ESPN College Football

With national signing day a week away, we’ll take a look today at the recruiting needs of each SEC team, starting with the Western Division. These needs are based on current rosters and voids that will be created with upperclassmen leaving in the next year or two. We realize that a lot of these needs have already been filled by players who’ve committed (or signed) in this class.

Here we go:

ALABAMA

Defensive back: It’s not quite the exodus Alabama faced following the 2009 season in the secondary, but the Crimson Tide lose three starters back there, including both cornerbacks. And safety Mark Barron was the guy who got everybody in the right spots. Alabama signed two junior college cornerbacks, and they’re already on campus.

Receiver: The top four pass-catchers from the 2011 season, including tight end Brad Smelley, are gone. In particular, Alabama could use a big, physical receiver capable of creating mismatches and making big plays down the field.

Linebacker: The Crimson Tide have never been hurting for linebackers, but they lose three good ones in Courtney Upshaw, Dont'a Hightower and Jerrell Harris. Plus, Nico Johnson will be a senior next season and C.J. Mosley will be a junior. There are some young ones waiting in the wings, but Alabama needs to add to its stable.

ARKANSAS

Receiver: When you lose a pair of record-setting playmakers at receiver like Jarius Wright and Joe Adams, that’s always a good place to start. Greg Childs is also gone, so the Hogs are looking for people to fill their spots.

Offensive line: Finding some reinforcements up front on offense is also a big need for the Hogs. The most pressing need is at tackle. One starter in 2011, Grant Freeman, was a senior, and the other, Jason Peacock, will be a senior next season.

Defensive back: The Hogs like the young defensive backs on their roster, but losing Tramain Thomas at safety will be a blow. Eric Bennett also played well at the other safety, but he will be a junior next season. Another cornerback or two would also be nice.

AUBURN

Receiver: The Tigers need some game-breaking receivers. Emory Blake is back, but he’s going to be a senior, and Trovon Reed hasn’t been able to avoid injuries. The vertical passing game was non-existent this past season, and finding some guys who can get down the field and make some plays is a must for the Tigers.

Offensive line: More than anything else, Auburn needs guards and is very thin there. Christian Westerman is a talented, young guy who’s coming, but the Tigers are going to have to replenish the interior of their offensive line.

Defensive back: The truth is that the Tigers need help on defense, period. But the secondary has really taken it on the chin, especially this past season. Cornerback Chris Davis, a rising junior, has a chance to be special, but he needs some help around him.

LSU

Linebacker: The Tigers are still loaded on defense, but linebacker was the one area they wanted to address with both Ryan Baker and Karnell Hatcher departing, and they did with six commitments from players projected to play linebacker in college. All six are from the state of Louisiana, too.

Quarterback: Zach Mettenberger will step in as the starter next season, but he will be a junior. There’s nobody behind him who’s ever taken a snap in a college game. The Tigers thought they had highly rated Gunner Kiel in the fold, but lost him to Notre Dame. They need another quarterback.

Receiver: Rueben Randle emerged as one of the best big-play threats in the league this past season, but he’s turning pro early. Russell Shepard is set to return for his senior season, and Odell Beckham Jr., and Jarvis Landry both have a ton of potential. Even so, LSU could use a few more playmakers at receiver.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Defensive line: Losing All-SEC tackle Fletcher Cox early to the pros hurt. The Bulldogs are suddenly behind in their depth. The numbers up front defensively aren’t where they need to be, which makes this a big class for the Bulldogs in the defensive line. Getting a dynamic pass-rusher is a must.

Offensive line: Finding a couple of guys who can help quickly was a priority, and that’s what the Bulldogs hope they’ve done with junior college additions Dylan Holley at center and Charles Siddoway at tackle.

Linebacker: The Bulldogs lost three senior starters following the 2010 season, and Brandon Wilson won’t return next season. What’s more, Cameron Lawrence will be a senior. The most pressing need is a middle linebacker, and preferably one who could step in and play early.

OLE MISS

Running back: One of the first things new head coach Hugh Freeze will look to do is put some pop in the Rebels’ running game. That starts with bringing in some prototypical SEC running backs in terms of size and speed. Jeff Scott led Ole Miss in rushing last season with 529 yards, but at 5-7 and 175 pounds, he’s more of a speed guy or change-up in this league.

Defensive back: The Rebels will take all the help they can get in the secondary. Safety Damien Jackson is gone. Cornerback Wesley Pendleton will be a senior, while cornerback/safety Charles Sawyer will be a junior.

Quarterback: There are several guys on campus who have played, but the Rebels are still searching for somebody who can come in and give them some consistency at the quarterback position. And with Freeze’s new spread offense, finding the right fit will also be important.

TEXAS A&M

Defensive back: The Aggies will jump into SEC play needing to replace three of four starters in their secondary. Both of their starting cornerbacks are gone, in addition to their best safety. So finding guys who can cover will be at the top of their list.

