ESPN College Football

2011 record: 5-7
2011 conference record: 1-7
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners:
OG Dallas Thomas, WR Da'Rick Rogers, OT Ja'Wuan James, WR Justin Hunter, TE Mychal Rivera, QB Tyler Bray, LB A.J. Johnson, S Brian Randolph, LB Curt Maggitt, LB Herman Lathers, CB Prentiss Waggner

Key losses:
RB Tauren Poole, DT Malik Jackson, DE Ben Martin, LB Austin Johnson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Tauren Poole (693 yards)
Passing: Tyler Bray* (1,983 yards)
Receiving: Da'Rick Rogers* (1,040 yards)
Tackles: Austin Johnson (81)
Sacks: Malik Jackson (2.5)
Interceptions: Austin Johnson (4)

Spring answers

1. Tyler Bray's leadership: No one has questioned Bray's arm as he can sling it with the best of them. But his heart has been questioned, and he knew it heading into spring. He never considered himself a real leader until this year, when he decided to take his job more seriously. Bray said players listened to him more in practice and respected him more as a person, not just a player. Bray can now be looked at as someone to rally around and look up to. He's finally learning how to be a real quarterback in this league.

2. Richardson's revival: Tennessee's offensive line took a lot of heat last season and for good reason. The Vols were last in the SEC and 116th nationally in rushing. The line needed to find a spark and rising sophomore Antonio Richardson might be just that. His potential has always impressed coaches and after playing on special teams last year, he came out of the spring as the starter at left tackle. Richardson is an extremely athletic and gifted player and the coaches feel confident that he can protect Bray's blind side.

3. Lathers' and Hunter's health: Linebacker Herman Lathers and wide receiver Justin Hunter did all the right things this spring. Lathers missed the 2011 season with an ankle injury, while Hunter missed most of the season after tearing his ACL in against Florida last September. While both still aren't 100 percent, the coaches feel confident that both will be by the fall. Hunter got some good work in this spring and even flew by some players in a scrimmage. Lathers' ankle progressed more and more and thinks he'll be right on track come fall practice.

Fall questions

1. Defensive comfort: Tennessee returns eight defensive starters, but it welcomed a brand new defensive coordinator in Sal Suneri, three other new coaches and a new defensive scheme. Sunseri would like to run more 3-4 this fall, but it'll take time for his players to adjust and Tennessee isn't sure if that comfort level is quite there yet. Tennessee players will also have to continuing adjusting to the new coaching faces they'll be working with this fall. It's important that this defense, which is still relatively young, get on the same page exiting camp.

2. Running the ball: Rising sophomore Marlin Lane showed nice improvement, but he finished the spring tied with Rajion Neal and Devrin Young at running back. So, the jury is still out on whether this team will be able to run the ball more consistently this season and Tennessee might have to look to its incoming freshmen for more help. While the running backs struggled last year, the offensive line was another reason for the Vols' shortcomings in the rushing department. There was a lot of movement up front and improvements need to start there before Tennessee can even think about handing the ball off more.

3. Defensive tackle: There's a lot of uncertainty and inexperience at tackle, and a lot of of players listed as co-starters on Tennessee's post-spring depth chart. Maurice Couch had an up-and-down 2011 season and now will be called to take on more responsibility now that Malik Jackson is gone. Daniel Hood, who was recovering from shoulder surgery this spring, Steven Fowlkes, Darrington Sentimore and Gregory Clark will all get chances in the middle. Also, keep an eye on incoming junior college transfer Daniel McCullers, who the coaches think can contribute immediately.

In the spirit of next week's MLB All-Star Game, we've decided to get in on the fun with our own shot at building all-star teams in the SEC.

I'll go first, while fellow SEC blogger Chris Low will unveil his team later today.

Since there are two divisions, we're going East versus West. Like MLB, the school from the winning division will be the home team in the SEC championship game. As a bonus, the winning representative will also get unlimited Chick-fil-A during its stay in Atlanta.

(Supplying unlimited amounts of food from The Varsity would leave the team sluggish and bloated before the big game, so we went lighter.)

Without further adieu, here are my East and West all-stars:

EAST

OFFENSE


QB - Aaron Murray, Georgia, So.
RB - Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, So.
RB - Tauren Poole, Tennessee, Sr.
WR - Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina, Jr.
WR - Justin Hunter, Tennessee, So.
TE - Orson Charles, Georgia, Jr.
C - Ben Jones, Georgia, Sr.
OL - Cordy Glenn, Georgia, Sr.
OL - Larry Warford, Kentucky, Jr.
OL - Ja'Wuan James, Tennessee, So.
OL - Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina, Sr.

DEFENSE

DE - Devin Taylor, South Carolina, Jr.
DE - Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, Sr.
DT - Jaye Howard, Florida, Sr.
DT - Malik Jackson, Tennessee, Sr.
LB - Danny Trevathan, Kentucky, Sr.
LB - Chris Marve, Vanderbilt, Sr.
LB - Ronald Powell, Florida, So.
CB - Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, Jr.
CB - Casey Howard, Vanderbilt, Sr.
S - Janzen Jackson, Tennessee, Jr. (consider this like the wacky fan vote because he has yet to return to the team)
S - D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina, Jr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K - Blair Walsh, Georgia, Sr.
P - Drew Butler, Georgia, Sr.
RET - Andre Debose, Florida, So.

WEST

OFFENSE

QB - Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, Jr.
RB - Trent Richardson, Alabama, Jr.
RB - Knile Davis, Arkansas, Jr.
WR - Greg Childs, Arkansas, Sr.
WR - Joe Adams, Arkansas, Sr.
TE - Phillip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn, Jr.
C - William Vlachos, Alabama, Sr.
OL - Barrett Jones, Alabama, Jr.
OL - Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss, Sr.
OL - Josh Dworaczyk, LSU, Sr.
OL - Brandon Mosely, Auburn, Sr.

DEFENSE

DE - Jake Bequette, Arkansas, Sr.
DE - Kentrell Lockett, Ole Miss, Sr.
DT - Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, Jr.
DT - Josh Chapman, Alabama, Sr.
LB - Dont'a Hightower, Alabama, Jr.
LB - Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, Sr.
LB - Jerry Franklin, Arkansas, Sr.
CB - Morris Claiborne, LSU, Jr.
CB - Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama, Jr.
S - Mark Barron, Alabama, Sr.
S - Tramain Thomas, Arkansas, Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K - Zach Hocker, Arkansas, So.
P - Tyler Campbell, Ole Miss, Jr.
RET - Joe Adams, Arkansas, Sr.

In a league that is won and lost at the line of scrimmage, teams have to have quality big men up front. The SEC doesn’t lack talent – or size and intimidation – in this category and returns a handful of quality linemen.

The thing about his league is that the youngsters and veterans seem to play at an equally high level up front at times. It feels like the talent around the SEC is maturing at much younger ages on the offensive line.

Here are some of the top performers we came up with on the offensive side the SEC trenches:

1. Barrett Jones, Alabama, Jr.: The junior has started 25 games at right guard for the Crimson Tide and is arguably the best run-blocker in the league. He’s also one of the team’s top leaders. The coaches trust him so much that with the vacancy left by James Carpenter at left tackle, Jones took snaps there this spring and could end up playing there permanently this fall.

2. Cordy Glenn, Georgia, Sr.: Glenn moved from guard and was competing with Trinton Sturdivant at both tackle spots. Even before Sturdivant’s devastating knee injury, he was poised to take the left tackle spot. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder enters the season with 36 starts under his belt.

3. Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss, Sr.: Sowell looks primed to be an All-SEC performer this season. He’s started 24 of 25 games and has been an instrumental part in both Ole Miss’ passing and rushing game. He’s one of the more athletic tackles in the league and shouldn’t have an issue protecting the blind side of Ole Miss’ new quarterback.

4. Larry Warford, Kentucky, Jr.: He’s the best of a veteran group in Lexington. Warford, who was an All-SEC second team selection in 2010, has ideal athleticism to play inside and started every game for the Wildcats at right guard. He also led the team with 43 knockdowns.

5. William Vlachos, Alabama, Sr.: Vlachos is not only tops at the center position in the SEC, but he’s one of the best in the nation. He’s become one of the most vocal leaders for the Tide and brings a bit of an edge to the offensive line. He has started 27 straight games at center and could be a leading candidate for the Rimington Trophy.

6. Bobby Massie, Ole Miss, Jr.: He’s another candidate for All-SEC honors this fall. The athletic lineman has started 17 games at right tackle and should continue to be a chore for defensive ends and linebackers to get by. He’s starting to develop as more of a leader, which will be key for the Rebels as they break in a new quarterback.

7. Josh Dworaczky, LSU, Sr.: He started in all 13 games last season at left guard for the Tigers and has competed in 752 plays with 53 knockdowns. Dworaczky also played every offensive snap in nine games in 2010. For his career, he’s started in 26 of the 38 games he’s played in.

8. Alvin Bailey, Arkansas, So.: Bailey was a hit for the Razorbacks very early. He started as a true freshman and showed that he’ll be a star among the league's linemen because of the way he utilizes his size and strength. He’s one of only two starters returning on Arkansas’ line, but should be key in the Razorbacks’ inside running game.

9. Ja’Wuan James, Tennessee, So.: He’s another youngster who impressed during his first year on campus. The right tackle missed most of spring because of an illness, but he’ll be back to normal this fall. James was one of 10 Volunteers to start in every game and one of just four to see action in every single quarter

10. Brandon Mosley, Auburn, Sr.: Mosley arrived last season with more experience at defensive end and tight end before moving to right tackle. He was solid for the Tigers after a stint in junior college, playing in 14 games and starting 11. He is Auburn’s lone returning starter on the offensive line.

The big uglies up front on the offensive side are our focus today. There are some quality veterans out there, but teams all across the league are looking to replace some quality linemen in the trenches.

Here's how we see the league stacking up:

1. Alabama: Four of Alabama’s five linemen from a year ago return, making this one of the team’s strongest units. The returners have combined for more than 70 starts at Alabama. Barrett Jones is the star of the show. The junior has been the Tide’s starting right guard each of the past two seasons, but took reps at left tackle and could be asked to move. William Vlachos is back at center and could be the best at his position in the league. Fellow starters D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack are back and took reps at left tackle this spring.

2. Ole Miss: The Rebels’ offense isn’t getting much respect this offseason, but its offensive line returns All-SEC candidates in tackles Bradley Sowell and Bobby Massie. Seven of Ole Miss’ linemen started two or more games each on the offensive line in 2010. Last season, the Rebels were first in the league in sacks allowed, giving up just 14. Alex Washington should stay at left guard after starting eight games there and A.J. Hawkins will likely get the nod at center after playing eight games there as well. Arkansas transfer Matt Hall will compete for time at center.

3. LSU: Joseph Barksdale might be gone, but the Tigers have a very talented group of linemen returning. Tackle Alex Hurst seems primed to be a star in the league and senior Josh Dworaczky is arguably the Tigers’ top lineman with 25 career starts. Patrick Lonergan is solid at center, while T-Bob Hebert is valuable at both center and guard. Sophomore Chris Faulk has the tough assignment of replacing Barksdale, but made quite the impression on his coaches this spring.

4. Kentucky: The Wildcats return four starters on their line. Right guard Larry Warford headlines the group after gaining second-team All-SEC honors a year ago. Kentucky also returns two-year starter Stuart Hines at left guard and Matt Smith at center, who was solid in his first year there. Left tackle Chandler Burden missed spring practice, but is expected back by fall practice. Finding a suitable right tackle is the next step for Kentucky.

5. Tennessee: This group could be one of the most impressive units for the Volunteers this season. It’s deeper and more experienced in Derek Dooley’s second year and he was very pleased with its performance this spring. Junior Dallas Thomas is solid at left tackle, and sophomore Ja’Wuan James really came on strong in his first year and is one of the top linemen in the SEC. James Stone also returns at center. The surprise of the group was true freshman Marcus Jackson, who held down the left guard spot for most of the spring.

6. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs must replace All-American left tackle Derek Sherrod, but most of the line is somewhat on point. Center Quentin Saulsberry will anchor the line and is versatile enough to play just about every position on the line. Left guard Gabe Jackson and right tackle Addison Lawrence return and the Bulldogs will have junior Tobias Smith lining up at right guard. Blaine Clausell and James Carmon, who moved from defensive tackle, will compete at left tackle.

