If you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve ranked the Vols quarterbacks and running backs both No. 4 in the SEC and the wide receivers No. 10. Today, we’re ranking the SEC’s offensive lines.
2020 SEC Offensive Line Rankings
 | With Jedrick Wills Jr. headed to the NFL, the Alabama offensive line loses 13 starts from the league’s second-most potent offensive attack last season. It returns nearly everyone else, however, including full-time starters from last year Landon Dickerson, Alex Leatherwood, and Evan Neal and part-time starters Deonte Brown and Chris Owens. Several other returners got valuable game experience last season as well. The Tide also added three high-level prospects to the fold in this year’s recruiting class. | |||
| 2019 Total Offense (in yards per game) | Returning Starts | Unit Recruiting Ranking | ||
| 1 | ||||
| 511 | 51 | 6 |
 | 2019 Total Offense (in yards per game) | Returning Starts | Unit Recruiting Ranking | The Vols return a league-leading 91% of their o-line starts, including stud Trey Smith. Plus, 5-star Cade Mays defected from Georgia. | |
| 2 | 366 | 366 | 59 | 2 | |
 | 2019 Total Offense (in yards per game) | Returning Starts | Unit Recruiting Ranking | The Aggies lose Colton Prater, but return four other offensive linemen, each of whom started all 13 games last season. | |
| 3 | 394 | 52 | 4 | ||
 | 2019 Total Offense (in yards per game) | Returning Starts | Unit Recruiting Ranking | The Gators lose starters Nick Buchanan and Christopher Bleich, but still return 68% of last year’s starts. | |
| 4 | 431 | 44 | 5 |
| Rank | Team | 2019 Total Offense (in yards per game) | Returning Starts | Unit Recruiting Ranking | |
| 5 | LSU | 568 | 18 | 18 | 3 |
| 6 | Kentucky | 392 | 52 | 52 | 7 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 372 | 48 | 48 | 13 |
| 8 | Georgia | 408 | 26 | 26 | 1 |
| 9 | Mississippi | 445 | 36 | 36 | 11 |
| 10 | Arkansas | 340 | 46 | 46 | 8 |
| 11 | Mississippi State | 400 | 24 | 24 | 9 |
| 12 | Vanderbilt | 297 | 34 | 4 | 2 |
| 13 | Missouri | 374 | 24 | 4 | 14 |
| 14 | Auburn | 407 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Additional comments
The more I look at Alabama, the more I think Alabama’s going to look like Alabama this fall: Stud running back with a head of steam thanks to an excellent line paired with an able quarterback to manage and balance things out.
Much of my infatuation with the Vols this year is pinned on improvement in the trenches on both sides of the ball. This is especially true on offense, where Tennessee could roll out four former 5-star recruits.
But there’s a logjam beginning at Tennessee and going all the way down to Kentucky. The Wildcats are nearly as strong as Tennessee, with an edge in offensive productivity but a disadvantage in incoming players. LSU lacks returning starts, but makes up for it by recruiting well into a super-productive offense from last season.
Your thoughts
What do y’all think? Where did we get it right? Where are we wrong?