10 SEC Players Primed to Be the Stars of the Spring
It seems like only yesterday when we were discussing weekly College Football Playoff rankings and preparing for bowl season. Soon, though, a new season will begin.
Spring practice is just around the corner around the SEC and, in the case of Vanderbilt, already underway. With that comes breakout stars, prospects finally reaching their potential and depth charts that begin to take shape.
Which players in the SEC will emerge as the stars of spring practice?
Our picks, based on talent, opportunity and experience, are in this slideshow.
Auburn QB Jeremy Johnson
1 of 10
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn lifted Auburn from a pit of despair with dual-threat quarterback Nick Marshall at the helm, but now it's time for a more traditional approach for the Tigers.
Jeremy Johnson will inherit the starting quarterback job after two years as Marshall's backup and will bring a more pass-happy approach to the offense. Johnson started last season's opener vs. Arkansas while Marshall served a half-game suspension and lit up the Razorbacks to the tune of 243 yards and two touchdowns in one half.
The 6'5", 230-pounder already has earned rave reviews from Marshall.
"We're definitely going to emphasize the pass game more," co-offensive coordinator Dameyune Craig told AL.com's Brandon Marcello in January. "That means the ball will be spread out a little bit more than it has in the past. I think the receivers will prosper from Jeremy Johnson's emergence as quarterback next year. I'm excited about it, the receivers are excited about it and I think the fans are excited about this new era in Auburn football."
The world will get a glimpse of the new-look Auburn offense this spring, and while most of it will be behind closed doors, expect rave reviews from Johnson and the aerial attack leading up to Auburn's spring game April 18.
South Carolina RB David Williams
2 of 10
South Carolina will be looking to figure out its identity after running back Mike Davis bolted early for the NFL draft. While senior Brandon Wilds is the most recognizable of the players vying for the top spot on the depth chart this spring, it could be David Williams who emerges as the true No. 1 before toe meets leather vs. North Carolina.
As a redshirt freshman in 2014, Williams rushed for 256 yards, two touchdowns and 5.69 yards per carry—tops among South Carolina running backs with at least 20 carries. The 6'1", 214-pounder has the size to take the punishment inside but also has good moves and enough top-end speed to break big plays.
Take nothing away from Wilds. He will still earn plenty of carries this season in Columbia and be a big part of the offense. But he's the more prominent of the Gamecock running back duo, and Williams will do his best to close that gap this spring when the Gamecocks hit the proving grounds.
Texas A&M LB Otaro Alaka
3 of 10
Texas A&M's defense was the butt of every bad joke in 2014, despite boasting one of the brightest young players in the SEC.
Oh, there's also defensive end Myles Garrett too.
While Garrett was busy getting the publicity, linebacker Otaro Alaka quietly put together a solid freshman campaign, notching 33 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, including seven tackles in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl win over West Virginia.
Couple Alaka with new defensive coordinator John Chavis—who made a living at LSU with ultra-athletic linebackers playing in an aggressive scheme—and the middle of the new-look Aggie defense should be set for a 180-degree turnaround with Alaka as the centerpiece.
The 6'3", 225-pounder is physical, quick and a big hitter, which is exactly what this A&M defense needs.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Arkansas QB Brandon Allen
4 of 10
You're going to hear plenty about Arkansas running backs Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams this spring and how potent the Hog rushing attack will be with the dynamic duo returning and four starters along the offensive line back.
That shouldn't surprise you.
When you start hearing about how good Brandon Allen looks, though, you might get that look a dog gets when he hears a strange sound.
Allen tossed 20 touchdown passes last year, gets top wide receiver Keon Hatcher and tight end Hunter Henry back and will benefit from the presence of new offensive coordinator Dan Enos, who has produced four 3,000-yard passers over his last five seasons as Central Michigan's head coach.
"There's three things I can't wait to see come out of his senior year," head coach Bret Bielema told B/R. "He's incredibly tough, he's a very smart football player and the biggest person who wants to have success in our football program is Brandon Allen."
Get ready for the Allen hype train, because it's coming to the Internet near you this spring.
Tennessee RB Alvin Kamara
5 of 10
Jalen Hurd was the first-year running back making waves on Rocky Top in 2014, and it will likely be Alvin Kamara who repeats the feat in 2015.