7. Georgia: This was supposed to be one of the strongest offensive line units in the league, but the Bulldogs lost tackle Trinton Sturdivant to a season-ending knee injury this spring and fellow tackle A.J. Harmon transferred. Georgia’s most-reliable options are Cordy Glenn, who moved from guard to left tackle and Ben Jones at center. Kenarious Gates is at left guard, but he’s athletic enough to play tackle if needed. Former defensive lineman Justin Anderson will start off at right tackle. Right guard is the next area of business and the depth all around is a problem.

8. South Carolina: The Gamecocks have questions here, but there is talent across the line. Rokevious Watkins is one of the most talented guards in the league and he’ll be assisted by returning starter at center T.J. Johnson. Senior Kyle Nunn has made strides at left tackle and redshirt freshman A.J. Cann took over duties at left guard this spring. Still, the younger linemen will be counted on to contribute this fall.

9. Arkansas: The Razorbacks must replace three starters on the offensive line. Center Travis Swanson and left guard Alvin Bailey are the only returning starters. Just a sophomore, Bailey impressed his coaches last season and will be one of the top linemen in the league this fall. After that, the Hogs will have to turn to youth for help. True freshman Brey Cook could be thrust into the starting role at right tackle, while sophomore Anthony Oden could get the job at left tackle.

10. Florida: Florida’s offensive line struggled throughout the 2010 season -- and that was with a senior-laden group. This fall, the Gators will start over with a ton of inexperience. Right guard Jon Halapio and right tackle Xavier Nixon are the only returning starters. Halapio struggled at times last season and Nixon battled injuries. Florida’s line spent most of the spring in the infirmary, so little is known about the overall talent. Freshman Chaz Green left spring as the starter at left tackle, Jonotthan Harrison will battle former Notre Dame lineman Dan Wenger at center. He transferred in after spring, but has health concerns.

11. Auburn: The Tigers will go from having one of the top offensive line groups in the country to having a major work in progress in 2011. Senior Brandon Mosley is the lone returning starter, and while he was solid on Auburn’s line last season, he came from junior college as a defensive end/tight end. The good news is that tackle A.J. Greene should be fine this fall after sustaining a season-ending leg injury last year. The rest of Auburn’s linemen are very young and inexperienced. Don’t expect many redshirts from this group.

12. Vanderbilt: The Commodores might return all five starters, but this unit had trouble keeping things together last year. The offense needs this group to improve mightily. Wesley Johnson is Vanderbilt’s best option, despite only being a sophomore at left tackle. There will be size on the right side, with 300-plus pounders Kyle Fischer and Ryan Seymour over there. Simply put, this unit has the experience, but it requires a lot of improvement.

One of the most telling indicators going into a season is offensive line experience.

A year ago, Auburn's five projected starters up front had 108 career starts, which was second in the SEC. That veteran offensive line was a huge key in the Tigers winning the national championship.

Then again, offensive line experience doesn't guarantee anything, either. Georgia went into last season with a combined 127 career starts among its five offensive linemen. The Bulldogs returned four players with more than 20 career starts in the offensive line, but wound up suffering through their first losing season since 1996.

As we look ahead to the 2011 season -- and thanks to Phil Steele for doing the legwork -- Alabama leads the way in the SEC with 90 career starts returning on its offensive line.

The SEC doesn't have any teams in the top 20 nationally when it comes to offensive line experience. Alabama is tied for No. 23 with Utah State. Senior center William Vlachos and junior guard Barrett Jones, who's expected to shift to left tackle, have combined for 52 of those 90 starts for the Crimson Tide.

Here's a look at where the SEC offensive lines rank nationally in career starts entering the 2011 season:

• T-No. 23: Alabama (90)
• T-28: Georgia (86)
• T-37: Mississippi State (80)
• T-41: LSU (78)
• T-43: Kentucky (77)
• T-43: Ole Miss (77)
• T-56: South Carolina (70)
• T-60: Vanderbilt (68)
• T-89: Tennessee (50)
• T-94: Arkansas (49)
• T-111: Florida (27)
• No. 118: Auburn (15)

A few things of note about the guys up front this coming season in the SEC:

• Kentucky returns perhaps the best guard tandem in the league in senior Stuart Hines and junior Larry Warford.
• Alabama's Barrett Jones is the best overall offensive lineman in the league, but will likely be playing a new position. Jones is expected to move from right guard to left tackle.
• There's no shortage of talented centers in the SEC. Seven are on the 2011 Rimington Trophy spring watch list -- Ole Miss' A.J. Hawkins, South Carolina's T.J. Johnson, Georgia's Ben Jones, LSU's P.J. Lonergan, Kentucky's Matt Smith, Arkansas' Travis Swanson and Alabama's William Vlachos.
• Tennessee has three players returning -- tackle Ja'Wuan James, guard Zach Fulton and center James Stone -- who combined for 26 starts last season as true freshmen.

2010 overall record: 6-7

2010 conference record: 3-5

Returning starters

Offense: 7, defense: 6, kicker/punter: 0

Top returners

QB Tyler Bray, RB Tauren Poole, WR Justin Hunter, OT Ja’Wuan James, C James Stone, DT Malik Jackson, LB Herman Lathers, CB Prentiss Waggner, S Janzen Jackson

Key losses

WR Denarius Moore, WR Gerald Jones, TE Luke Stocker, DE Chris Walker, LB Nick Reveiz, LB LaMarcus Thompson

2010 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Tauren Poole* (1,034 yards)

Passing: Tyler Bray* (1,849 yards)

Receiving: Denarius Moore (981 yards)

Tackles: Nick Reveiz (108)

Sacks: Malik Jackson* (5)

Interceptions: Prentiss Waggner* and Janzen Jackson* (5)

Spring answers

1. Blossoming offensive line. As scary as it was for Tennessee to go into last season with so many true freshman starters in the offensive line, the future couldn’t be brighter now for the Vols up front. Tackle Ja’Wuan James, guard Zach Fulton and center James Stone are all back after starting as true freshmen a year ago. What’s more, highly touted freshman Marcus Jackson came in early this spring and immediately laid claim to a starting guard spot. The Vols also recently received word that Notre Dame transfer Alex Bullard would be eligible next season without having to sit out a year.

2. Rogers takes flight. It was a highlight show for Da’Rick Rogers this spring, as he made one acrobatic catch after another and served notice that he’s primed for a breakout sophomore season. There were flashes from Rogers as a freshman. But he improved immensely as a receiver this spring, particularly in terms of running routes and doing the little things. He joins fellow sophomore Justin Hunter to give the Vols what should be one dandy receiving tandem.

3. Promising young talent. Time will be the ultimate judge, but Dooley doesn’t think there are very many misses in the past two recruiting classes. From quarterback Tyler Bray to an offensive line that’s stacked with talented first- and second-year players to sophomore defensive end Jacques Smith, the Vols have upgraded their talent level the past two years to move a lot closer in that department to the powers in this league.

Fall questions

1. Is Tyler Bray ready to lead this team? There aren’t any questions about Bray’s ability to throw the ball. The same goes for his fearlessness in the pocket. But coming off that horrific showing in the spring game, Dooley wants to see Bray bring his focus to the playing field every game and every practice and make it abundantly clear to everyone that this is his team.

2. Can the Vols hold up in the front seven? Senior defensive tackle Malik Jackson is a big-time player, and Smith has All-SEC potential. But Tennessee desperately needs junior college tackle Maurice Couch to come in and be an impact player, and the Vols will also be looking for help at linebacker from the incoming true freshmen. It’s never ideal in this league to count on junior college newcomers and true freshmen.

3. Will Janzen Jackson be back? Dooley remains hopeful that Jackson will return for the fall and said the junior safety is on track after withdrawing from school this past semester. If Jackson does return, the Vols immediately get a lot better in the secondary, especially with Brent Brewer coming off a big spring at the other safety spot. Either way, junior college defensive backs Byron Moore and Izauea Lanier are being counted on to come in and play immediately next season in a secondary that lacks depth.

