SEC Recruits with Best NFL Skill Sets

There’s no denying the SEC has had tremendous success producing NFL talent.

A quick glance at the recruiting rankings—team and individual—indicates the league is showing no signs of letting up in terms of adding the nation’s top athletes.

A bevy of prospects who already possess NFL measurables are headed to SEC campuses over the next few months.

Which SEC recruits have the best NFL skill sets?

Players listed in alphabetical order.

Lester Cotton

Nick Saban’s Alabama program has been at the forefront of the SEC’s talent-producing machine.

The Crimson Tide have particularly been excellent at developing elite athletes in the trenches along both sides of the ball. Their 2015 class features five offensive linemen—including 4-star guard Lester Cotton.

At 6’4”, 325 pounds, Cotton is the biggest and perhaps the most athletic member of that group.

The Tuscaloosa native is a road grader with the mean streak necessary to develop into a punishing blocker at the next level. However, what separates him as an elite talent is his footwork and balance.

Hjalte Froholdt

At 6’4”, 282 pounds, 4-star defensive tackle Hjalte Froholdt will fit in well along the Arkansas defensive line from a physical standpoint.

Despite the fact he has only played two years of organized football in the United State, the foreign exchange student and Denmark native is already proving himself to be a quick learner and an emerging talent as he heads to college.

His journey has drawn comparisons to another Europe native: current Colts linebacker Bjoern Werner.

His head coach at IMG Academy, former NFL player Chris Weinke, noted the similarities and differences between Froholdt and Werner while giving his star pupil a ringing endorsement as a potential impact player at the next level.

"He causes havoc," Weinke said. "He has an outstanding work ethic. He's one of the leaders on our team. I truly believe he will be an impact player at the next level. He's big, strong and quick. He has a high football IQ. He's been a great leader on our defense. We've been obviously very fortunate to have him on our football team."

Derrius Guice

Les Miles has turned LSU into a factory for producing NFL running backs during his tenure in Baton Rouge.

Perhaps the next talented rusher to emerge from the Tigers will be 4-star commitment Derrius Guice.

The 5’11”, 219-pounder wowed onlookers at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl by catching touchdown passes of 92 and 61 yards en route to being tabbed as the game's MVP, as noted by Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.

With that type of size and skill as a receiver, Guice will fit in well at the next level as a three-down back who is capable of going the distance any time the ball is in his hands.

Ronnie Harrison

At 6’3’, 205 pounds with sub-4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash, 4-star safety Ronnie Harrison will fit in well at a place known for having freakish athletes in the secondary.

The Alabama pledge—who also played quarterback in high school—is a big hitter who has the speed and agility to be a ball hawk in Saban’s defense.

Harrison, who recorded six interceptions as a sophomore, has a frame that can hold added weight. In the case he does gain weight, he can still be athletic enough to play outside linebacker in college.

Leo Lewis

Perhaps no position has changed more so in recent years than linebacker.

With the advent of spread offenses and the move to more pass-oriented attacks, linebackers have to be able to be effective in coverage—even the thumping type of inside linebackers who have historically been used as run-stuffers.

At 6’3”, 225 pounds, 4-star linebacker and current Ole Miss pledge Leo Lewis represents the modern version at the position.

He has the length and athleticism necessary to be able to stick with tight ends and receivers without losing any physicality against the run.

Trent Thompson

In college and in the NFL, defensive tackles are always counted on to hold the point of attack and take on blocks without giving up ground.

Rarely are there players at that spot who can do that while getting consistent penetration and even adding some pass-rushing ability.

That’s exactly what 5-star defensive tackle Trent Thompson has been able to display throughout the course of his prep career.

The 6’4”, 292-pounder flashes a quick burst off the line of scrimmage and has the strength to overpower interior offensive linemen—which are attributes that will help his game translate well to the college level.

Kevin Toliver II

Another trend sweeping the pro game is the desire to find bigger corners who can match up with jumbo-sized receivers and tight ends.

At 6’2”, 185 pounds, 5-star corner and LSU commitment Kevin Toliver II figures to thrive as a man-to-man corner in the mold of former Tigers standout defensive backs such as Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne.

As noted by Brian Perroni of GigEm247, Toliver is a physical corner who excels at jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage.

He also possesses the speed necessary to be in good position on deeper routes.

Preston Williams

The reason pro teams are coveting corners like Toliver is because of the emergence of bigger, athletic receivers such as 5-star wideout Preston Williams.

At 6’4”, 191 pounds, the Tennessee commitment has caught 95 passes for 2,325 yards and 32 touchdowns over his final two seasons on the prep level.

Williams is a matchup nightmare for big or small corners because of his ability to win one-on-one battles when the ball is in the air.

His best attributes are similar to the ones that have made receivers such as A.J. Green and Dez Bryant nearly unstoppable in the NFL in recent years.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani