Individual Position Rankings

Even in the age of prolific offenses, defense is the SEC’s domain. And the heart and soul of every defense is its linebackers.

The NFL draft is proof of that. In April, 10 former SEC linebackers were drafted, including a pair of first-round picks.

Dante Fowler, Bud Dupree, Bernadrick McKinney, Ramik Wilson, Martrell Spaight, Xzavier Dickson. These stalwarts are now departed, making room for the next generation of standout hit men. And unsurprisingly, the SEC is loaded again with a strong crop of hard hitters in the middle and dangerous pass rushers off the corner.

Here’s our look at the best of the bunch headed into the 2015 season.

Honorable mentions: Nigel Bowden, Vanderbilt; Beniquez Brown, Mississippi State; Lorenzo Carter, Georgia; Brooks Ellis, Arkansas; Kris Frost, Auburn; Skai Moore, South Carolina

10. Josh Forrest, Kentucky: In his first year as a starter, the former wide receiver showed he’d found a home on defense, racking up 110 tackles — good enough for fifth-most in the conference. With equally sound instincts against the run and the pass, the 6-foot-3, 233-pounder will be counted on as one of the top playmakers on a Kentucky defense that lost several key pieces in the front seven.

9. Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss: Originally considered an afterthought in comparison to his more coveted younger brother Robert, the elder Nkemdiche has been making plays for the Ole Miss defense since his redshirt freshman season, when he tallied 82 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss and three interceptions. Now a senior and coming off an injury-shortened season, the former safety will play a key role in the Rebels’ 4-2-5 defense.

8. Kendall Beckwith, LSU: After ascending to the top of the depth chart midway through his sophomore season last fall, Beckwith finished 2014 with 77 tackles. He brings a fearsome blend of size (6-2, 245) and speed to the position, typical of standout Tigers defenders of the past. He’ll be the focal point of new coordinator Kevin Steele’s linebacker corps this season.

7. Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn: Entering his third season as a starter, the 6-3, 253 pound senior shares the spotlight with fellow standout linebacker Kris Frost. After piling up more than 160 tackles over the last two seasons, McKinzy flirted with the NFL after last year, before opting for a return to the Plains. A big hitter, McKinzy shines against the run and should be a integral cog in Auburn’s pursuit of a West Division title in 2015.

6. Kentrell Brothers, Missouri: The Tigers were excellent against the run last season (115 yards allowed per game in SEC play). With all three linebackers returning in 2015, the unit could be stingy again this fall, even with the losses on the defensive front. Brothers is a big reason why. The 240-pound senior earned second-team All-SEC honors last season after posting a team-high 122 tackles, which makes him the leader in that category among the conference’s returning defenders.

5. Leonard Floyd, Georgia: A disruptive pass rusher, Floyd bypassed a potential early spot in the NFL draft after just two seasons on the field in Athens. Despite being limited by a shoulder injury in the latter part of the year, he managed to rack up six sacks and 17 quarterback hurries from his outside linebacker position last season. Now a fourth-year junior, the rangy Floyd is a driving force behind a Bulldogs linebacker group that could be among the nation’s best.

4. Antonio Morrison, Florida: A knee injury sustained in the Gators’ Birmingham Bowl appearance could be the primary reason Morrison is back in Gainesville instead of playing in the NFL. As a junior last year, the middle linebacker posted 101 tackles and earned second-team All-SEC honors. Injuries have been an ongoing issue for the 6-1, 225-pounder during his career, but if he stays healthy for the duration of 2015, Florida stands a good chance of repeating 2014’s success on defense; last season the Gators limited opponents to 3.17 yards per rush, good for ninth in the country.

3. Curt Maggitt, Tennessee: The Tennessee pass rush is big reason why many prognosticators are calling the Vols a legitimate threat in the East, and Maggitt spearheads that attack. He recorded 11 sacks as junior last season and seemed to gain explosiveness as the season wore on, perhaps getting healthier and more confident after missing all of 2013 due to offseason surgeries. He heads into 2015 as a preseason first-team All-SEC selection by the league’s media and primed for another big year.

2. Jordan Jenkins, Georgia: He may not possess the raw gifts of his teammate Floyd, but Jenkins arguably was the most reliable and productive member of an absurdly-talented Bulldogs linebacker corps last season. From his outside linebacker position in Georgia’s 3-4 alignment, the 6-3, 252-pound Jenkins had 70 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and 24 quarterback hurries in 2014. With inside linebackers Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera now departed, Jenkins’ overall skills will make him the centerpiece of the Georgia front seven.

1. Reggie Ragland, Alabama: Among a talented group both within the conference and his own locker room, Ragland stands out. As a junior last season, the 6-2, 254 pounder stepped into a starting role for the first time and became one of the best inside linebackers in the country. He was at the forefront of a Crimson Tide defense that gave up just 102.4 yards per game on the ground, ranking fourth in the country in that category. Now with Ragland turning down a possible spot in the first round of the 2015 draft and all three starters back on the defensive front, Nick Saban has a front seven that should be just as dominant against opposing ground games this fall.