ESPN College Football

ESPN's Mel Kiper has three SEC players projected to go in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night.

Kiper's picks are:

• Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb going No. 50 overall to the San Diego Chargers
• Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett going No. 57 overall to the Seattle Seahawks
• Georgia outside linebacker Justin Houston going No. 59 overall to the Cleveland Browns

ESPN's Todd McShay has five SEC players going in his second-round mock draft.

His picks are:

• Mallett going No. 48 overall to the Oakland Raiders
• Georgia offensive guard Clint Boling going No. 55 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs
• Cobb going No. 60 overall to the New England Patriots
• LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard going No. 61 overall to the San Diego Chargers
• Houston going No. 64 overall to the Green Bay Packers

The offensive linemen and tight ends were some of the first players to get measured and weighed at the NFL combine, and four of the largest guys there were from the SEC.

According to Todd McShay and Kevin Weidl's combine report, Florida offensive guard Carl Johnson (361 pounds), Arkansas offensive tackle Ray Dominguez (334), Georgia offensive tackle Josh Davis (331) and Florida offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert (330) were four of the five heaviest offensive linemen at the combine. Davis also measured 6-foot-7 1/8, making him the third-tallest offensive lineman on hand.

Florida's Mike Pouncey (6-5, 303) and Georgia's Clint Boling (6-4 5/8, 308) looked especially fit during weigh-ins, according to the Scouts Inc. guys.

The heaviest tight end was South Carolina's Weslye Saunders, who was suspended and didn't play this past season. Saunders checked in at 6-5 and 270 pounds. He also had the longest arms of the tight ends (35 5/8 inches) and the second biggest hands (10 5/8).

Before his suspension, the Scouts Inc. guys had Saunders ranked as the second best tight end in the draft. The interview process will be huge for Saunders if he's going to move back up into the top part of the draft.

Arkansas' D.J. Williams was one of the smallest tight ends at 6-2 and 245 pounds.

The South defeated the North 24-10 in the Senior Bowl on Saturday thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder.

Here's a wrap-up from the Scouts Inc. guys on what former SEC players helped themselves and those who maybe didn't help themselves last week in Mobile, Ala.:

• Georgia offensive guard Clint Boling, Alabama offensive tackle/guard James Carpenter, LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker were among the players Todd McShay listed whose draft stock is on the rise coming out of the Senior Bowl. Boling and Stocker exceeded expectations, according to McShay.
• Specifically about Boling, the Scouts Inc. guys had this to say, "Boling has shown good inline power and nice awareness all week, especially in the open field where he has done a great job of adjusting on the move to cover up targets. He's made himself some money this week."
• Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod and Arkansas offensive tackle DeMarcus Love failed to improve their draft stock, according to the Scouts Inc. crew.
• Love's limitations athletically plagued him, according to the Scouts Inc. guys. He struggled with speed rushers and might have to transition to guard in the NFL. He appears to be a mid-round selection at this point.
• During the game, Sherrod did a nice job in pass protection. Despite his limitations with lateral agility, the Scouts Inc. crew thinks he has the frame strength and balance to become an effective right tackle in the NFL.
• Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy looked NFL-ready with his drops, mechanics and going through his progressions, but his lack of arm strength and overall tools will cause him to drop.
• Florida's Chas Henry established himself as the No. 2 punter in this draft class. His directional skills and how quickly he gets the punt off were what set him apart last week.
• LSU place-kicker Josh Jasper demonstrated good accuracy inside 40 yards, but wasn't as consistent on longer field goals. His hang time on kickoffs was good, but he was average to below average with his distance.

The Scouts Inc. team of Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl break down Day 3 of the Senior Bowl practices , and here are some of their thoughts on the SEC players in Mobile:

• One of McShay’s top performers was Georgia offensive lineman Clint Boling. The thinking going into this week by many was that Boling was probably a guard in the NFL, but McShay now thinks there’s a chance he could play right tackle. Either way, Boling has really helped himself. McShay said, “He has good balance as a blocker, is aggressive and physical, and just knows where he wants to go. He attacks pass-rushers, does a good job with hand placement, and for a guy who's not a great athlete, he's capable of sinking his hips and getting good leverage. The best part of his game is his strength. He's underrated in terms of his overall strength and power at the point of attack. I think out of all the offensive linemen, Boling had the best day today and has the looks of a guy would could be drafted on Day 2.”
• One of Weidl’s top performers was LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who at 6-2 and 250 pounds has been impressive with his power and strength at the point of attack. Weidl said, “You see it when he's rushing off the edge in one-on-ones. He's shocking the blocker and knocking him back. He has shown good recognition skills and awareness dropping in coverage. The added weight might have hurt his range a little bit, but he still shows above-average range so it doesn't hurt him that much. We had concerns about him taking on and getting off blocks and we saw some of that today, but overall it was a good day for Sheppard.”
• Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has shown good footwork and might be the most mechanically sound quarterback at the Senior Bowl, according to the Scouts Inc. guys. But arm strength has been a problem, making him someone who could go in the sixth or seventh round or possibly undrafted.
• Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker, who was singled out earlier in the week for his ability to catch the ball over the middle, has also been the best blocker among the tight ends.
• Alabama offensive lineman James Carpenter got a shout-out for having a good day against the likes of Clemson’s Jarvis Jenkins and Baylor’s Phil Taylor.
• Mississippi State linebacker Chris White struggled on Day 3. The Scouts Inc. crew are concerned about his range, and he’s limited in space. He also didn’t get off blocks real well, but they like his fight and effort.
• Alabama tight end/H-back Preston Dial made a couple of one-handed catches, and the Scouts Inc. crew think he may be a sleeper and a great value pick in the later rounds.

The Scouts Inc. crew of Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl weigh in on Day 2 of the Senior Bowl practices and how some of the SEC guys fared:

• Muench’s top performer for the South was Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker, who showed good toughness and was able to wall off blockers. But Muench said catching the ball over the middle was where Stocker made his mark. He made a one-handed catch behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. He took a big hit, but still held on. Muench likes how physical the 6-foot-5 Stocker is, the way he makes plays in traffic and uses his frame to shield linebackers and generally the way he works over the middle. Muench said Stocker caught everything Tuesday.
• Weidl’s top performer for the South was Georgia offensive tackle Clint Boling. Weidl said Boling projects as a guard, but lined up at tackle and did well during the one-on-one drills. Weidl said Boling moved his feet well, showed some athleticism on a screen play and also demonstrated good inline power and strength as a run-blocker. Weidl thinks Boling helped himself with a good overall showing on Tuesday with the way he held up at tackle.
• LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard has been impressive with his straight-line speed, especially for his size (6-3, 240 pounds), but takes too long to regain his momentum when he has to change directions quickly. He’s quicker than he is fast.
• Auburn’s Lee Ziemba had some issues lining up inside at guard. Bending at the knees was a problem, which affected his pad level.
• Arkansas’ D.J. Williams has been impressive with the way he’s caught the ball and has also showcased his athleticism, but the Scouts Inc. crew thinks he’s probably more of a fullback than a tight end in the NFL.
• Weidl said Alabama offensive tackle James Carpenter showed good feet in pass sets.
• Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod was beaten by Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller on an outside-in double move during a one-on-one pass-rushing drill.
• Sherrod’s wingspan was measured at 83 7/8 inches, the longest of any player at the Senior Bowl. His arms were measured at 35 ½ inches, which was also the longest. His hands were 11 inches, which was tied for second.
• Florida offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert (329 pounds), Arkansas offensive lineman DeMarcus Love (318 pounds) and Ziemba (317 pounds) are among the five heaviest players at the Senior Bowl.

The SEC is sending 22 players to the Under Armour Senior Bowl, which is the most in the country.

The newest additions from the SEC to the South roster were Auburn safety Zac Etheridge, Georgia offensive lineman Clint Boling and Kentucky running back Derrick Locke.

Florida and Mississippi State lead all SEC teams with four representatives each in the annual senior showcase event, which will be played on Jan. 29 and kick off at 4 p.m. ET on NFL Network from Mobile's Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Representing the Gators will be Ahmad Black, Chas Henry, Mike Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert. The four Bulldogs headed to Mobile are Chris White, K.J. Wright, Derek Sherrod and Pernell McPhee.