A look at why Derek Dooley’s second season at Tennessee could be one to remember and why it could be one to forget:

Biggest reason for hope: Budding young stars on offense

Just about everywhere you look on Tennessee’s offense, there are promising second-year players who played a lot of football last season as freshmen, and in most cases, played at a high level. Quarterback Tyler Bray had a brutal spring game, but showed how talented he was a year ago in throwing 16 touchdown passes in his five starts to close the season. The Vols really have a chance to be special up front offensively. Right tackle Ja’Wuan James, right guard Zach Fulton and center James Stone started as true freshmen last season, and heralded signee Marcus Jackson enrolled early and worked all spring as the starting left guard. The sophomore receiving tandem of Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers also appears poised for a big season. Hunter caught seven touchdown passes as a true freshman, and Rogers was perhaps the Vols’ most dynamic player on the field this spring.

Biggest reason for concern: Too many unknowns and new faces on defense

Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox won’t have a true picture of what his defense will look like until August when all the newcomers get on the field. Junior college tackle Maurice Couch and junior college defensive backs Byron Moore and Izauea Lanier could be immediate starters, and the Vols won’t know until this summer if star safety Janzen Jackson will rejoin the team after withdrawing from school this semester to sort out personal issues. They’re extremely thin at defensive tackle, even though USC transfer Malik Jackson slid inside from end last season and performed very well. Tennessee will also need a freshman or two to help at linebacker where there isn’t much returning in the way of depth. With so many new faces, there’s sure to be some serious growing pains. Plus, it’s always a crapshoot to count on so many junior college players and freshmen. It may be that the Vols are forced to win a lot of shootouts next season where they’re always having to outscore people, and that's a scary proposition in this league.

Taking a stroll around the SEC to see what all is out there:

• Auburn offensive line coach Jeff Grimes takes Gene Chizik's challenge for the Tigers to be more physical up front personally.
• After missing the first three games with a foot injury, LSU tight end Deangelo Peterson is expected to return this Saturday against West Virginia.
• South Carolina reserve tailback Jarvis Giles plans to transfer. He was buried on the depth chart behind freshman Marcus Lattimore.
• Alabama's young and inexperienced secondary braces for Ryan Mallett.
• Ja'Wuan James, Tennessee's starting right tackle on the offensive line, isn't playing like a true freshman.
• Kentucky's Randall Cobb won't stand for anybody running down his Wildcats, which is why he left a Lexington restaurant this week after the hostess made a negative comment about the football team.
• Florida running backs coach Stan Drayton would prefer to see Jeff Demps not carry the ball as much as he did last week when he toted it a career-high 26 times.
• Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt is hopeful that linebacker D.T. Shackelford will be able to play Saturday after Shackelford hurt his ankle in practice this week.
• Georgia nose guard Justin Anderson will have surgery for turf toe and miss the rest of the season.
• Brad Locke of The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal wonders if Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen shouldn't just go ahead and turn the quarterback reins over to redshirt freshman Tyler Russell.

The rage this season in college football has been the young guys, the fresh faces, the stars of the future.

My colleague at ESPN.com, Ivan Maisel, wrote about the youth movement this week, and Bruce Feldman of ESPN The Magazine selected the 10 most exciting young stars (freshmen or sophomores) in college football.

Making Feldman’s list from the SEC were South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore at No. 3 and Alabama running back Trent Richardson at No. 6.

If I were picking the SEC’s most exciting and/or promising young stars two weeks into the season, here’s what my top 10 list would look like. I only considered players who’d been on campus for two years or less, which rules out third-year sophomores:

1. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: Simply, he’s the best first- or second-year player in the league with an equal blend of explosion and power that all the great running backs have. If he were getting the ball 20 times a game, he’d be a 1,600-yard rusher.

2. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina: “ … driving and running with those big thighs. My God, a freshman!” OK, maybe it is a little early for the Herschel Walker comparisons, but it’s hard to find a better SEC debut for a true freshman running back than what we saw from Lattimore last week against Georgia.

3. Russell Shepard, WR, LSU: He’s touched the ball 16 times in the Tigers’ first two games and has three touchdowns, two of those touchdown runs of 30 yards or longer. When you get him the ball in space, few players in this league are any more dynamic.

4. Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina: While he might not be quite as fast as Julio Jones, Jeffery is even bigger at 6-4 and nearly 230 pounds and is a tackle-breaking machine when he catches it. He’s averaging 104.5 receiving yards per game, which ranks him second among the SEC leaders.

