SEC Football: Ranking the SEC Offensive Tackles

Every Tuesday, The SEC Blog will rank the top player at each position for each team in the SEC. Today, we rank the best offensive tackle at every school in the conference.

14. Emmanuel McCray, Ole Miss

McCray has been around the program for a while, but has been blocked by former left tackle Bradley Sowell.

The redshirt junior is finally getting his shot this season, but new head coach Hugh Freeze hasn't been happy with the offensive line still a work-in-progress, according to Hugh Kellenberger of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

13. Darrian Miller, Kentucky

The Wildcats must replace both tackles and one guard from last year's squad, and sophomore Miller is slated to be the top cat at left tackle. The coaches are high on the 6'3," 297-pounder, who was the No. 17 offensive tackle recruit in the country by Scout.com in 2011.

12. Blaine Clausell, Mississippi State

Clausell has bounced around between the right and left side this spring, and was listed as Mississippi State's starting left tackle before spring began. The 6'7," 305-pound sophomore was a part-time starter for the Bulldogs last season.

11. Wesley Johnson, Vanderbilt

Johnson is moving back to left tackle this season for the Commodores, which is his natural position. He started games at center, guard and tackle last season. Seven of those starts came at center, but Johnson started the season as Vandy's starting left tackle.

10. Chad Slade, Auburn

Slade can play both tackle and guard, and will probably enter Auburn's fall practice as the starter at right tackle. He closed the 2011 season strong in Auburn's Chick-Fil-A Bowl win over Virginia, but may not be the best tackle on his team.

Greg Robinson will likely start at left tackle, but as a redshirt freshman, he can't be considered Auburn's best tackle right now.

9. Kenarious Gates, Georgia

Stepping in for a first-round pick isn't an easy thing to do, but that's exactly what Kenarious Gates is going to do this year. The former guard moved to tackle in place of the recently-departed Cordy Glenn this spring and impressed everybody that saw him play.

8. Mike Matulis, South Carolina

Matulis played left tackle towards the end of last season, but will start the 2012 season at right tackle to make way for freshman prospect Brandon Shell at left tackle.

Matulis played well down the stretch, and going up against Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor in practice will certainly help the entire Gamecock offensive line.

7. Jason Peacock, Arkansas

Peacock made headlines this offseason for all of the wrong reasons, after he was arrested for using a stolen debit card to buy a tank of gas.

He is slated to be Arkansas' starting left tackle in 2012. The 6'4," 334-pounder started nine games last season.

6. Elvis Fisher, Missouri

Fisher is going on his sixth year in Columbia, and according to Stu Durando of STLToday.com, has played every game of his career at left tackle. He was one of 12 Missouri players that missed the spring game with injuries, but his knee is expected to be at 100 percent in time for fall camp.

5. Ja'Waun James, Tennessee

James is a rising junior that has started at right tackle in all 25 games of his career. He has a new position coach this year in Sam Pittman and is being overshadowed a bit by the hype surrounding Antonio Richardson on the left side.

4. Xavier Nixon, Florida

Offensive line spots were up for grabs this spring, and Nixon impressed everybody that saw him practice. The rising senior has played in 35 games and started nine games at left tackle last season for the Gators.

3. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

Joeckel may not be known to SEC fans, but he will be an All-SEC candidate at left tackle at the end of the season.

Joeckel was a second-team All-Big 12 selection by the coaches last year, and returns with fellow offensive tackle Jake Matthews, who anchors the right side of the Aggie line.

2. D.J. Fluker, Alabama

Alabama wins by running the ball and playing defense, and Fluker is a big part of running the football.

He started 12 games at right tackle last season and is part of one of the nation's best offensive lines. Fluker and left tackle Cyrus Kouandijo bookend a line that features Barrett Jones—one of the game's most versatile offensive lineman—at center.

1. Chris Faulk, LSU

Chris Faulk is a 6'6," 330-pound junior who started 12 games at left tackle last season for the Tigers.

He was voted as a second-team All-SEC performer by the Associated Press, and returns to anchor an LSU line that returns five starters in four spots.

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