Defensive line: In keeping with the defensive theme, which is a must if you’re going to survive in the SEC, Texas A&M will be looking to replenish its defensive line. Gone are Ben Bass, Tony Jerod-Eddie and Eddie Brown. Building up a deeper defensive line rotation will be critical for the Aggies.

Running back: Depth at running back is another concern. Cyrus Gray, who rushed for 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons, is gone. Christine Michael returns for his senior season, but he’s coming off a torn ACL. It typically takes three backs to make it through an SEC season.

The second time around is always pretty telling.

In keeping with that theme, we take a look at the 10 best true sophomores in the SEC this season.

These are guys who played as true freshmen last season in the league and are now in their second seasons, which eliminates transfers and third-year sophomores who had the benefit of a redshirt season.

Keep in mind that several of the top second-year players in this league suffered injuries earlier this season, forcing them to miss significant playing time and keeping them off this list. Among them: Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray, Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree, Tennessee receiver Justin Hunter, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore and Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Here’s what we came up with. The players are listed alphabetically:

Arkansas safety Eric Bennett: After playing cornerback as a true freshman, Bennett has settled in at safety this season for the Hogs. He’s fourth on the team with 53 tackles and is tied for the team lead with three interceptions. As Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said, Bennett has played big in big games.

Auburn running back Michael Dyer: He’s been the centerpiece of the Tigers’ offense all season and is 11 yards away from his second straight 1,000-yard season. Dyer ranks second in the SEC in rushing with 989 yards and leads the league with 186 carries. If he stays healthy, he's going to break a ton of records.

Florida safety Matt Elam: The Gators were frighteningly young in their secondary coming into the season, but Elam has been a stabilizing presence. He’s always been a big hitter and has gotten better in coverage. He’s second on the team with 53 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, and also has two interceptions.

Vanderbilt linebacker Chase Garnham: He’s missed the last two games with an abdominal strain, or his numbers would be even more impressive. Garnham is tied for second on the team with 44 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, and has also forced a fumble. He’s a three-down linebacker who covers in space as well as he plays the run.

Auburn defensive end Corey Lemonier: He showed flashes a year ago, but has emerged this season as one of the SEC’s premier big-play defenders. Lemonier is second in the league with 6.5 sacks and also ranks among the league leaders with 10.5 tackles for loss.

Ole Miss linebacker Mike Marry: The Rebels have been decimated by injuries on defense, and even though Marry’s only a sophomore, he’s had to step up and be a leader. He’s also been plenty productive with 69 total tackles, tying him for seventh in the SEC. His 40 solo stops rank him third in the league.

LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu: The Honey Badger has slowed down a little bit since his red-hot start, and there was also the one-game suspension a few weeks ago. But there’s no denying his ability to make plays. He’s tied for the SEC lead with four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, two of which he’s turned into touchdowns.

LSU safety Eric Reid: The No.1 Tigers are loaded with talented young players, and Reid is yet another. He’s second on the team with 49 total tackles. His interception last week where he took the ball away from Alabama tight end Michael Williams was the play of the year so far in the SEC.

Tennessee receiver Da’Rick Rogers: It’s hurt him to lose both Bray at quarterback and Hunter on the other side at receiver, but Rogers still leads the league in catches (50) and is tied with two other players for second in the SEC with seven touchdown receptions. He's averaging 15.6 yards per catch.

LSU running back Spencer Ware: The Tigers have a deep backfield stable, but Ware has been the workhorse. His suspension against Auburn may end up costing him a chance at 1,000 yards, but he’s a perfect fit for LSU’s offense with the way he runs with power and the way he punishes defenders.

With spring officially over in the SEC world, it’s time to take another look at some of the guys who surprised this spring.

After the first weekend of spring games, guys like LSU wide receiver Kadron Boone and South Carolina offensive lineman A.J. Cann drew high praise from their respective coaches.

Here’s a look at the players from the past two weeks of spring games who helped get their names out there:

Alabama

RB Eddie Lacy -- Last season, Lacy’s production was hindered because of a problem with fumbling. Lacy helped shake that stigma with a strong spring and appears to have secured the No. 2 running back spot. He finished the spring game with 74 yards (44 rushing, 30 receiving).

WR Brandon Gibson -- The fifth-year senior had a productive spring not only at wideout, but he’s becoming more of a leader for the Tide. He's always been a special-teams workhorse, but he's looking to make a name at receiver. He recorded five catches for 53 yards, including a long of 27, in Alabama’s spring game.

Arkansas

S Eric Bennett -- The sophomore from Tulsa, Okla., made it a battle this spring at the strong safety position with senior Elton Ford. Bennett was a quarterback in high school and has an edge to him that all coaches like. Whether he wins the starting job or not, he’s proved that he can help the Hogs in the secondary in 2011.

RB Ronnie Wingo, Jr. -- With the season Knile Davis had a year ago, a lot of people forgot about Wingo. But he came back this spring and showed his big-play capability both as a ball carrier and pass-catcher. He rushed for 62 yards on 11 carries in the spring game.

