The SEC was home to some of the most physically dominant defensive tackles in the nation this season, but much of their work along the line of scrimmage went unappreciated by fans.

Nevertheless, the productivity of the SEC’s defensive tackles helped defenses throughout the conference improve their numbers from years past.

Which teams had the best groups of defensive tackles in 2014? Here’s our top 5:

5. Auburn: The Tigers defense was rather unimpressive in 2014, but its pair of defensive tackles was a bright spot on the defense. Montravius Adams was among the best playmakers at the position in the conference, recording 3.0 sacks, 8.0 tackles for loss, a whopping 12 quarterback hurries and an interception at the line of scrimmage. Fellow tackle Gabe Wright filled his role up the middle perfectly, adding 4.5 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hurries to the mix. Both Adams and Wright were asked to player a greater role as pass-rushers following Carl Lawson’s season-ending injury, and with 22 combined quarterback hurries the tandem did exactly that in 2014.

4. Alabama: The Crimson Tide boasted the SEC’s top rushing defense in 2014 thanks to a pair of impactful defensive tackles in A’Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen. The two combined for 15.5 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries and three passes defended at the line of scrimmage. Robinson and Allen were unforgiving in defending the run, and they rarely let an opportunity to make a big play pass them by. More importantly, the two created plenty of opportunities for the rest of the Tide’s front seven, allowing the entire unit to serve as the aggressor in most of its showdowns this season.

3. Arkansas: Darius Philon was an All-SEC defensive tackle this season, and for good reason, but fans often forget about his running mate on the interior of the line, Taiwan Johnson. Philon recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) and a pair of passes defended at the line of scrimmage. Johnson added 4.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss, and together the pairing helped the Razorbacks boast the SEC’s No. 3 run defense this season. With Trey Flowers flanking them at defensive end, Philon and Johnson were able to play aggressively and wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines as the Hogs defense rounded into one of the best units in the conference.

2. Ole Miss: The Rebels claimed the best individual defensive tackle in the SEC this season in sophomore Robert Nkemdiche, and the combination of Nkemdiche and Issac Gross was among the most overwhelming in the conference. Auburn’s four-year starting center Reese Dismukes called the tandem the toughest he faced in 2014, and Dismukes knows a thing or two about facing dominant defensive tackles. Ole Miss boasted a top 5 rush defense in the SEC thanks to Nkemdiche and Gross, and although their numbers weren’t mind-blowing, their impact certainly was.

1. Missouri: While most SEC teams boasted one, maybe two dominant defensive tackles, Missouri claimed three of the conference’s best at the position in 2014. Senior Lucas Vincent lived up to expectations as the veteran leader of the group, recording 3.5 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss, and fellow senior Matt Hoch led all Mizzou defensive tackles with 9.0 tackles for loss. Harold Brantley, who at one point this season had a sack in four consecutive games, added a dynamic pass-rushing threat to the mix with 5.0 sacks and seven quarterback hurries. The Tigers interior linemen complemented their dynamic defensive ends perfectly, stifling opposing rushing threats while applying the best pass rush in the conference.