Every SEC Team's Most Underrated 2015 Committed Recruit
For all of the chatter emanating about the potential loosening of the SEC’s grip over college football, a quick glance at the recruiting rankings for 2015 would show that top talent is still flocking toward the SEC more than any other conference in the country.
Eleven of the league’s 14 members have classes ranked among the Top 25 in the 247Sports team rankings.
However, even with a number of top prospects slated to head to the SEC, there are still a number of players who have committed to SEC schools who are still flying under the radar.
Which recruits are among the most underrated crop of prep stars who will line up in the SEC?
*Schools listed in alphabetical order.
Alabama: 3-Star LB/DB Keaton Anderson
1 of 14Despite the laundry list of former prep All-Americans on Alabama’s roster, Nick Saban has made a habit of finding and developing prospects who arrived in Tuscaloosa with little fanfare.
For example, 3-star linebacker Vinnie Sunseri was among the lowest-rated pledges in the Tide’s 2011 class, yet he enjoyed a standout career at the Capstone playing in the secondary, at linebacker and on special teams.
At 6’1”, 215 pounds, current 3-star linebacker commit Keaton Anderson has a similar frame to Sunseri and the versatility in his game to match.
Anderson—who racked up 191 tackles as a junior—is versatile piece who can give the Tide a tremendous amount of flexibility on defense in the secondary.
Arkansas: 3-Star ATH LaMichael Pettway
2 of 14After a number of close losses miring Bret Bielema’s first two seasons at Arkansas, the Hogs were finally able to break through over the second half of the 2014 season.
Bielema has changed the culture in Fayetteville, and the results have also been favorable on the recruiting trail as the Razorbacks have the No. 20 class nationally.
Included in that group is a commitment from 3-star athlete LaMichael Pettway—who chose Arkansas over offers from Alabama, Louisville, Nebraska and Ole Miss among others.
The 6’3”, 200-pounder is a versatile athlete who is expected to play receiver at the next level. With his size and athleticism, he’s a candidate to bring an immediate boost to a Hogs receiving unit in need of a talent infusion.
Auburn: 3-Star LB Elijah Sullivan
3 of 14Gus Malzahn and the Auburn Tigers are another SEC West power on the cusp of having a Top 10 class.
Currently, the Tigers have the No. 12 class in the country. Only seven of the Tigers' 19 pledges are slated to play defenses, but Malzahn may have found a gem in 3-star linebacker Elijah Sullivan.
As Keith Niebuhr of Auburn Undercover notes (subscription required), Sullivan has been a standout for Tucker (Georgia) High School on both sides of the ball this season.
The versatile Sullivan is a candidate to make an impact at either safety or linebacker upon arriving on the Plains next season.
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Florida: 3-Star WR/TE Kalif Jackson
4 of 14Given the numerous changes currently underway in Gainesville, Florida is now in the unenviable position of trying to salvage a recruiting class with less than two months before national signing day.
New head coach Jim McElwain inherits a 2015 class with only nine commitments.
However, one of those pledges who possesses a high ceiling at the next level is 3-star receiver Kalif Jackson.
The innovative McElwain can certainly find a use for the the 6’5”, 200-pound Jackson—who racked up 790 yards receiving and scored eight touchdowns while averaging more than 26 yards per catch as a junior.
Kentucky: 3-Star DE Kengera Daniel
5 of 14Mark Stoops has reinvigorated the passion for football at Kentucky since arriving in Lexington two years ago.
His work on the recruiting trail has been especially impressive, as the Wildcats currently have the nation’s No. 26 class.
Three-star defensive end Kengera Daniel is among the commits who possess the most potential on the next level.
The 6’6”, 250-pounder, who racked up 133 tackles, including 65 for loss with 19 sacks and five forced fumbles this season, is a potential early contributor due to his size and pass-rushing ability.
Georgia: 3-Star Safety Jarvis Wilson
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While Alabama has the top-rated class in the SEC, Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs are making a strong charge in challenging the Tide for the top class in 2015.
One of the newest members of the ‘Dawgs' 25-man class is 3-star safety Jarvis Wilson—who was previously committed to Mississippi State.
The 6’2”, 197-pounder can play both corner and safety, with that type of versatility being a huge plus in first-year defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt’s system.
Dating back to his days at Alabama and Florida State, Pruitt has had a habit of finding gems in the secondary, and Wilson appears to be his latest pupil in Athens.
LSU: 3-Star OL Matt Womack
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Over the years, LSU head coach Les Miles has been one of the biggest winners when signing day rolls around each year.
The Tigers have a natural recruiting territory that produces a bevy of elite prospects and also has its share of underappreciated talents.
