With spring practice just around the corner, this week we’ll look at the strongest and most uncertain positions at six of the SEC’s leading contenders for 2016.
These are the six teams -- Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Georgia and Florida -- that ESPN’s Mark Schlabach ranked in his “Way-Too-Early Top 25” after national signing day.
We have already covered Alabama, LSU and Tennessee. Now we move to an Ole Miss club that ranks among the SEC’s most intriguing teams for 2016:
Position of weakness: Take your pick between linebacker, offensive line and running back. All three position groups face questions heading into the 2016 season. Although Ole Miss loses linebackers C.J. Johnson and Denzel Nkemdiche and a big group of veteran linemen (most notably Laremy Tunsil) from last season, we’ll focus on running backs here.
Ole Miss ran the ball more effectively in 2015, but leading rusher Jaylen Walton (730 rushing yards, 5 TDs) was a senior. Together, reserves Akeem Judd (77-421, 3 TDs) and Jordan Wilkins (72-379, 4 TDs) handled about the same number of carries as their upperclassman teammate.
Perhaps one of those guys will claim a lead role this fall, but it would not be a surprise to see Ole Miss run the ball by committee again. The Rebels added two other big backs, D’Vaughn Pennamon and Jarrion Street, in the 2016 recruiting class along with versatile ESPN 300 honoree Justin Connor.
The Rebels will be fine here -- they run a pass-happy offense anyway -- but they lack a proven commodity at this point. It will be an interesting competition to watch in the coming months.
Position of strength: Look around the SEC. How many of the other teams have a proven option at quarterback? Not only does Ole Miss have that in Chad Kelly, the Rebels are already set for the future.
Kelly will be a senior this fall after putting together one of the most productive seasons in SEC history (4,042 passing yards, 31 TDs, 13 INTs, 500 rushing yards, 10 TDs) in 2015. Although backup DeVante Kincade transferred after the season and Ryan Buchanan quit football, the Rebels are still in an enviable spot. In addition to Kelly, they signed one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation in Shea Patterson.
As long as Kelly stays healthy, Patterson’s services likely will not be needed in 2016. But the No. 15 overall prospect in the ESPN 300 and No. 1 dual-threat quarterback is widely viewed as one of the most college-ready QB prospects in the country. Ole Miss is set at the position for some time.