Here's a team-by-team list of the SEC players in the game:

ALABAMA

• Offensive tackle James Carpenter
• Tight end Preston Dial
• Quarterback Greg McElroy

ARKANSAS

• Offensive tackle DeMarcus Love
• Tight end D.J. Williams

AUBURN

• Linebacker Josh Bynes
• Safety Zac Etheridge
• Offensive tackle Lee Ziemba

FLORIDA

• Safety Ahmad Black
• Punter Chas Henry
• Offensive guard Marcus Gilbert
• Center Mike Pouncey

GEORGIA

• Offensive tackle Clint Boling

KENTUCKY

• Running back Derrick Locke

LSU

• Kicker Josh Jasper
• Defensive tackle Drake Nevis
• Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard

MISSISSIPPI STATE

• Defensive end Pernell McPhee
• Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod
• Linebacker Chris White
• Linebacker K.J. Wright

TENNESSEE

• Tight end Luke Stocker

Here’s a tentative list of the SEC players scheduled to play in the 2011 Senior Bowl. Players could be added and/or subtracted to this list as we get closer to the Jan. 29 game in Mobile, Ala.

ALABAMA

• Offensive tackle James Carpenter
• Tight end Preston Dial
• Quarterback Greg McElroy

ARKANSAS

• Offensive tackle DeMarcus Love
• Tight end D.J. Williams

AUBURN

• Linebacker Josh Bynes
• Offensive tackle Lee Ziemba

FLORIDA

• Safety Ahmad Black
• Punter Chas Henry
• Offensive guard Marcus Gilbert
• Center Mike Pouncey

GEORGIA

• Offensive tackle Clint Boling

KENTUCKY

• Running back Derrick Locke

LSU

• Defensive tackle Drake Nevis
• Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard

MISSISSIPPI STATE

• Defensive end Pernell McPhee
• Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod
• Linebacker K.J. Wright

OLE MISS

• Defensive tackle Jerrell Powe

TENNESSEE

• Tight end Luke Stocker

Pro Football Weekly, after gathering input from NFL evaluators, has released its 2010 All-America team based on a combination of draft value, pure talent and performance.

Any guesses on which SEC team had the most first-team selections?

Georgia ... by a mile.

The Bulldogs, who suffered through the worst season of the Mark Richt era, had five players on the first team, including Cordy Glenn and Clint Boling as both of the offensive guards. A.J. Green was selected at receiver, Justin Houston at outside linebacker and Drew Butler at punter.

No other SEC team had more than one player selected as a first-team All-American, which only reinforces that Georgia was far more talented than its record reflected this season. The Bulldogs (6-6) need to beat UCF in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl to avoid their first losing season since 1996.

Auburn's Cam Newton was beaten out by Stanford's Andrew Luck as the first-team quarterback. The only Auburn player to earn first-team honors was junior defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

The other SEC first-team selections included Florida center Mike Pouncey, Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson.

The SEC had 12 honorable mention selections, including Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Alabama receiver Julio Jones, Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams and South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery.

Here's the complete list (SEC players are bolded). Juniors are marked by one asterisk (*), draft-eligible sophomores have two (**) and true sophomores have three (***):

Quarterback
Andrew Luck, Stanford**

Honorable mention
Kellen Moore, Boise State*
Cam Newton, Auburn*
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas*
Jake Locker, Washington
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada

Running back
Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State

Honorable mention
LaMichael James, Oregon**
Andre Ellington, Clemson**
Mark Ingram, Alabama*
Jordan Todman, Connecticut*
Mikel LeShoure, Illinois*

Fullback
Owen Marecic, Stanford

Honorable mention
Anthony Sherman, Connecticut

Wide receivers
Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State**
A.J. Green, Georgia*

Honorable mention
Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina***
Julio Jones, Alabama*
Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma*
Titus Young, Boise State

Tight end
Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin

Honorable mention
D.J. Williams, Arkansas
Michael Egnew, Missouri*

Offensive tackles
Nate Solder, Colorado
Anthony Castonzo, Boston College

Honorable mention
Marcus Cannon, TCU
Danny Watkins, Baylor
Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
Lee Ziemba, Auburn
Ben Ijalana, Villanova

