Every SEC Team's Biggest Recruiting Need for the Class of 2017
Members of the class of 2016 just signed on the dotted line at the schools of their choice, but the 2017 recruiting cycle is already in full swing.
Offers are out, junior days are being scheduled, and coaches are working hard to plan the next 12 months in the hopes of filling needs of their football teams.
What's the biggest recruiting need for each team in the SEC?
Our picks based on seniority, fit and possibility of early entry to the NFL draft are in this slideshow.
Alabama Crimson Tide: Running Back
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Former running back Derrick Henry capped off his three-year Alabama career with a Heisman Trophy and a national title, and now head coach Nick Saban is out to find the next Henry.
Sophomores Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris are still on the roster, and Saban just signed 4-star prospect B.J. Emmons in the class of 2016.
But what do we know about Saban's approach to recruiting? He wants running backs. All of them.
The Tide already have the commitment of 5-star running back Najee Harris out of Antioch, California. Harris, a 6'2", 220-pound monster, is the second-ranked player in the country and could step in and contend for playing time right away, even if there's no roster attrition above him on the depth chart.
Priority No. 1 for Saban is too keep Harris and, if he flips, make sure he gets at least one superstar ball-carrier in this class. Of course, two or three wouldn't hurt either.
Arkansas Razorbacks: Running Back
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Arkansas just signed 4-star running back Devwah Whaley in the class of 2016, but head coach Bret Bielema has made a living utilizing multiple running backs who understand that 15-18 carries per game, instead of 30, helps the team and the player much more over the long term.
Whaley needs a running mate, and the class of 2017 is a perfect place to find one.
Toneil Carter, a 5'11", 205-pound, 4-star running back from Houston, is a perfect candidate. He's leaning more toward Texas A&M and LSU at the moment, but there's still plenty of time for Bielema and his staff—who recruit Texas heavily—to make a run.
If he doesn't land Carter, Bielema needs to find a star running back. One per class keeps the train chugging in the right direction in Fayetteville.
Auburn Tigers: Linebacker
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If there's a void in the class that Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn just signed in early February, it's at linebacker.
That has to change in the class of 2017, which is stacked with plenty of talented defenders who could thrive with Malzahn and new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
Dylan Moses, the top-ranked player in the country, leads that field and isn't likely to sign with the Tigers. But Auburn is also in on 4-stars Will Ignont, Nate McBride, Markail Benton, Leonard Warner and others.
Auburn beefed up its defensive front in the loaded class of 2016, and now it has to step back a level to the linebackers to solidify the defense for years to come.
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Florida Gators: Defensive Line
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Florida has become synonymous with stellar defense over the last decade, and it all starts up front.
Florida signed three defensive ends in the class of 2016, but it was hardly the kind of monstrous defensive line class that we have become accustomed to seeing in Gainesville.
The Gators are in on 4-star defensive tackles Aubrey Solomon, Cory Durden and others, as well as versatile ends Zachary Carter, MJ Webb and a host of players who can line up outside or drop down to the interior defensive line.
Head coach Jim McElwain needs to load up in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball. He has a potential star in 2016 in sophomore CeCe Jefferson, who needs some friends to help him out when he becomes an upperclassman.
Georgia Bulldogs: Take Advantage of In-State Athletes
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The state of Georgia was loaded with elite prospects in 2016, and 2017 looks to be the anticipated sequel—especially when it comes to pure athletes.
Three of the top 10 players in the state are listed as athletes by 247Sports, including Bulldogs commit Richard LeCounte III, James Walker (who could evolve into a big-bodied wide receiver) and Jamyest Williams, who was one of the most competitive prospects I saw at last year's Atlanta regional for The Opening.
If Georgia can keep the elite athletes in this class in the Peach State, it will give head coach Kirby Smart plenty of options on how to formulate the roster for the next three or four years.
Kentucky Wildcats: Offensive Line
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The biggest thing Kentucky has going for it right now is its running game, which will be led by Stanley "Boom" Williams and Jojo Kemp in 2016.
Moving forward, it appears to be in good hands as well with 4-star running back Michael Warren and the versatile Bryant Koback already committed in the class of 2017.
Somebody has to block for them, though.
Jedrick Wills is a 4-star tackle from the Bluegrass State who could step in right away and anchor one side of the offensive line for years. Kentucky is also in on center Cesar Ruiz, tackle D'Antne Demery and guard Jean Marcellus.
It all starts up front, and that should be a big focus for head coach Mark Stoops and Co.
LSU Tigers: Quarterback
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Whether you think it will click for rising junior quarterback Brandon Harris in 2016 or not, LSU head coach Les Miles needs to plan for the future in the class of 2017.
LSU has three offers out to quarterbacks in the next class, according to 247Sports—all of whom are dual-threat and two of which are committed elsewhere. That needs to, and likely will, change.
Miles had Feleipe Franks committed last class but lost him to the Gators down the stretch. He did land 3-star dual-threat Lindsey Scott, but Miles needs as many options as he can find under center, and nabbing a big-time quarterback out of the class of 2017 is task No. 1 for The Mad Hatter.
