SEC Football: One Player Each Team Will Miss the Most in 2012-2013

With only one game remaining in the 2011 college football season, it is time to start looking at which players will need to be replaced next year. 

The SEC has been the most dominant conference in the country for the past few years, winning the last five BCS championships. With LSU facing Alabama this year, the conference is guaranteed to win a sixth.

Unfortunately, many of the conference members will be losing key players after the season, whether it is due to graduation or entering the NFL draft. 

If any of these teams would like to compete in 2012, they will need to replace these young men. 

Mississippi State: Fletcher Cox, DT

Like most SEC teams, Mississippi State was able to win games thanks to a very solid defense.

Fletcher Cox was an unheralded reason for the Bulldogs success, but they will notice when he is gone.

Defensive tackles do not often put up great statistics, but the junior still had 49 tackles and four sacks. More importantly, he was able to take on blockers and free up his teammates to make the big plays.

Cox has already announced that he will enter the 2012 NFL draft, and could be a first-round pick in April. Regardless of how he does at the next level, Mississippi State will miss his impact on the field.

South Carolina: Melvin Ingram, DE

South Carolina was 13th in the nation in points allowed, and Melvin Ingram was a big reason for that success.

The big defensive end had 8.5 sacks this season after finishing with nine the year before. He also showed his versatility by collecting two interceptions as well.

Scouts Inc. has Ingram as the No. 10 overall prospect in the upcoming NFL draft and the second-best defensive lineman. 

The Gamecocks should have a solid offense next year, but the defense will certainly miss Ingram.

Florida: Chris Rainey, RB

Florida struggled for most of the season, but would have been in more trouble without senior Chris Rainey.

The versatile running back led the Gators with 790 yards rushing. He also added 350 yards through the air and a punt returned for a touchdown. 

Rainey broke 100 rushing yards in four different games this season, and was at times the only successful player on the Florida offense.

The Gators have a long way to go to return to the success they had under Urban Meyer, but they will need to start by replacing Chris Rainey. 

Vanderbilt: Casey Hayward, DB

Vanderbilt had a decent season by its standards, going to the Liberty Bowl under first-year coach James Franklin. 

Luckily, most of the offensive playmakers for the Commodores are returning next season. The bad news is defensive back Casey Hayward will be moving on. 

The senior was third in the SEC with five interceptions, bringing his career total to 13. He also returned one for a touchdown in a close game against Connecticut.

Vanderbilt will miss Hayward's ability to always be around the football next season. 

Kentucky: Danny Trevathan, LB

Danny Trevathan was one of the few bright spots of a poor Kentucky season.

The linebacker finished with over 140 tackles and three sacks for the second year in a row. 

Trevathan also showed his versatility this season by grabbing four interceptions. 

The Wildcats could be in bad shape next year if they cannot replace the impact senior.

Ole Miss: Wayne Dorsey, DE

Wayne Dorsey had an up-and-down career, but was the No. 1 junior college recruit in the nation according to Scout.com in 2009.

The defensive end saw his season come to an end in October due to an injury.

While Ole Miss never really had any momentum this season, losing Dorsey just as he was starting to produce was a big blow to the struggling team. 

In only six games this season, the senior had three sacks and an interception.

The Rebels probably wish his career in Mississippi turned out differently.

Tennessee: Austin Johnson, LB

Although Tennessee finished 2011 with only one conference win, the Volunteers will return a good amount of starters next season.

One player they will be without is linebacker Austin Johnson. 

The senior from North Carolina led the team with four interceptions to go with his 81 tackles. He has also been on the Academic All-SEC team for three seasons.

Linebacker will be one of many weak spots that head coach Derek Dooley will need to improve next season.

Auburn: Neiko Thorpe, S

After winning the national championship a year ago behind Cam Newton, Auburn came into 2011 expecting to struggle with a very young team.

The team did well enough to remain in the top 25, but there is great promise in the future for the Tigers behind running back Michael Dyer. 

However, the defense will have to be without safety Neiko Thorpe. The senior has been a regular contributor for all four years of his career with Auburn.

Thorpe has 269 career tackles and seven career interceptions. 

He was a big part of the team and will be tough to replace. 

Georgia: Cordy Glenn, OG

After reaching the SEC championship game this season, Georgia will return a lot of the players that helped this season. 

The only position that will really suffer due to graduation is on the offensive line. The Bulldogs will lose first-team All-SEC guard Cordy Glenn and second-team All-SEC center Ben Jones.

Glenn will especially be missed, as he has started in all but three games in his career at Georgia.

He is projected to be among the best guards to be selected in the 2012 NFL draft and could have a long career at the next level.

Arkansas: Jarius Wright, WR

Jarius Wright has had an outstanding season at wide receiver and was a key to one of the best offenses in the SEC.

Arkansas rose as high as No. 3 in the BCS polls before losing to LSU, and will be rewarded with a Cotton Bowl appearance against Kansas State. That would not have happened without its two veteran receivers.

Wright led the SEC with 11 receiving touchdowns and was second in receiving yards. Alongside him was Joe Adams, the speedster who can score from anywhere on the field.

This shows the real problem for the Razorbacks, as they will need to replace two receivers instead of one.

Alabama: Trent Richardson, RB

Trent Richardson still has a year of eligibility remaining, but he is expected to declare for the NFL draft this offseason.

He is the most explosive running back in college football and should be a top-10 pick for a lucky team.

While Alabama has many talented players on the defense, including Dre Kirkpatrick and Courtney Upshaw, but they are more easily replaceable. Nick Saban runs a great system and knows how to get the right players in the right place. 

Trent Richardson was a Heisman finalist who provided over 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide this season. Without him, the offense would have struggled mightily. 

LSU: Jordan Jefferson, QB

LSU will look to cap off an undefeated season with a national championship on Jan. 9, and there is no doubting that it is thanks to its defense.

However, the key losses for this defense could be replaced by very competent players.

For example, cornerback Morris Claiborne is one of the best cornerbacks in college football and will be a top pick in next year's draft. Still, the Tigers will have a player by the name of Tyrann Mathieu, who happened to be a Heisman finalist.

On offense, the running game is the key, but there are so many players that are interchangeable that no one would be missed.

The toughest person to replace next season will be Jordan Jefferson, the starter for the past two seasons who lost his job and then got it back with a month left in the year.

Despite having a tough road, he has taken the reigns for this team and will be the man in charge during the national championship game.

Fellow quarterback Jarrett Lee is also a senior. This means that next year the quarterback position will be given to a player with little to no college experience.

Regardless of your feelings on Jordan Jefferson, he will certainly be missed next season.