Offensive guards
Cordy Glenn, Georgia*
Clint Boling, Georgia

Honorable mention
John Moffitt, Wisconsin
Rodney Hudson, Florida State
Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State

Center
Mike Pouncey, Florida

Honorable mention
Chase Beeler, Stanford
Mike Brewster, Ohio State*

Defensive ends
Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson*
J.J. Watt, Wisconsin*

Honorable mention
Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
Allen Bailey, Miami (Fla.)
Cameron Jordan, California

Defensive tackles
Marcell Dareus, Alabama*
Nick Fairley, Auburn*

Honorable mention
Stephen Paea, Oregon State
Corey Liuget, Illinois*

Inside linebacker
Luke Kuechly, Boston College***

Honorable mention
Greg Jones, Michigan State
Manti Te’o, Notre Dame***
Nate Irving, North Carolina State

Outside linebackers
Von Miller, Texas A&M
Justin Houston, Georgia*

Honorable mention
Bruce Carter, North Carolina
Akeem Ayers, UCLA* Sean Spence, Miami (Fla.)*

Cornerbacks
Patrick Peterson, LSU*
Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

Honorable mention
Brandon Harris, Miami (Fla.)*
Janoris Jenkins, Florida*
Cliff Harris, Oregon***
Omar Bolden, Arizona State*

Safeties
Eric Hagg, Nebraska
Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple

Honorable mention
Mark Barron, Alabama*
Rahim Moore, UCLA*
Ahmad Black, Florida

Placekicker
Alex Henery, Nebraska

Honorable mention
Dan Bailey, Oklahoma State

Punter
Drew Butler, Georgia*

Honorable mention
Chas Henry, Florida

Return specialist
Cliff Harris, Oregon***

Honorable mention
Patrick Peterson, LSU*

The watch list for the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award is a pretty good indication that the SEC will be strong in the trenches this season.

The SEC placed 15 players on the list, including three from Alabama -- offensive tackle James Carpenter, defensive end Marcell Dareus and linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

The Rotary Lombardi Award goes to "down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than 5 yards deep from the line of scrimmage."

Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was the 2009 winner.

Here's a look at the 15 SEC players who made the 2010 preseason watch list:

• Georgia offensive tackle Clint Boling
• Alabama offensive tackle James Carpenter
• Alabama defensive end Marcell Dareus
• Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower
• Georgia outside linebacker Justin Houston
• Arkansas offensive tackle DeMarcus Love
• South Carolina defensive end Cliff Matthews
• Mississippi State defensive end Pernell McPhee
• Florida center Mike Pouncey
• Ole Miss nose tackle Jerrell Powe
• Auburn center Ryan Pugh
• South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders
• LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard
• Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod
• Auburn offensive tackle Lee Ziemba

The three most glaring guys missing from this list, in my opinion, are Vanderbilt linebacker Chris Marve, Tennessee tight end Luke Stocker and Ole Miss defensive end Kentrell Lockett.

One of the best gauges for how a team will do that season is the amount of experience it has in the offensive line.

Georgia is at the head of the class in the SEC, and it’s really not even close.

The Bulldogs return four players with more than 20 career starts on the offensive line, and their five projected starters coming out of the spring combined for 127 starts.

That’s almost 20 more starts than second-place Auburn, which has 108 career starts among its five projected starters.

Georgia’s numbers look even better when you throw junior tackle Trinton Sturdivant into the mix. He’s started 14 career games, but only one in the past two seasons because he’s battled knee injuries. Sturdivant started 13 games in 2007 as a true freshman left tackle. He hopes to return this season.

Georgia and Auburn are the only two SEC teams whose projected offensive line starters combine for 100 or more career starts.

While Georgia’s at the top with 127 starts, Tennessee’s at the bottom with only three career starts.

Auburn senior left tackle Lee Ziemba has started in every game since his freshman season in 2007 -- a streak of 38 straight games -- which is the most in the SEC for an offensive lineman.

Even though offensive line experience is important, there are exceptions. Alabama had one of the best offensive lines in the nation last season. The five guys who wound up being the starters had a combined 41 career starts entering the season. But here's the catch: Two players (left guard Mike Johnson and right tackle Drew Davis) had all 41 of those starts.