Auburn

DE Joel Bonomolo – The junior college transfer was injured all of 2010, and while he’s still a bit raw, he led the defense during the spring game with six tackles, three for a loss, including two sacks. He still has some things to learn, but he finished the spring on the right track heading into the offseason.

RB Anthony Morgan -- Morgan has moved all over the field during his Auburn career, but seemed to make a statement at running back this spring. He finished the spring game with a team-high 57 yards on six carries, and if he continues to improve, coach Gene Chizik said he could earn playing time this fall.

Georgia

DT Kwame Geathers -- The sophomore noseguard was one of the biggest surprises of the spring for the Bulldogs. He was named the defensive MVP for spring practice by Georgia’s coaches and had four tackles, including two for loss, in the spring game.

RB Ken Malcome -- Injured for part of the spring and seemingly buried on the depth chart, Malcome showed some of his bulldozing ability in the spring game. He's the kind of downhill runner the Bulldogs want in their offense, and if he's healthy he could contribute. He scored the game-winning, 12-yard touchdown and finished with 39 yards on the ground.

Kentucky

DE Collins Ukwu -- A starter a year ago, Ukwu only had one sack all season and none in SEC games. Look for that to change in 2011. He’s gotten bigger and stronger, adding to his great speed, and was a force this spring. He had two tackles for loss, including a sack, in the spring game.

WR Brian Adams -- The Wildcats were looking for dependable playmakers at receiver following the loss of Randall Cobb and Chris Matthews, and even though Adams split his time between football and baseball, he was as consistent as anybody. He was the star of the spring game with seven catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Ole Miss

WR Vincent Sanders -- The redshirt freshman looked like the playmaker the Rebels had desperately searched for at times this spring. Like most of the other receivers, he was inconsistent at times, but finished the spring game with a game-high 96 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches.

S Brishen Mathews -- Mathews worked his way into the No. 1 strong safety spot exiting spring. He was a pleasant surprise for the Rebels’ secondary and finished the spring game tying for a game-high eight tackles.

Tennessee

DT Daniel Hood -- After spending last season on the offensive line, Hood moved to defense and exited the spring as one of the starters at tackle. The Vols are extremely thin inside on the defensive line, and Hood gives them another big, athletic body in there.

RB Rajion Neal -- After carrying the ball just 46 times last season, Neal emerged this spring as a nice complement to Tauren Poole. Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is looking for two No. 1' at running back, and Neal showed some big-play ability the Vols were missing a year ago.

Vanderbilt

DT Colt Nichter -- With the injuries the Commodores were forced to weather up front last season, Nichter stepped in and played very well. But this spring, he showed signs of becoming a star and was a disruptive presence in every scrimmage. He had two sacks and two pass breakups in the spring game.

RB Wesley Tate -- The two big names in the Commodores’ backfield last season were Warren Norman and Zac Stacy, but get ready to add a third name to that equation. The 225-pound Tate showcased power and speed this spring and will add a different dimension to the Vanderbilt running game now that he’s healthy.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino has released the Hogs' pre-spring depth chart. They open spring drills on Tuesday.

Among the things that jumped out were sophomore Eric Bennett moving from cornerback to safety and being listed with the first team. The Hogs are looking for a replacement for the departed Rudell Crim at safety.

"We felt like (Bennett's) strongest point a year ago was his ability to tackle and how physical he played and how well he tackled," Petrino said. "We lost Rudell (Crim), so you look at kind of replacing a talented cover guy with a guy who can tackle well. I think that’ll be a great position for him. De’Anthony (Curtis), we’ve been trying to find a way to get him on the field more. He did a nice job for us last year in special teams. He really made a lot of plays. We worked him at corner during bowl preparation the last two years. Now we’re going to put him over there and give him an opportunity to play and get on the field.”

True freshman Brey Cook is bracketed with junior college signee Jason Peacock as co-starters at one offensive tackle spot. Senior Grant Freeman and sophomore Anthony Oden are the co-starters at the other tackle position.

Senior Isaac Madison and junior Darius Winston are listed as the co-starters at field cornerback. Both have started in games and played extensively. At the boundary cornerback position, sophomore Jerry Mitchell is listed No. 1.

"What we wanted to do on a field corner ... Isaac Madison and Darius Winston need to compete," Petrino said. "We need to find out who the best guy is. That’s the toughest position to play. During the last part of the season, Darius went over and played into the boundary side. We could easily do that right now, but we want them to compete. We need to learn about who the best cover guy is. Who our shutdown corner is and then adjust from there. Jerry really did a nice job in bowl preparation and had a great winter as far as in the weight room and showing lots of improvement. I think it’ll be a great place for him to start out at.”

Defensive tackles Byran Jones (ankle) and D.D. Jones (shoulder) and receiver Greg Childs (knee) will all miss the spring while recovering from injuries. Petrino said running back Dennis Johnson is full-go.