Top 10 Committed SEC Football Recruits in Class of 2014

In modern college football recruiting, the Southeastern Conference is king.

Already in the 247Sports composite team rankings, there are nine teams rated in the Top 25, including three of the top five.

Making up those highly rated classes are some of the top high school prospects in the nation, which guarantees some exciting action in the SEC in the coming years.

But before these prospects battle it out on the gridiron, we're going to try our hand at rating them in their current state, based on their current talent and expected impact at the next level.

Honorable Mention

With so many talented prospects already committed to playing SEC ball, there were many that just missed this list. 

Here are the next six best SEC commits:

Tre' Williams—Linebacker, Auburn

Andy Bauer—Offensive Tackle, Ole Miss

Kalvaraz Bessent—Cornerback, Alabama

Nick Harvey—Cornerback, Texas A&M

Khairi Clark—Defensive Tackle, Florida

Drew Barker—Quarterback, Kentucky

10. Denzel Ware, Kentucky

Kentucky commit composite 4-star Denzel Ware hasn't received quite as much love from the recruiting services as some of the other members of this list, but he may have as much impact on his team as any other defensive player in the 2014 class.

At 6'3", 220 pounds, he has the physical tools to make an on-field impact in Lexington immediately.

He has wavered a bit with his commitment to UK, but it looks like he'll be staying put.

Ware, along with quarterback Drew Barker, have made Kentucky's class one of the best in the nation, and arguably the biggest surprise so far this recruiting season.

New head coach Mark Stoops has already managed to revive Big Blue Nation's love for football in his short time with the program.

Now, he just has to carry that passion onto the field—and Ware will certainly play a role in that once he arrives on campus.

9. Kyle Allen, Texas A&M

Between Barker, Alabama's David Cornwell, Texas A&M's Kyle Allen, Florida's Will Grier and others, the SEC is packed with talented quarterbacks for the 2014 class.

We'll attempt to sort them out here, but in reality, we'll likely have to wait and watch over the next few years to see which of these prospects ends up as the top dog for this SEC class.

Allen—rated a 4-star and the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the 247 Sports composite ratings—could end up being that guy as he joins a Texas A&M program on the rise.

Aggie fans may be expecting Allen to be the next Johnny Manziel, but he isn't quite the dynamic runner that Johnny Football is.

Still, Allen is a very talented quarterback and has what it takes to flourish in Kevin Sumlin's high-powered spread attack.

8. David Cornwell, Alabama

David Cornwell—rated a 4-star and the No. 4 quarterback in the 247 Sports composite rankings—may be the most promising signal-caller in the SEC's 2014 class in the long term.

At 6'5", 230 pounds, he'll be the biggest of the bunch and may represent the best NFL quarterback prospect.

Even while hauling around that large frame, Cornwell can move well, which will be a necessity against the swarming SEC defenses.

Considering the team he's joining in Tuscaloosa, Cornwell may end up with the most on-field success out of this SEC QB class.

7. Will Grier, Florida

Florida believes it has found a future All-SEC quarterback and perhaps an All-American in composite 4-star Will Grier. 

A Davidson, N.C., native, Grier has as much upside as any quarterback in the 2014 class.

He has great athleticism and accuracy and will only continue to improve as he adds strength and size—he is currently 6'3" but just 180 pounds.

Since the departure of Tim Tebow, Florida has struggled to find a consistent, reliable and productive quarterback.

Current starter Jeff Driskel emerged last season as a solid signal-caller and should lead the offense for the next two seasons. 

But after Driskel is gone, the Gators will likely become Grier's team.

6. Hoza Scott, Texas A&M

Hoza Scott is just about the picture perfect outside linebacker prospect.

A future Texas A&M Aggie, Scott is listed at 6'2", 220 pounds and is rated a composite 5-star and the No. 1 outside linebacker in the nation by 247Sports.

Scott is the kind of player who could walk onto a Division I campus, put on pads and take the practice field with a team and blend in perfectly.

The La Porte, Texas, native is long and rangy and also has excellent pass rushing skills which will only improve as his size increases.

Scott is definitely one to keep an eye on in the SEC.

5. Edward Paris, LSU

Much like Texas A&M's Scott, LSU safety commit Edward Paris is another player who is physically ready for the next level.

At 6'1", 190 pounds, the composite 5-star may have the best coverage skills of any safety in the 2014 class.

He is a true ball hawk and an excellent playmaker in the secondary.

LSU has had plenty of talented defensive backs in recent years from LaRon Landry to Eric Reid and this Arlington, Texas, native will be the next in that line of skilled safeties.

4. Jalen Hurd, Tennessee

The final four players on this list are four very talented running back prospects.

And much like the three quarterbacks on this list, each is bound to make an on-field impact in the SEC—the only unknown is which one will rise to the top.

Tennessee brought in the No. 1 composite player in its home state and the No. 5 running back in the nation with the commitment of 5-star Jalen Hurd.

The Hendersonville native is a huge back (6'3", 230 pounds) but also has plenty of speed to burn, despite his large frame.

Though he doesn't have the traditional build of a running back, that won't stop him from making an impact at the next level.

3. Dalvin Cook, Florida

As a stark contrast to Hurd, Florida commit Dalvin Cook is listed at 5'11", 190 pounds—a much more typical running back frame.

And as you've probably guessed, the composite 5-star is an incredibly elusive back out of Miami Central.

Cook was previously committed to Clemson and he reminds me a bit of the former Tigers and current Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller.

As he continues to add size and strength, those comparisons will only continue.

2. Bo Scarbrough, Alabama

Nick Saban just always seems to find big, powerful running backs, doesn't he?

He did it again this year with the commitment of composite 5-star Bo Scarbrough, who is listed as an athlete and could potentially play linebacker or receiver as well.

However, the Tuscaloosa, Ala., native projects best as a feature running back and would fit in perfectly in the smash mouth Crimson Tide offense.

With the Alabama depth chart loaded at that position, Scarbrough has been looking around, as reported by ESPN's Derek Tyson and covered by Bleacher Report's Andrew Kulha. 

He'll be a great asset and will certainly compete for playing time if the Tide are able to keep him on board.

1. Sony Michel, Georgia

Georgia may have pulled in the best total package so far at running back in the SEC in Sony Michel. 

Listed at 5'11", 205 pounds, Michel is an incredible athlete who boasts a remarkable blend of size and speed.

In the 247Sports composite ratings, Michel is a 5-star, the No. 2 running back and the No. 12 overall player in the nation.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native joins the Bulldogs other running back commit, Nick Chubb, as a downright frightening one-two punch in the backfield. 

It will be like what Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall are doing now for the Dawgs all over again in the coming years—but perhaps even better.

Looking Forward

The SEC is far from finished with its recruiting efforts, so this list could easily see new additions in a matter of weeks.

Here are five of the best SEC targets that could be joining this list by National Signing Day:

Leonard Fournette—Running Back

Da'Shawn Hand—Defensive End

Marlon Humphrey—Cornerback

Cameron Robinson—Offensive Tackle

Raekwon McMillan—Inside Linebacker