The beginning of a new college football season has raised so many questions that will need answering. While the SEC is considered to be in a transition year, it is still regarded as the nation’s deepest and most talented conference.
The various personnel changes will mean plenty of new faces across the board but the overall talent level means that several new starters will be in position to produce big numbers. Here is a look at the five new SEC starters most likely to dominate this season.
Jeremy Johnson, Auburn Tigers
Quarterback
There is no doubt that Johnson has received the most hype out of any new SEC starter heading into this season. It makes sense considering he has all of the tools to absolutely dominate. The junior passer is 6’5’’, and 240 pounds with a rocket arm that can do damage moving the ball both through the air and on the ground with his legs. He’s also the triggerman in a scheme that is known to pile up the offensive stats.
There has been a lot of talk this spring about the urgency that Johnson has shown in practices and the excitement about how his skill set will translate. At this point, he looks like a lock to put up big numbers at Auburn in his first year as the starting quarterback.
Derrick Henry, Alabama Crimson Tide
Running Back
This might be cheating since Henry actually led the Crimson Tide with 990 rushing yards and had 11 rushing scores last season but technically, he wasn’t the team’s starting running back last season as he split carries with T.J. Yeldon. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Yeldon with the 36th-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and that means Henry will be the undisputed starter and workhorse back at Alabama this season. The junior back will be even more important with the Tide once again transitioning to a new quarterback so look for Henry to dominate in the SEC this season.
Christian Kirk, Texas A&M Aggies
Wide Receiver
The Aggies’ receiving corps is fully loaded, so when you consider that the freshman Kirk was able to crack the starting lineup this spring despite the presence of Josh Reynolds, Speedy Noil and Ricky Seals-Jones, it is pretty obvious he is a rare talent.
Kirk is only 5’11 and 200 pounds but he understands how to excel at the position and is expected to play both on the outside and in the slot. Texas A&M has plenty of options in the passing game and every indication is that Kirk will be featured in their offense from the outset this season.
Brandon Powell, Florida Gators
Wide Receiver
Florida’s search for capable playmakers that could thrive at the wide receiver position led to Powell being moved from running back. Every indication is that the move will make for a tremendous fit as he moves in to a starting role this season. Powell is just 5’9’’ and 177 pounds, but he also has the type of elite quickness and speed that can make him very dangerous in the slot. The Gators haven’t had many reliable receivers since Urban Meyer left following the 2010 season but it appears as though Powell will play a prominent role in his first year as a starter.
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Terry Beckner, Missouri Tigers
Defensive Tackle
Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter and Arkansas defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson deserve honorable mention on this list but Beckner is the one new starter on the defensive side of the football most likely to make the biggest impact in the SEC this season. That’s because of both talent and team need. Fellow defensive tackle Harold Brantley will miss the entire year due to injury, so it will be on the massive Beckner to slide in and become a force in the middle of the Tigers’ defensive line. He certainly has the size at 6’4’’ and 300 pounds and while defensive tackle isn’t usually a position where first-year starters stand out, Beckner certainly has the talent to thrive in the SEC this season.
