre Dame sitting there at No. 12 is intriguing. But, the Irish have lost longtime starting QB Ian Book to the NFL. He’ll be tough to replace, even though former Wisconsin QB Jack Coan is in South Bend competing for the starting job.

But, they have a really tough back-to-back on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, hosting USC, then North Carolina. UNC is currently No. 8 in ESPN’s rankings. USC is No. 13. That’s a brutal couple of games.

Which brings me to my real pick. How about the USC Trojans? QB Kedon Slovis is a guy I’ve liked for a couple of years now. I think he’s a breakout star in 2021. RB Stephen Carr returns and WR Bru McCoy is a playmaker.

Plus, the Trojans avoid Oregon until the Pac-12 Championship Game, potentially. That has all the makings of a Playoff run if the Trojans can win in South Bend on Oct. 23. Whichever team wins that Notre Dame-USC game is my pick to be the darkhorse CFP contender.

Michael:

Which QB drafted in the first round will have the best rookie season?

Am I allowed to pick Trevor Lawrence here? Because the answer is Trevor Lawrence. The former Clemson QB is a special talent. And, he’ll start right away.

The Bears have Andy Dalton, so Justin Fields might not start Week 1. San Francisco has Jimmy Garoppolo potentially keeping Trey Lance from starting Week 1. The Patriots have Cam Newton ahead of Mac Jones for now. Thus, it could be a while before those 3 guys start.

The New York Jets will start Zach Wilson right away, but I like the supporting cast for Lawrence more. Wilson was able to scramble and make big plays at BYU because his offensive line was so much better than the opposing defensive line. That won’t be the case in the NFL (though I do think the Jets’ offensive line will be much-improved). There will be some growing pains for Wilson in Year 1.

Meanwhile, I like what the Jaguars have this offseason. They paired Lawrence with former Clemson RB Travis Etienne (though I didn’t like the value of that first-round pick). They also have 3 Juniors in the receiving corps — DJ Chark Jr., Marvin Jones Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. That’s a solid trio.

They also added Phillip Dorsett II (another junior!) this offseason. I like that group. And, the Jaguars are going to do everything in their power to help Lawrence succeed. Don’t be surprised if he runs away with the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

@Dobbe8:

What’s your favorite grilled side dish to make for cookouts?

This is something I’ve been working on lately, but it works best for gatherings on the smaller side. They’re called “Campfire Potatoes,” and you can find the basic recipe here.

My wife can’t eat cow dairy, so this recipe allows for me to use my preferred shredded cheese in my foil packet while also making hers with the goat cheese she can eat. Plus, I like to sub out the parsley garnish for chives. And, crumbled bacon on top is a nice treat.

As long as the potatoes are fully cooked, this is an easy dish to make alongside everything else that you have on the grill during a cookout. You can never go wrong with cheesy potatoes!

Have a question for next week’s Mailbag? Tweet at us using #SDSMailbag or email me at ASpencer@SaturdayDownSouth.com.