5. Ja’Wuan James, OT, Tennessee: It’s still early, but the 6-7, 313-pound true freshman is the best young offensive line prospect in the league. He’s been a starter at right tackle basically from the time he walked onto campus and is the kind player you build an entire offensive line around.

6. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: Even though he’s yet to put up big numbers, Gilmore has already established himself as one of the elite cornerbacks in the SEC. He’s also going to get a few more chances in the Wildcat package at quarterback, and here’s betting he breaks a punt return for a touchdown, too.

7. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: Physically, the 6-3, 190-pound Kirkpatrick is exactly what you’re looking for in a cornerback. He also has the speed, ball skills and confidence to go with that size. It’s hard to imagine him not being the next great corner at Alabama.

8. Mike Dyer, RB, Auburn: We might see the Tigers fully unleash Dyer against Clemson on Saturday. We’ve seen the prized true freshman in doses the first two games, and his talent is obvious. Dyer has carried it 23 times and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. He’s only going to get better the more he gets the football.

9. Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU: He was the guy they couldn’t quit talking about on the Bayou during spring practice, and the redshirt freshman has delivered so far this season. He has two sacks in his first two games and is a blur when it comes to getting to the quarterback.

10. Jon Bostic, LB, Florida: There’s a ton of young talent on this Florida defense, and Bostic is right there at the top. The Gators’ sophomore middle linebacker is second on the team with 11 tackles and also has an interception through two games. He was the leading freshman tackler on the team a year ago.

Five more to watch the rest of this season, in alphabetical order:

• Chad Bumphis, WR, Mississippi State
• Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
• Jelani Jenkins, LB, Florida
• Byran Jones, DT, Arkansas
• Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia

Where were the Vols the strongest and where were they the weakest coming out of the spring? Today, we’ll take a look.

Strongest position: Receivers/tight ends

Key returnees: Senior receiver Gerald Jones (46 catches, 680 yards, four touchdowns), senior receiver Denarius Moore (40 catches, 540 yards, seven touchdowns), senior tight end Luke Stocker (29 catches, 389 yards, five touchdowns), sophomore receiver Marsalis Teague (13 catches, 147 yards, two touchdowns)

Key departures: Receiver Quintin Hancock (27 catches, 298 yards, two touchdowns), receiver Nu’Keese Richardson (eight catches, 102 yards, one touchdown)

The skinny: Even though the Vols will be starting a quarterback who’s never thrown a pass in an SEC game, they return a collection of pass catchers who’ve played a lot of quality football in this league. Jones and Moore combined for 11 touchdown catches last season. Jones is at his best after the catch, and Moore is the Vols’ best deep threat. Both players have had their issues with injuries, but should be healthy to start next season. Look for the Vols to get more out Teague in 2010, too. He started quickly a year ago, but sort of disappeared. That’s not uncommon for a true freshman. Whoever emerges at quarterback, Matt Simms or Tyler Bray, will want to keep tabs on where Stocker is, especially on key downs. He runs good routes, knows how to get open and is one of the better all-around tight ends in the league. There could be some more help on the way, too, when true freshman Da’Rick Rogers arrives later this summer. He’s a big receiver with speed and great leaping ability and should work his way into the rotation right away.

Weakest position: Offensive line

Key returnees: Senior guard Jarrod Shaw, sophomore tackle Dallas Thomas

Key departures: Tackle Chris Scott, tackle Aaron Douglas, guard Jacques McClendon, guard Cory Sullins, center Cody Sullins

The skinny: There was some promise shown in the spring by several of the Vols’ younger offensive linemen, including true freshman tackle Ja’Wuan James and redshirt freshman guard JerQuari Schofield. Both are penciled in as starters going into the fall. First-year Tennessee coach Derek Dooley is excited about his young talent up front. He just wishes he didn’t have to play so many young guys so soon. James will be the starter at right tackle, while sophomore Dallas Thomas will step in at left tackle. Douglas probably would have shifted over from right tackle to left tackle following a Freshman All-America season a year ago, but left the program in the spring and is transferring to a junior college. Shaw is the only guy up front with any meaningful experience, and all of his starts came at the beginning of last season. Incoming true freshman James Stone will also compete for immediate playing time once he arrives. Down the road, this has a chance to be a very good group. But it’s also a group that will pay the price next season that comes with being so inexperienced in the offensive line in this league.