With schools across the South either gearing up for spring practice or already in the midst of putting in the work this March, let’s take a stab at the most intriguing newcomers — freshman or transfers — in the SEC to watch this offseason.

The portal has generated unprecedented movement in college football, and last season’s screwy year meant even more prospects enrolled early, so there are plenty of candidates to choose from across the league.

Today, I’ll dish out 7 intriguing newcomers in the SEC West and then tackle the SEC East in a piece to follow.

Alabama — WR Jacorey Brooks

There is no shortage of worthwhile candidates to choose from in Tuscaloosa. Those are the spoils of signing perhaps the best recruiting class in history.

The Tide inked the top two offensive tackles in the country in JC Latham and Tommy Brockermeyer, both of whom will compete for the starting right tackle spot this offseason, but Kyle Flood’s charitable parting gifts before leaving for Texas isn’t my pick here for Alabama.

Who replaces Heisman Trophy winning wideout DeVonta Smith or speedster Jaylen Waddle is more interesting, and at Alabama, the 5-star factory always delivers.

Jacorey Brooks is a 6-3, 185-pound prospect from IMG Academy and was the No. 2 receiver in the 2021 class. Brooks isn’t a burner, but he a long, fluid playmaker who was already a solid route runner before stepping on a college campus.

We know Alabama isn’t shy about playing freshman on the outside, and Brooks could emerge as the next big name to know on offense with a big spring.

Arkansas — DT Jalen Williams

The Razorbacks return 10 of 11 starters on defense in 2021, but Barry Odom’s unit must replace a massive cog on its defensive interior. Defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall is no longer in Fayetteville, so Sam Pittman & Co., signed a nearly 1:1 replacement in the 2021 Class.

Marshall, a 6-3, 317-pound tackle, finished second on Arkansas with 6.5 tackles for loss and was its most effective interior rusher and the hope is that newcomer defensive tackle Jalen Williams will provide the same production this fall.

Williams is a 6-3, 315-pound tackle from Jones College (Miss.), and was ranked the No. 2 JUCO DT according to 247Sports.

The Hogs beat out Auburn, Florida, Baylor and others for Williams and now we’ll get to see if he can make an instant impact, especially helping shore up a run defense that finished 12th in the SEC last year.

Auburn — QB Dematrius Davis

Earlier this offseason I wrote a piece exploring whether or not new Tigers coach Bryan Harsin could fix quarterback Bo Nix.

If Harsin cannot answer the question, then a potential solution could be freshman Dematrius Davis.

The 4-star dual-threat quarterback has a championship pedigree in one of the top divisions in Texas high school football and is looking to push Nix for the job this spring.

Just 5-10, Davis is slightly undersized but he’s a solid 200+ pounds and is a playmaking threat as a passer or runner. Time will tell if Davis can unseat Nix from the job, but with a fresh staff on The Plains, he’ll have his shot.

LSU — P Peyton Todd

The Tigers signed a fantastic class in 2021, headlined by stud 5-star recruit Maason Smith. The 6-5, 316-pound lineman opted to stay in state after flirting with Georgia and Alabama, among others, and while Smith will likely make some noise this spring, the Tigers are fairly loaded along the defensive interior.

Instead, a much less heralded freshman gets the nod here. How about some love for the nation’s No. 1 punter! Freshman Peyton Todd has to big shoes to fill, as the West Monroe (La.) prospect is set to replace outgoing senior Zach Von Rosenberg, who declared for the NFL Draft.

Von Rosenberg was a four-year starter and averaged 43.9 yards per punt in 2020, 3rd-best in the SEC. Todd is a scholarship prospect and was LSU’s special teams coordinator Greg McMahon’s hand-picked replacement for Von Rosenberg.

Mississippi State — DB Jalen Green

The Bulldogs have experienced a slew of roster turnover under Mike Leach, with an open swinging door leading to the transfer portal. After losing plenty of talent to the portal throughout the 2020 season, Mississippi State signed 6 transfers this offseason, headlined by former 5-star cornerback Jalen Green from Texas.

Green was a U.S. Army All-American as a recruit and played in 30 games for the Longhorns. The 6-1, 200-pound defensive back had 14 tackles, 2 pass breakups and 1 pick last fall.

Green has 2 seasons to play and is seeking approval for immediate eligibility. If granted, he would give a Bulldogs defense that was pretty salty at times in 2020 some much-needed depth in the secondary.

He’s capable of playing multiple spots (corner, nickel or free safety), too, which should help his opportunities this spring.

Ole Miss — WR Jahcour Pearson

The Rebels must replace All-American slot wideout Elijah Moore, who finished second in the nation in receptions (83) and yards (1193) behind only Alabama wideout DeVonta Smith in both categories.

That’s a lot production to fill, but Lane Kiffin is going to give his playmakers an opportunity to flourish, so keep an eye on the development of Western Kentucky transfer wideout Jahcour Pearson this spring.

Pearson is a 5-9, 180-pound jitterbug who will compete for the open slot spot. In 2019, he was a All-C-USA selection after tallying 76 receptions for 804 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Texas A&M — QB Eli Stowers

There’s an open competition at quarterback this spring in College Station, with three players vying to claim Kellen Mond’s former job.

Redshirt freshman Haynes King, a former blue0-chip prospect, might be the odds on favorite after winning the backup job in 2020, but the Longview (Texas) native hardly saw any work last fall (just 4 attempts with 1 touchdown and 1 interception) and Jimbo Fisher isn’t expected to name a starter until the fall.

While Zach Calzada, who redshirted in 2020, will also compete for the job, the newcomer to watch is Guyer standout Eli Stowers.

The 6-4, 215-pound quarterback was a multi-star athlete in high school, excelling on the gridiron and the track (long jump, high jump, sprinter). Stowers was rated among the best quarterbacks in the nation after a huge junior season (47 total touchdowns and just 4 picks) but his stock slipped a bit following a bad knee injury and a choppy senior year (36 touchdowns but 18 picks).

Still, the talent and tools are obvious and Fisher has repeatedly (see: Jameis Winston, Deondre Francois and Mond) shown a fondness for going with the guy who has the most raw ability.

So is that King or Stowers?

Cover illustration of Alabama freshman Jacorey Brooks via Twitter @c7_brooks.