Kamara, a former 4-star running back who started his career at Alabama, is back in the SEC with the Vols after signing as part of the Class of 2015. The 5'11", 195-pounder rushed 1,211 yards and 18 touchdowns last season for Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College and will provide the lightning to Hurd's thunder this year for the Vols.
That might have to wait until the fall, though.
Hurd will be limited this spring, according to head coach Butch Jones, via Wes Rucker of 247Sports, which means the spring practice session could turn into the Kamara show.
Ole Miss S Tony Conner
6 of 10
Ole Miss safety Tony Conner finished second on the Rebels in tackles with 69, but on a defense that featured defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche and defensive backs Cody Prewitt and Senquez Golson, Conner went overlooked.
That will change in a hurry.
Conner is being counted on to not only be the leader that he has quietly already become, but also one of the faces of the landshark defense that won't include Prewitt and Golson in 2015.
At 6'0", 217 pounds, Conner is a big hitter, good in coverage and has NFL potential written all over him. You'll hear about all of those things as Ole Miss hits the practice field this spring.
A step back after Prewitt and Golson move on? Nope, that won't happen in Oxford. Conner won't allow it.
Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter
7 of 10
Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter came on strong late in the 2014 season, notching eight tackles in each of the Bulldogs' final two games of the season and proving that, despite being a true freshman, he's ready to take on more of a leadership role within the Georgia program.
He'll have veterans Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd with him in Georgia's talented linebacking corps, which is a "rich man's problem" for defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt—a coach who's known for finding places for his most talented linebackers regardless of position.
Floyd is fast, athletic and has a nose for the football, which will make him an All-SEC performer as a sophomore in 2015.
That begins with Carter building off of last year's late success with a strong spring in Athens.
Alabama QB Jake Coker
8 of 10
The 2014 season was supposed to be the Jake Coker show at Alabama. Instead, it became the Blake Sims experience, as Sims led the Crimson Tide to the SEC title and a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Better late than never for Coker.
The senior signal-caller will enter the spring in a battle with Alec Morris, Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Blake Barnett for the top spot on the depth chart. This time, though, the job truly is Coker's for the taking.
He's playing in a system that he's become comfortable with under offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. What's more, he is playing with a group of players on offense, who, for the most part, were second-teamers a year ago, as the Tide replace nine starters.
With a big arm, enough wheels to keep defenses honest and—most importantly—time and familiarity within the system, Coker is poised to become a star in 2015.
Mississippi State WR De'Runnya Wilson
9 of 10
Mississippi State wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson led the Bulldogs in receiving in 2015, hauling in 47 passes for 680 yards and nine touchdowns in Mississippi State's surprising run to the Capital One Orange Bowl.
That's just child's play for what's coming.
Wilson will return with quarterback Dak Prescott but without running back Josh Robinson. That means more passing opportunities for Prescott—who needs to improve his stock as a quarterback in the eyes of NFL scouts—and more big plays from Bear Force One.
Spring is the time to experiment, and head coach Dan Mullen will likely open things up this spring to help his quarterback out and find out just how wide open this spread attack can get. That will make Wilson a spring star and place him in the discussion for the Biletnikoff Award heading into the 2015 season.
Florida QB Will Grier
10 of 10
Treon Harris will enter spring practice at Florida as the reigning starting quarterback, but how long will that last.
Harris is more of a dual threat, and redshirt freshman Will Grier, who was the second-ranked pro-style passer in the Class of 2014, is a much better fit for first-year head coach Jim McElwain's offense.
Grier threw for 14,565 yards, 195 touchdowns and 27 interceptions during his career at Davidson Day High School in Davidson, North Carolina. He came into Florida at a slender 190 pounds but chimed in at 6'3", 200 on Florida's offseason roster and will surely add more weight during offseason strength and conditioning.
He has a big arm, is accurate deep downfield and can make the tough throws from sideline to sideline. What's more, he's not a statue in the pocket and can buy plenty of time behind the line of scrimmage.
Grier won't win the job this spring, but he will draw even with Harris heading into the summer and set the stage for one of fall camp's most intriguing position battles.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
