Once again, this is ranking the units as a whole, not just the starters. Proven play on the field is weighted more than recruiting stars.

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14. South Carolina
13. Vanderbilt
12. Mississippi State
11. Georgia
10. Tennessee
9. Arkansas
8. Texas A&m
7. Ole Miss
6. Kentucky
5. Florida
4. Missouri

quote:
The Tigers returns all five starters — each of them redshirt junior or older — from a unit that allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC last year. There isn’t really a star among the group, though former junior-college transfer Tyler Howell at left tackle is probably the best of the bunch.

Interesting fact

Missouri actually returns all seven players who started at least one game on the line last year, including part-time starters Adam Ploudre and Jonah Dubinski

3. LSU

quote:
As always, the Tigers have talent on the offensive front. Former All-SEC guard Will Clapp is now at center, and is a third-team preseason all-conference pick. Left tackle K.J. Malone made the second team in the preseason. A big loss is starting guard Maea Teuhema, who was suspended for academic reasons, then transferred.

Projected starters

LT: K.J. Malone (6-4, 321, Sr.)
LG: Garrett Brumfield (6-3, 299, Jr.)
C: Will Clapp (6-5, 314, Jr.)
RG: Donavaughn Campbell (6-4, 343, Soph.)
RT: Toby Weathersby (6-6, 308, Jr.)

Interesting fact

Malone is the son of Basketball Hall-of-Famer Karl Malone, who ranks second in NBA history in scoring behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

2. Auburn

quote:
The Tigers have eight starter-quality offensive linemen, led by guard/ tackle Braden Smith, a first-team preseason All-SEC pick. Former left tackle Austin Golson is now at center. Graduate transfers Wilson Bell (Florida State) and Casey Dunn (Jacksonville State) could force their way into the lineup.

Projected starters

LT: Prince Tega Wanogho (6-7, 301, Soph.) or Darius James (6-4, 324, Sr.)
LG: Mike Horton (6-4, 318, Soph.)
C: Austin Golson (6-5, 312, Sr.)
RG: Braden Smith (6-6, 303, Sr.) or Wilson Bell (6-5, 355, Sr.)
RT: James or Smith

Interesting fact

Smith has appeared in 39 career games with 27 consecutive starts dating back to 2014. He shifted to tackle in the spring, but moved back to guard earlier this week.

1. Alabama

quote:
Four of the Crimson Tide’s five projected starters made the all-conference teams at SEC Media Days: left tackle Jonah Williams and left guard Ross Pierschbacher on the first team, center Bradley Bozeman on the second team and right guard Lester Cotton on the third team. It’s not entirely clear who will play right tackle, but as excellent as the rest of the unit is, it might not matter.

Projected starters

LT: Jonah Williams (6-5, 301, Soph.)
LG: Ross Pierschbacker (604, 303, Jr.)
C: Bradley Bozeman (6-5, 314, Sr.)
RG: Lester Cotton (6-4, 324, Jr.) or Deonte Brown (6-4, 350, RFr.)
RT: Matt Womack (6-7, 324, So.) or Cotton

Interesting fact

Alabama has had four left tackles drafted in the first 44 picks of the NFL draft in the last 10 years — Andre Smith (2008), James Carpenter (2011), Cyrus Kouandjio (2014) and Cam Robinson (2017). Williams could be next.