One such prospect who is currently slated to end up in Baton Rouge is 3-star offensive lineman and Mississippi product Matt Womack.
The 6’7”, 320-pounder—who has picked up recent offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida, Ohio State and Ole Miss—is an athletic lineman who could potentially develop into a quality left tackle.
Mississippi State: 3-Star RB Kentavious Thomas
8 of 14With 29 commitments in its 2015 class, most of the work remaining for Mississippi State involves keeping its current commitments in the fold from now until signing day.
Dan Mullen and his staff have assembled a loaded group that currently make up the No. 16 class in the country.
One of the potential sleepers in the Bulldogs class is 3-star running back Kentavious Thomas.
The 5’11”, 205-pounder—who accounted for 1,698 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns as a junior—is a physical back who has the skill set to be a weapon in the passing game as well.
Missouri: 3-Star ATH T.J. Warren
9 of 14Despite failing to land a Top 25 recruiting class since 2010, Gary Pinkel has led Missouri to back-to-back Eastern Division crowns in the nation’s toughest league.
The Tigers’ current class ranks 45th nationally and 12th in the SEC.
However, 3-star corner T.J. Warren is an intriguing talent who has produced at multiple positions at Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia.
Per MaxPreps, Warren accounted for 821 yards of total offense as a running back and receiver, plus he recorded 54 tackles with three interceptions as a corner on defense.
The 6’0”, 190-pounder is a speedster who has the potential to become a difference-maker in the Tigers secondary over the next four years.
Ole Miss: 3-Star QB Jason Pellerin
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In his three years on the job in Oxford, Hugh Freeze has continued to raise the profile of Ole Miss football.
The Rebels went 9-3 in the regular season with a win over No. 1 Alabama as a feather in their cap, but next season will present Freeze the challenge of finding a successor to quarterback Bo Wallace.
The long-term answer to that position may be current 3-star quarterback pledge Jason Pellerin.
Per David Johnson of Rebels247 (subscription required), Pellerin has led New Iberia (Louisiana) High School to a 12-0 record and a state-title game appearance by throwing for 1,068 yards and rushing for another 1,072.
The 6’4”, 215-pounder is an intriguing talent who has the tools to become the type of dual-threat trigger man who can run Freeze’s offense efficiently.
South Carolina: 3-Star CB Damon Arnette
11 of 14One trend that has become a premium on the recruiting trail is finding bigger and longer prospects who can play corner.
One such prospect who is headed to South Carolina to play for Steve Spurrier is 3-star corner Damon Arnette.
The 6’2”, 185-pounder has the frame and athleticism necessary to combat the bigger receivers in the SEC.
Also blessed with 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash, Arnette has the chance to be a major pull out of the talent-rich South Florida region.
Tennessee: 3-Star RB Rocky Reid
12 of 14Butch Jones and the Tennessee Volunteers are among the biggest surprises of the 2015 cycle, as Jones and his staff have assembled the nation’s No. 6 class.
One underrated piece of the Vols' class is 3-star running back Rocky Reid—who selected Tennessee over schools such as Arkansas, Georgia and Wisconsin that specialize in running the football.
The 6’0”, 220-pounder rushed for combined totals of 4,945 yards and 53 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Given his production level and his physical running style, Reid is a prospect who has a chance to become a workhorse in Knoxville.
Texas A&M: 3-Star ATH Deshawn Capers-Smith
13 of 14One of Kevin Sumlin’s biggest pulls in Texas A&M’s 2014 recruiting class was landing 5-star receiver Speedy Noil out of Louisiana.
The Aggies have returned to the Pelican State in the 2015 cycle to land a pledge from 3-star athlete Deshawn Capers-Smith—who stars for Warren Easton High School in New Orleans.
Playing as a dual-threat quarterback, the 6’0”, 174-pound Smith has accounted for 4,517 yards of total offense and an astounding 68 total touchdowns—numbers that led to him being named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Louisiana, per GigEm247’s Brian Perroni.
While his rating may not reflect it, Capers-Smith is one of the most explosive athletes in the 2015 class.
Vanderbilt: 3-Star OL Ean Pfeifer
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It’s been a struggle for Derek Mason since he arrived at Vanderbilt earlier this year.
On the field, the Commodores went just 3-9—which is disappointing considering they went 9-4 under James Franklin a year ago.
Their 2015 class, which has 13 commitments, rates 51st nationally and 13th in the SEC.
The bright spot of the group may be their offensive line class, including 3-star offensive tackle Ean Pfeifer.
The 6’5”, 285-pounder has a solid frame that should allow him to develop into an SEC-caliber tackle over the course of his career.
Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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