re: Who has the best linebackers in the SEC? (Al.com rankings)

Donnie isn't undersized really anymore. He's playing around debos weight. He has good speed and fundamentals. He really played well as a backup and on ST's. He flies to the ball and is a sure tackler. I expect a big year from him. Devin is a bead and could be the best n the sec. olber is as deep as anyone in the country. 4 is too high for sure.

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Rashaan Evans is going to piss a buncha people off this year.

He has the potential to be every bit as good as Reuben.

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Apples and oranges, IMO

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Rashaan Evans is going to piss a buncha people off this year.

He has the potential to be every bit as good as Reuben.

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one of them gonna be you when you realize overrated backup is in his blood.

I think one of the reasons for Alabama's lofty ranking here is from depth.

The depth they have is ridiculous, plus they don't even have 5 star RS Fr Ben Davis in there.

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3. Auburn

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Oh how far we've come

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D.J. Riley

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Was he on the same squad as Jordon mettenberger?

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6. South Carolina

The big boost here for South Carolina is the return of Skai Moore, who sat out last season due to a neck injury. His return gives the Gamecocks one of the most dynamic linebackers in the SEC, and a second-team preseason All-SEC selection, to pair with the experienced Bryson Allen-Williams (pictured) while sophomore T.J. Brunson takes over in the middle. Depth at the position remains a question for Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson’s defense.

Projected starters (2016 stats)

OLB: Sr. Bryson Allen-Williams (75 tackles, 8.5 TFL, two sacks, two interceptions)

MLB: Soph. T.J. Brunson (12 tackles, one hurry)

OLB: R-Sr. Skai Moore (Missed all of 2016 due to neck injury)

Interesting fact

Moore led the Gamecocks in tackles in three consecutive seasons before sitting out last year.

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One of the reasons why I'm cautiously optimistic about the Gamecock defense taking a step forward - I don't know a whole lot about the severity of Skai Moore's neck injury last year. From what I understand, it wasn't major in that Moore was hurting in a big way, but it was determined that corrective surgery was needed to prevent it from getting worse, and the timing was such that Moore possibly could've returned late last season and out of shape, and played.

But since he never used his red-shirt in college and it was his senior year, the decision was to shut him down, get the surgery, and give him loads of time to return for 2017 fully recovered and with ample opportunity to recover any lost strength and conditioning the recovery would cause him. So there should be zero physical drop-offs, and only whatever psychological barriers a neck injury could cause him. But I don't think there is any, based on practice reports.

As stated above, Moore led the defense in total tackles each of the 3 years he's played. He's also led the D in INTs in 2013 and 2015, falling to 2nd in 2014 to Brison Williams with 3 INTs (Williams had 4). He joins last season's leading tackler in Safety DJ Smith, and fellow LB Allen-Williams, who was 2nd to Smith in total tackles last season.

That's 3 team-leading-caliber tacklers all being in position to play on the field at the same time this season. All 3 are seniors. Plus add in senior DBs Lammons and King who tied for the team lead last season in INTs, with 3 each, and that's five seniors who are very capable of accounting for a lot of tackles and a lot of interceptions. They just need to stay healthy all season because the depth behind them drops off....