Here’s a breakdown of the entire league. Keep in mind these are only projected starters going into preseason camp and that some of these names could change:

1. Georgia: 127 (Chris Davis 37, Clint Boling 36, Ben Jones 23, Cordy Glenn 22, Josh Davis 9)

2. Auburn: 108 (Lee Ziemba 38, Ryan Pugh 31, Mike Berry 21, Byron Isom 18, Brandon Mosley 0)

3. Arkansas: 87 (DeMarcus Love 24, Wade Grayson 23, Ray Dominguez 20, Seth Oxner 13, Grant Cook 7)

4. Mississippi State: 82 (J.C. Brignone 24, Quentin Saulsberry 24, Derek Sherrod 22, Addison Lawrence 12, Tobias Smith 0)

5. Florida: 79 (Mike Pouncey 31, Carl Johnson 22, Marcus Gilbert 17, Xavier Nixon 5, James Wilson 4)

6. South Carolina: 52 (Jarriel King 19, T.J. Johnson 13, Terrence Campbell 11, Kyle Nunn 7, Garrett Chisolm 2)

7. Alabama: 42 (James Carpenter 14, Barrett Jones 14, William Vlachos 14, D.J. Fluker 0, Chance Warmack 0)

8. LSU: 41 (Joseph Barksdale 26, Josh Dworaczyk 13, Patrick Lonergan 2, Will Blackwell 0, Alex Hurst 0)

9. Kentucky: 27 (Stuart Hines 13, Brad Durham 7, Jake Lanefski 4, Billy Joe Murphy 3, Larry Warford 0)

10. Vanderbilt: 24 (Kyle Fischer 18, Joey Bailey 5, Ryan Seymour 1, Justin Cabbagestalk 0, Wesley Johnson 0)

11. Ole Miss: 22 (Bradley Sowell 12, Bobby Massie 5, Rishaw Johnson 4, Alex Washington 1, A.J. Hawkins 0)

12. Tennessee: 3 (Jarrod Shaw 3, Ja’Wuan James 0, Cody Pope 0, JerQuari Schofield 0, Dallas Thomas 0)

HOOVER, Ala. -- Alabama placed a league-high 12 players on the first- and second-team All-SEC teams as selected by the media attending the SEC media days.

Florida was second with 10 selections. Nine of the 12 schools had a player on the first team. The three schools that were shut out on the first team were Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Alabama had eight players to receive first-team honors. There were no unanimous selections. The leading vote-getters were Alabama running back Mark Ingram with 165 votes and his teammate, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, with 158 votes.

Here's a look at the teams:

FIRST-TEAM
Offense
Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class	Hometown
QB	Ryan Mallet (118)	Arkansas	6-6	238	Jr.	Texarkana, Ark.
RB	Mark Ingram (165)	Alabama	5-10	215	Jr.	Flint, Mich.
RB	Trent Richardson (69)	Alabama	5-11	220	So.	Pensacola, Fla.
WR	A.J. Green (142)	Georgia	6-4	205	Jr.	Summerville, S.C.
WR	Julio Jones (123)	Alabama	6-4	220	Jr.	Foley, Ala.
TE	D.J. Williams (105)	Arkansas	6-2	251	Sr.	Little Rock, Ark.
OL	Lee Ziemba (114)	Auburn	6-8	391	Sr.	Rogers, Ark.
OL	Barrett Jones (103)	Alabama	6-4	301	So.	Memphis, Tenn.
OL	Clint Boling (85)	Georgia	6-5	310	Sr.	Alpharetta, Ga.
OL	James Carpenter (77)	Alabama	6-6	300	Sr.	Augusta, Ga.
C	Mike Pouncey (109)	Florida	6-4	310	Sr.	Lakeland, Fla.
Defense
Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class	Hometown
DL	Marcell Dareus (126)	Alabama	6-4	306	Jr.	Birmingham, Ala.
DL	Jerrell Powe (77)	Ole Miss	6-2	320	Sr.	Waynesboro, Miss.
DL	Cliff Matthews (46)	South Carolina	6-4	260	Sr.	Cheraw, S.C.
LB	Dont'a Hightower (158)	Alabama	6-4	258	So.	Lewisburg, Tenn.
LB	Kelvin Sheppard (84)	LSU	6-3	239	Sr.	Stone Mountain, Ga.
LB	Josh Bynes (72)	Auburn	6-2	235	Sr.	Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
LB	Brandon Hicks (65)	Florida	6-2	228	Sr.	Jacksonville, Fla.
DB	Mark Barron (127)	Alabama	6-2	210	Jr.	Mobile, Ala.
DB	Patrick Peterson (116)	LSU	6-1	211	Jr.	Pompano Beach, Fla.
DB	Ahmad Black (67)	Florida	5-9	189	Sr.	Lakeland, Fla.
DB	Stephon Gilmore (61)	South Carolina	6-1	188	So.	Rock Hill, S.C.
Special Teams
Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class	Hometown
PK	Blair Walsh (72)	Georgia	5-10	191	Jr.	Boca Raton, Fla.
P	Drew Butler (104)	Georgia	6-2	207	Jr.	Duluth, Ga.
RS	Derrick Locke (45)	Kentucky	5-9	190	Sr.	Hugo, Okla.
AP	Randall Cobb (123)	Kentucky	5-11	186	Jr.	Alcoa, Tenn.
SECOND-TEAM
Offense
Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class	Hometown
QB	Greg McElroy (44)	Alabama	6-3	225	Sr.	Southland, Texas
RB	Derrick Locke (40)	Kentucky	5-9	190	Sr.	Hugo, Okla.
RB	Mario Fannin (22)	Auburn	5-11	228	Sr.	Hampton, Ga.
WR	Darvin Adams (19)	Auburn	6-3	185	Jr.	Kennesaw, Ga.
WR	Randall Cobb (14)	Kentucky	5-11	186	Jr.	Alcoa, Tenn.
TE	Luke Stocker (26)	Tennessee	6-6	253	Sr.	Berea, Ky.
OL	Carl Johnson (53)	Florida	6-6	360	Sr.	Durham, N.C.
OL	Marcus Gilbert (48)	Florida	6-5	322	Sr.	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
OL	Derek Sherrod (47)	Mississippi State	6-6	305	Sr.	Columbus, Miss.
OL	DeMarcus Love (27)	Arkansas	6-5	315	Sr.	Lancaster, Texas
C	William Vlachos (27)	Alabama	6-1	289	Jr.	Mountain Brook, Ala.
Defense
Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class	Hometown
DL	Pernell McPhee (34)	Mississippi State	6-4	285	Sr.	Pahokee, Fla.
DL	Justin Trattou (31)	Florida	6-3	252	Sr.	Ramsey, N.J.
DL	Kentrell Lockett (29)	Ole Miss	6-5	260	Sr.	Hahnville, La.
LB	Chris Marve (62)	Vanderbilt	6-0	232	Jr.	Memphis, Tenn.
LB	Nick Reveiz (32)	Tennessee	5-10	224	Sr.	Farragut, Tenn.
LB	Courtney Upshaw (31)	Alabama	6-2	263	Jr.	Eufala, Ala.
LB	Justin Houston (30)	Georgia	6-3	260	Jr.	Statesboro, Ga.
DB	Janoris Jenkins (56)	Florida	5-11	186	Jr.	Pahokee, Fla.
DB	Will Hill (41)	Florida	6-1	204	Jr.	West Orange, N.J.
DB	Brandon Boykin (39)	Georgia	5-10	183	Jr.	Fayetteville, Ga.
DB	Zac Etheridge (33)	Auburn	6-0	213	Sr.	Troy, Ala.
Special Teams
Pos.	Name	School	Ht.	Wt.	Class	Hometown
PK	Wes Byrum (65)	Auburn	6-2	216	Sr.	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
P	Chas Henry (34)	Florida	6-3	222	Jr.	Dallas, Ga.
RS	*Julio Jones (42)	Alabama	6-4	220	Jr.	Foley, Ala.
RS	*Warren Norman (42)	Vanderbilt	5-10	192	So.	Stone Mountain, Ga.
AP	Chris Rainey (35)	Florida	5-9	176	Jr.	Lakeland, Fla.

They say it all starts with the guys up front.