There are plenty to choose from, including uncommitted 4-star pro-style prospects Jake Bentley, Bailey Hockman and Davis Mills—all of whom are in the SEC footprint.
Mississippi State Bulldogs: Load Up on Defensive Linemen
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Dan Mullen shocked the recruiting world on national signing day when he landed the commitment of 5-star defensive end Jeffery Simmons from Macon, Mississippi. Listed as an end due to his quickness, Simmons has the frame to grow into an interior lineman, a lot like former Bulldog Chris Jones.
He needs some running mates in the trenches, though.
There are plenty to choose from, even within the borders of the Magnolia State.
Pass-rusher Cordarrius Bailey is from Clarksdale, Aaron Odom is from Jackson, and Ben Brown is from Vicksburg. Mullen and Co. are also in on several others from across state lines.
The Bulldogs have been successful in situational defense over the last few years due in large part to their ability to rotate nine or 10 defensive linemen. That depth needs to stay in place, and the 2017 recruiting class can help achieve that.
Missouri Tigers: Win In-State Battles
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Barry Odom will have the chance to put his recruiting plan in place for an entire year in 2017, and the first priority is to make sure that the in-state stars stay at home rather than escape to other schools.
The Tigers already have the commitment of 4-star athlete Daron Davis, who can play wide receiver or running back or flip to the defense once he gets into a college strength-and-conditioning program. The Show Me State also boasts 4-star long-stick defensive end Chester Graves—who's a perfect fit for "D-Line Zou"—and 4-star corner Djimon Colbert.
All three members of the trio reside in Kansas City, and Missouri making a big recruiting impact in one of the state's biggest markets will certainly resonate with other prospects down the road.
If Odom can lock down the borders and lure in other talented players from typical Missouri territories such as Texas and Georgia, his Tigers will be back in contention for the SEC East sooner rather than later.
Ole Miss Rebels: Find a Power Running Back
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The absence of a power running back who can take some pressure off edge-rushers has been the one gaping hole in the Ole Miss offense for three years, and that has to change.
There are 25 power running backs and six all-purpose backs in the class of 2017 with four or more stars attached to their names, and head coach Hugh Freeze has to find one of them to sign on the dotted line and add the final piece of the puzzle to the explosive Rebels offense.
One of those 4-star players is an in-state running back committed to rival Alabama—4-star Cam Akers from Clinton. Another is uncommitted 208-pounder Kylin Hill from Columbus, which is essentially in rival Mississippi State's backyard.
If Freeze can finally get that big-time running back and use him to complement the rest of the weapons, the offense will be tough to stop.
South Carolina Gamecocks: Depth Up Front
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The days of Jadeveon Clowney terrorizing opposing offensive lines are gone.
Long gone.
Will Muschamp knows that championship-level teams have depth and versatility up front on defense, and that is the most important piece of his rebuilding project at South Carolina.
He did a good job of that in the 2016 cycle and has drawn interest from pass-rush specialist Brad Johnson and 276-pound defensive tackle T.J. Moore in 2015. Muschamp also has all-name team candidate and 280-pound tackle Octavius Pringle within the borders of the Palmetto State.
If South Carolina is going to get back to contending for division titles on an annual basis, it has to follow the same blueprint and build depth up front.
Tennessee Volunteers: Find a Bruiser at Running Back
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If you take one look at the list of offers out from Tennessee at 247Sports, you'll see exactly where head coach Butch Jones is focused in the class of 2017.
Running back.
All of the running backs.
The Vols have offered 16 pure running backs, five all-purpose running backs and 15 athletes—many of whom could play a role in the running game in Jones' system.
Those running backs include 4-star Nashville product Ty Chandler, 4-star Colin Wilson, 206-pounder Trey Sermon and several others who could step in for Jalen Hurd after he declares for the draft in 2016 or when he exhausts his eligibility after the 2017 season.
Texas A&M Aggies: Give Chavis Weapons
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Texas A&M senior defensive end Daeshon Hall will be out the door following the 2016 season and, barring some bizarre and surprising circumstances, so will star junior defensive end Myles Garrett.
Daylon Mack will still anchor the middle of the Aggies defensive line at least through 2017, but he and defensive coordinator John Chavis need some bookends to really make that defense click.
Luckily, there are plenty of options for head coach Kevin Sumlin to choose from.
K'Lavon Chaisson and Taquon Graham are 4-star in-state pass rushers who could provide a boost, as could Lagaryonn Carson if Sumlin and Co. can lure him away from Texas.
Vanderbilt Commodores: Wide Receiver Help
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Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason has built a defense in Nashville that's quite salty and boasts an underrated running game led by tailback Ralph Webb.
The missing piece, though, is a consistent downfield threat in the passing game. That's evident by the offers Mason has out in the class of 2017. According to 247Sports, eight 4-star wide receivers currently have offers from the Commodores, and surely that number will rise as the process continues.
The 'Dores got three 3-star wide receivers in 2016, and rising sophomore Kyle Shurmur is likely the quarterback of the future. But he needs some help downfield if Vandy is going to get back to bowl games on a consistent basis.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics are courtesy of CFBStats.com, and recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.
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 SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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