No position in football has undergone the same level of transformation as linebacker. The massive run defenders of years past have given way to versatile players who can cover opposing receivers and running backs in space.

The SEC is proof of this transformation, and some of the league’s next generation of star linebackers are hybrid athletes with a large skill set.

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, we’ve compiled a list of the SEC’s top 10 returning players at each position. This ranking is based on past performance, opportunity and overall ability, so it isn’t just calculated from last year’s stats.

Previous rankings: Running back | Wide receiver/tight ends | Offensive linemen | Defensive linemen

No. 10: Lorenzo Carter, Georgia – 2016 stats (44 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks)

At 6-foot-6 and 242 pounds, Carter very much looks the part of a physical specimen on the football field. The talent and upside are apparent, but his production hasn’t been what Georgia fans had hoped for when the pass-rusher signed with the Bulldogs in 2014. In Kirby Smart’s first year, Carter set a career high in both sacks and tackles, so there is hope that his final year in Athens can be his best.

No. 9: Leo Lewis, Mississippi State – 2016 stats (79 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack)

The top-rated inside linebacker in the Class of 2015, Lewis had a stellar debut for Mississippi State. He finished second on the team with 79 tackles, the most by a freshman since Benardrick McKinney, who recorded 102 tackles as a redshirt freshman in 2012. New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has worked well with inside linebackers over the years, including Keith Kelsey, Ramik Wilson and Alec Ogletree.

No. 8: DeMarquis Gates, Ole Miss – 2016 stats (79 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 4 sacks)

Gates was one of the few bright spots on an Ole Miss defense that finished last in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 34 points per game. The junior linebacker led the team with 79 tackles despite missing a game for a violation of team rules and the first half of the Egg Bowl because of a targeting penalty. Gates is a bit undersized for the position – 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds – but his athleticism makes him an effective cover linebacker or pass rusher.

No. 7: Dre Greenlaw, Arkansas – 2016 stats (42 tackles, 1.5 TFL)

Injury cut Greenlaw’s 2016 season short, but the sophomore linebacker was on pace to repeat his terrific freshman season in which he recorded 95 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Assuming that Greenlaw can fully recover from his foot injury, he should again take his place as one of the best inside linebackers in the SEC.

No. 6: Rashaan Evans, Alabama – 2016 stats (53 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4 sacks)

With several veteran linebackers returning for Alabama last season, Evans primarily came off the bench. That changed when Shaun Dion Hamilton left the SEC championship game due to injury, allowing Evans to start for the remainder of the season. Evans is a very talented pass rusher and has eight sacks in the last two seasons despite his reserve role. The Crimson Tide are sure to make good use of Evans’ skills in his final year of eligibility, and he should respond with a career year.

No. 5: Josh Allen, Kentucky – 2016 stats (62 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 7 sacks)

Another skilled pass rusher, Allen led Kentucky in sacks and showed a lot of speed coming off the edge. Along with Denzil Ware and Jordan Jones, Allen makes up a very underrated linebacker corps that could be among the best in the conference. The rising junior, who was seventh on the team in total tackles, can improve his ability as a run defender, but he’s already a valuable pass rusher with a lot of remaining upside.

No. 4: Skai Moore, South Carolina – Missed 2016 with injury

South Carolina’s defense still managed to have a successful 2016 season despite missing arguably its best player. Linebacker Skai Moore missed the entire season after having neck surgery to fix a herniated disk over the summer. Moore, who has 260 total tackles in his career, will return for one final season and has a tremendous shot to leave as one of the leading tacklers in school history. He isn’t just a sound tackler, however; Moore already has 11 interceptions in his career and needs only four more to set the school record.

https://twitter.com/gregoryediting/status/776189201784115200

No. 3: Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama – 2016 stats (64 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks)

Hamilton is one of the few members of the Alabama’s front seven returning in 2017. If he can recover well from an ACL injury he sustained in the SEC championship game, Hamilton should help mitigate the loss of star linebacker Reuben Foster. Hamilton’s strength lies in his coverage ability. Few linebackers can match his sideline-to-sideline range, and Hamilton was rated by Pro Football Focus as Alabama’s fourth-best player in coverage at the time of his injury.

No. 2: Roquan Smith, Georgia – 2016 stats (95 tackles, 5 TFL)

After ending his freshman season on a high note, Smith continued his rapid development as a sophomore and is now one of the best linebackers in the SEC. Smith ranked second among returning linebackers in tackles, and Pro Football Focus had him behind only Alabama’s Foster in its linebacker ratings. The rising junior ended the year playing some of his best football, recording 26 tackles with a forced fumble in Georgia’s final two games.

No. 1: Jordan Jones, Kentucky – 2016 stats (109 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 4 sacks)

Jones led all returning SEC defenders in tackles and tackles for loss in 2016 as a sophomore, and there’s no reason to believe he can’t continue to improve next season. With outside linebackers Allen and Ware providing the majority of Kentucky’s pass rush, Jones was asked to handle the interior of the defense. He accomplished that task by garnering over eight tackles per game and knifing into opposing backfields to stop players behind the line of scrimmage.