So with that, here’s the way we see the offensive lines stacking up in the SEC this season:

1. Florida: The Gators return four seniors on the offensive line who’ve played a lot of football, and three of them were full-time starters a year ago. Mike Pouncey might be the best offensive lineman in the league and is sliding over from guard to center to take over for his twin brother, Maurkice. Not only are the Gators good up front, but they’re also huge. Four of their starters will be 315-plus.

2. Alabama: The loss of All-America left guard Mike Johnson will hurt, but sophomore Barrett Jones is a budding star at right guard. William Vlachos is one of the best centers in the league. James Carpenter more than held his own a year ago at left tackle after transferring in from junior college, and massive D.J. Fluker (6-6, 340) looks like he’ll be the right tackle. On top of it all, Alabama has one of the best line coaches in the business in Joe Pendry.

3. Georgia: If everybody stays healthy, it’s going to be hard to beat the Bulldogs’ depth and experience. The key is staying healthy. Trinton Sturdivant has missed each of the last two seasons with knee injuries, but was Georgia’s starting left tackle as a true freshman in 2007. Offensive line coach Stacy Searels will have some options. Several of the guys returning can play multiple positions. Senior tackle Clint Boling and junior guard Cordy Glenn are both All-SEC caliber players.

4. Auburn: The Tigers have all but one starter returning from an offensive line that paved the way for a 2,612-yard passer, 1,362-yard rusher and 997-yard receiver last season. All four of the returning starters are seniors, too. Lee Ziemba could make a strong case as one of the best left tackles in the league, and Ryan Pugh is right there at the top of the list in terms of centers. The Tigers still have to settle on a right tackle and establish some depth behind the starters.

5. Arkansas: The biggest name on Arkansas’ offensive line from a year ago is gone (Mitch Petrus), but the Hogs still return four experienced starters. Seniors DeMarcus Love and Ray Dominguez form an imposing tackle tandem, and senior guard Wade Grayson is a powerful drive blocker inside alongside junior center Seth Oxner. The Hogs will also have a new offensive line coach in 2010, as Chris Klenakis reunites with Bobby Petrino.

6. Mississippi State: Any good offensive line needs an anchor, and the Bulldogs have that in senior Derek Sherrod, who’s started the last 22 games at left tackle. He joins three other returning starters, all of whom deserve their share of credit for Anthony Dixon's big season a year ago. The only problem is that Dixon has taken his act to the NFL. Nonetheless, this is a physical group that really gets after people.

7. Ole Miss: The middle of the Rebels’ offensive line from a year ago is gone, including third-round draft pick John Jerry. Remember all the trouble Bradley Sowell had at left tackle, particularly early last season? Well, he made it through the storm and is back as one of Ole Miss’ most experienced linemen. Sophomore Bobby Massie returns at right tackle after breaking into the starting lineup as a freshman.

8. LSU: It can’t get much worse for the Tigers up front, not after giving up 37 sacks and failing to generate any kind of consistent running game last season. Senior Joseph Barksdale is moving from right tackle to left tackle. He’s used to moving. In high school, he was a highly recruited defensive lineman. LSU moved a couple of different people around in the spring hoping to find the right combination. Sophomore Alex Hurst shifted from guard to right tackle. Center T-Bob Hebert was suspended in May after being arrested and charged with DUI.

9. South Carolina: The Gamecocks have been through the offensive line coaches. Shawn Elliott is the third different one in as many years. Steve Spurrier has said that a couple of true freshmen may have to play for the Gamecocks, even though that’s easier said than done in the SEC. Like LSU, South Carolina gave up 37 sacks a year ago. Senior tackle Jarriel King is probably the best of the bunch, and sophomore T.J. Johnson is nestled in at center. Prized freshman running back Marcus Lattimore is on his way, but he’s going to need more help than the South Carolina backs got last year.

10. Tennessee: Having a first-year starter at quarterback in the SEC is daunting enough, but the Vols will go one better. They will put five new offensive line starters on the field, too. There’s some young talent in the group, led by true freshman right tackle Ja’Wuan James. Sophomore Dallas Thomas emerged at the other tackle and had a solid spring. This is a line that could be very good down the road if the Vols keep everybody together, but they may take their lumps this season.

