SEC Football: New Starters Who Will Dominate in 2015

With quarterback battles galore in the SEC this year and another successful draft in the rear view mirror, 2015 is clearly a transition year for the nation's deepest college football conference.

That doesn't mean it will be down, though.

Several new starters in 2015 should emerge as stars. Who will they be?

Our picks based on talent, scheme and opportunity are in this slideshow.

Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly

No, transfer quarterback Chad Kelly hasn't officially been named Ole Miss' starting quarterback in 2015 yet.

I don't care.

This is a guy who threw for 3,906 yards and rushed for 446 last year in 12 games for East Mississippi Community College and led his team to a junior college national championship. He's a much more dynamic runner than former Rebel quarterback Bo Wallace and has much more upside as a passer.

Plus, he has a loaded wide receiving corps to depend on, including stud Laquon Treadwell, veterans Cody Core and Quincy Adeboyejo, versatile tight end Evan Engram and former Washington receiver and Treadwell clone Damore'ea Stringfellow.

Kelly will win the job in fall camp and become one of the SEC's stars in 2015.

Arkansas DT Bijhon Jackson

In the summer of 2014 at SEC media days, Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema described then-freshman defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson in a way that only Bielema can.

"

Bielema on Bijhon Jackson: "He's got an incredible ass."

— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) July 16, 2014"

Now, he'll be an incredible asset to the 2015 Arkansas defense.

Darius Philon jumped early to the NFL, leaving a mammoth-sized hole in the middle of that Arkansas defensive line. Who better to fill it than the 6'2", 325-pound monster from El Dorado, Arkansas? 

With Taiwan Johnson lining up next to him in the middle of that defensive line, Jackson can use that big frame and underrated athleticism to wreak havoc in the trenches and help the Hogs stay stout against the run. Will he be as effective as Philon? That's asking a lot—especially early. But he will be one of the top defensive tackles in the SEC by season's end.

Florida WR Brandon Powell

Aside from Demarcus Robinson's semi-breakout season a year ago, reliable wide receivers have been missing in action in Gainesville ever since former head coach Urban Meyer left following the 2010 season.

Expect Brandon Powell to be a big factor this year in a variety of ways.

The former running back moved to wide receiver before spring practice and is a perfect bridge to blend the old-school offense that struggled under former head coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, with the new scheme of first-year head coach Jim McElwain.

At 5'9", 177 pounds, Powell is a perfect fit out of the slot, will be a force in the screen game and will get plenty of looks off the edge on the ground. Plus, if Florida's offensive line struggles (which is expected), he might become even more important since getting the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly would be necessary.

Keep an eye on Powell, because he's going to be a big part of the 2015 Gator offense.

Missouri DT Terry Beckner

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel absolutely needed to hang on to monster 5-star defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr. on national signing day, but he didn't know how much he needed him until later in the offseason.

With fellow tackle Harold Brantley out for the year due to injuries sustained in a car accident, Pinkel needs another mammoth defensive tackle to become a force in the middle of the line for "D-Line Zou."

It's going to be Beckner.

At 6'4", 300 pounds, Beckner possesses the size of a veteran and the quickness that allows the staff to move him around the line based on situation and team need. Defensive tackle isn't typically the spot for true freshmen to shine, but Beckner has the talent, is on a team known for developing that talent and is in a spot where opportunity exists for immediate stardom.

Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk

Yes, Texas A&M has a wide receiving corps that looks more like an NBA roster than a college football unit.

No, freshman Christian Kirk doesn't care.

The 5'11", 200-pounder from Scottsdale, Arizona, went through spring practice and, according to GigEm247.com, has already cracked the starting lineup on a team that includes Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil, Ricky Seals-Jones and others.

As Bleacher Report national video analyst Michael Felder told me in June, he's one of the best options on A&M's roster right now.

"He's better than just about all of those other guys at playing wide receiver," Felder said. "[The] kid knows the craft so well."

Don't be fooled by his size. He's a weapon both out of the slot and outside and will be a force for the 2015 Aggies.

Mississippi State DT Chris Jones

For the majority of his two-year career at Mississippi State, former 5-star defensive lineman Chris Jones' career has been more sizzle than steak. 

He even knows it.

"Last year I wanted to achieve so many things in my mind and I feel like I let myself down," he said earlier this month, according to HailStateBeat. "This year, I’ve got that chip on my shoulder."

A reserve each of the last two seasons who was a big part of the rotation, Jones is being counted on to be a starter this year. Under new (and also former) defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, the 6'6", 308-pounder could move around from tackle to end at times based on situation and matchups.

He simply can't be a rotational player anymore. He needs to be the star that many expected him to be when he signed with the Bulldogs in 2014 out of Houston, Mississippi. The talent is clearly there, and the new scheme under Diaz will help him fulfill that high school hype.

Auburn QB Jeremy Johnson

For a player who has two career spot starts under his belt, Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson sure is getting a ton of hype.

For good reason, too.

The 6'5", 240-pound junior has a big arm, is underrated as a runner and has been on point in fall camp so far for the Tigers, despite the absence of star wide receiver Duke Williams.

"He's been different. You can tell there's a different sense of urgency, a different level of focus, and it's been great," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said, according to Brandon Marcello of AL.com. "He's very confident."

The offense will look more like the 2010 edition with Johnson at the helm, which seemed to work out well as the Tigers won a national title under then-offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton. 

As my colleague Michael Felder says in the video above, you won't see a different Auburn offense, you'll see the full Auburn offense with Johnson at the helm.

Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter

Technically, Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter was a reserve last year, save for spot starts in place of injured linebacker Leonard Floyd.

The logjam at outside linebacker still exists after Floyd and "Jack" linebacker Jordan Jenkins decided to return to school instead of jumping to the NFL, but it won't matter this year. 

Georgia will find ways to get all three studs on the field at the same time, which could mean Jenkins dropping his hand in the dirt from time to time or Floyd moving to inside linebacker. However it works out, Carter will be a force at outside linebacker.

He finished last season with 41 tackles, seven for loss, and 4.5 sacks. He shined with eight tackles in each of his last two games. He'll be a monster in 2015.

Alabama WR ArDarius Stewart

Alabama is still going to play ground and pound football with running back Derrick Henry—who easily could have been in this slideshow since, despite being Alabama's leading rusher in 2014, he's still a new starter. But what fun is that? 

Let's get creative on the final slide and ask a more pressing question about the 2015 Crimson Tide—will Alabama replace former wide receiver and Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper? 

Probably not with one person, although 6'1", 204-pound sophomore ArDarius Stewart will be one of those leading the "wide receiver-by-committee" approach in 2015.

The Fultondale, Alabama, native shined in the spring game and has earned praise from the coaching staff early in fall camp.

"ArDarius Stewart is doing a nice job," head coach Nick Saban said, according to David Paschall of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "He has probably been our most consistent guy out there in terms of his ability to execute. He's making plays every day, and I think his confidence is growing."

That's huge news for Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, because finding a reliable target outside is something this team desperately needs in order for the Tide to contend for another SEC West crown.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Follow Barrett on Twitter: @BarrettSallee.