The Florida Gators won the SEC East thanks in large part to a 6-0 start en route to a 7-1 finish in conference play last season. The Gators will be in tough to repeat with a number of teams on the rise and ultimately how things play out will depend largely on a handful of individual players that are expected to make the biggest impact.
Here is a look at the most important players in the SEC East.
Florida: Jarrad Davis
Linebacker
The senior linebacker decided to go back to Florida for one more season and that decision will have a huge impact on the fate of the team in 2016. Davis is an absolute beast in the middle and he is coming off a season in which he had 98 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He could certainly match those numbers in 2016 and if Davis can play at an elite level it will go a long way towards helping the Gators defend their title as SEC East division champions.
Tennessee: Joshua Dobbs
Quarterback
Dobbs returns as one of the marquee quarterbacks in the SEC and is the biggest reason why the Vols are expected to contend for an SEC East division title in 2016. Dobbs threw for 2.291 yards and 15 touchdowns while also running for 671 yards and an additional 11 scores a year ago and there is every reason to expect him to top those numbers in 2016. Tennessee has the talent to contend for an SEC championship this season but they will need Dobbs to play at an elite level in order to make that happen.
Georgia: Nick Chubb
Running Back
The junior running back suffered a brutal knee injury last season but he is as dominant as any other back in the SEC when healthy and he has the potential to put up some outstanding numbers this season. The Bulldogs are another team in position to contend after reloading this offseason and a big year from Chubb could go a long way toward Georgia contending for an SEC championship.
Vanderbilt: Ralph Webb
Running Back
Only LSU’s Leonard Fournette and Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd finished with more rushing yards than Webb last season and the Commodores will need another big year out of their No. 1 running back in2 016. Webb score four of his five touchdowns in Vanderbilt wins and he will once again be the catalyst for their offense as their most talented player on that side of the football.
Kentucky: Drew Barker
Kentucky Wildcats
Head coach Mark Stoops knows that he will need more out of Barker in order for the Wildcats to improve in 2016. Kentucky’s roster is still a work in progress but they have some considerable talent on both sides of the football and are supposedly a team on the rise. They could show improvement if Barker can substantially improve his level of play at the quarterback position.
Missouri: Drew Lock
Quarterback
Missouri was one of five teams in the entire country to fall short of 2000 yards rushing and passing in 2016 and there isn’t much reason for optimism looking forward to 2016. Lock was terrible as he finished with a 23.4 QBR that ranked as the worst in the SEC but that doesn’t mean he won’t be an important player looking forward to next season.
The Tigers were an unmitigated disaster last year from the scandal on campus, to the players basically striking, to head coach Gary Pinkel announcing it would be his last season, to the team simply underachieving. The Tigers are hoping those factors were the reason for Lock’s – and the offense’s – struggles. If they can focus on football alone, they might be much better. At any rate, Missouri simply needs more from its quarterback in order to be competitive in 2016, which is why Lock is their most important player.
South Carolina: Skai Moore
Linebacker
Moore was outstanding in all situations for South Carolina a year ago when he thrived against the run, the pass and in getting after the quarterback. His return to the Gamecocks won’t help them win an SEC East division title but it will make them that much more competitive as a team as they look to take a step in the right direction in 2016.