11. Kentucky: The Wildcats like their younger talent in the offensive line, and that’s a good thing. A lot of those guys are going to have to play key roles this season. The lone returning starter is junior guard Stuart Hines, and he’s the guy the Wildcats ran behind in key spots a year ago. His leadership and guidance will be even more important in 2010. Mike Summers steps in as Kentucky’s offensive line coach.

12. Vanderbilt: Robbie Caldwell’s job was already tough enough. But in addition to taking over for Bobby Johnson as interim head coach, he also has to whip a Vanderbilt offensive line together that will battle youth and inexperience. The Commodores are hopeful Ryan Seymour can return from shoulder surgery. They also lost promising tackle James Williams to academics after he missed most of last season with a broken ankle. Redshirt freshman tackle Wesley Johnson will have to grow up in a hurry.

The Football Writers Association of America on Monday published its preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player) and the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman). As expected, the SEC was well represented on both lists.

Here's a look:

BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY

• Alabama S Mark Barron
• Alabama DE Marcell Dareus
• South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore
• Alabama LB Dont'a Hightower
• Georgia LB Justin Houston
• Florida CB Janoris Jenkins
• Vanderbilt LB Chris Marve
• South Carolina DE Cliff Matthews
• LSU CB Patrick Peterson
• Ole Miss DT Jerrell Powe
• LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard
• Auburn LB Craig Stevens

Note: LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey was the last SEC player to win the Nagurski Trophy, doing so in 2007. Dorsey and Georgia's Champ Bailey (1998) are the two Outland Trophy recipients from the SEC.

OUTLAND TROPHY

• Georgia T Clint Boling
• Alabama T James Carpenter
• Florida DT Omar Hunter
• Florida G Carl Johnson
• Alabama G Barrett Jones
• Georgia C Ben Jones
• Arkansas T DeMarcus Love
• LSU DT Drake Nevis
• Florida C Mike Pouncey
• Ole Miss DT Jerrell Powe
• Auburn T Lee Ziemba

Note: Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith was the last SEC player to win the Outland Trophy, doing so in 2008. Besides Smith, 10 others from the SEC have won the trophy.

Some of what's happening around the SEC:

• Tennessee's season-ticket sales are down by about 1,000 from this time a year ago.
• Some of the top recruits in the country are on Florida's campus for Urban Meyer's football camp.
• Tim Tucker of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution takes a closer look at Georgia's offensive line entering the 2010 season.
• The new college sports map is still taking shape.
• Several members of Kentucky's 2010 signing class are already on campus for summer school.
• Tradition in college football has gone the way of the Flying Wedge, writes Rick Cleveland of The Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

As we pick back up with our countdown of the SEC’s 25 best players, No. 21 on the list is the first of what’s sure to be a few linemen in the group.

No. 21: Clint Boling, OT, Sr., Georgia

2009 numbers: A second-team All-SEC selection, Boling was a big part of the Bulldogs rushing for an average of 243.2 yards in their last five games.

Most recent ranking: Not ranked in preseason or postseason countdown for 2009.

Making the case for Boling: Finding a more versatile offensive lineman in the SEC would be difficult. Boling has started in 36 games during his career, splitting his time among left tackle, right tackle and right guard. Last season, he started at right tackle the first six games, made a start at right guard against Vanderbilt and then started the final six games at left tackle. Boling enters the 2010 season as the Bulldogs’ left tackle. But because he’s so versatile, the Bulldogs will have options if tackle Trinton Sturdivant and guard Tanner Strickland both return healthy in the fall. The 6-foot-5, 304-pound Boling is an excellent run blocker regardless of where he lines up, but he’s also proven to be one of the better pass protectors in the league. Last season, the Bulldogs were first in the SEC in sacks allowed, giving up just 12 in 13 games, and Boling was at either left or right tackle for 12 of his 13 starts. Boling recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his ankle, but is expected to resume workouts in a matter of weeks. He’ll be the centerpiece of what should be one of the SEC’s best offensive lines in 2010.

The rundown

No. 22: Greg Childs, WR, Jr., Arkansas

No. 23: Washaun Ealey, RB, So., Georgia

No. 24: Chris Marve, LB, Jr., Vanderbilt

No. 25: Luke Stocker, TE, Sr., Tennessee