SEC Spotlight: Is each team addressing recruiting needs?
The recruiting cycle for the class of 2021 continues to churn on, despite in-person recruiting being banned for more than six months. Within the SEC, some programs have fared better than others when it comes to meeting their needs.
Here is a look at all 14 programs and how well each has addressed their most pressing positional needs.
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RELATED: How each Big Ten team is addressing biggest recruiting need
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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ALABAMA
Biggest recruiting need: Offensive line
Progress: Most outsiders would look at Alabama and think it doesn’t have any holes or needs with its consistency every year, but that is due to its success on the recruiting trail and development in Tuscaloosa. The Tide have a few needs this cycle, and it starts up front with offensive linemen. They have commitments from five-star Tommy Brockermeyer, likely soon-to-be five-star JC Latham, and four-stars Terrence Ferguson and James Brockermeyer. Amarius Mims was a top target, but he would have been the cherry on top. This class is once again loaded with talent in the trenches.
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ARKANSAS
Biggest recruiting need: Wide receiver
Progress: Arkansas is in need of playmakers and that has been a priority this cycle. Though the Razorbacks signed four four-star receivers in 2019, the room could definitely use an infusion of talent. Two of those signees either transferred or opted out this season, so more talent is needed at this position.
Wide receivers coach Justin Stepp leads the way at this position, and he offers and recruits a large number of targets. KeTron Jackson is a Rivals250 talent committed and set to enroll early. Three-stars Jaedon Wilson and Bryce Stephens are also on the commitment list. You can put Florida athlete Raheim Sanders on this list as well. He could project as a receiver or running back. You cannot forget about Jaqualyn Crawford, a former Rivals250 Oklahoma signee who transferred and is already in Fayetteville.
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AUBURN
Biggest recruiting need: Offensive line
Progress: Auburn needs offensive tackles, and not just bodies. It needs elite talent at the position, guys who can contribute early, and possibly start day one. It’s why Amarius Mims was such a big loss. Broderick Jones was a big loss last year. Auburn does have a commitment from Caleb Johnson, a true tackle, as well as Garner Langlo, who could project at tackle. Auburn would like to add another, but has done a better-than-average job of filling the need already.
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FLORIDA
Biggest recruiting need: Safety
Progress: With three seniors at the position, Florida had to prioritize the safety spot for 2021. The Gators signed three safeties in the last class, but missing out on Avantae Williams was a big loss and freshman Tre'Vez Johnson is playing nickel.
Safeties coach Ron English has addressed his needs in this cycle with a trio of pledges, including five-star commit Corey Collier Jr. UF also landed four-star Donovan McMillon and flipped Dakota Mitchell from LSU. The Gators aren't done yet either, as they're still in the running for Rivals250 member Terrion Arnold.
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GEORGIA
Biggest recruiting need: Quarterback
Progress: Four games into the season, you probably would have had a hard time finding a single Georgia fan telling you anything other than an elite quarterback as their biggest need/want in this class. Is that all that is missing now in Athens? Some think so.
Luckily for the Bulldogs, they have locked up Brock Vandagriff, a local five-star prospect that is rated as the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in this class. Could he be the day one starter? That is a tall task for anyone, but he is going to be one to watch after he enrolls early.
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KENTUCKY
Biggest recruiting need: Wide receiver
Progress: Things look good so far, so yes, the Wildcats have done a good job of addressing the need. Kentucky needs playmakers more than anything else to take the next step as a program.
The Wildcats may still add another, but Dekel Crowdus, Armond Scott, Chauncey Magwood and Christian Lewis are the strength of this class. Each of those players had high-profile programs pursuing them. There are rumors that Texas still wants Crowdus and Ole Miss still wants Lewis, so they still have to get them signed. Vince Marrow and Jon Sumrall serve as the lead recruiters for each of these commits.
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LSU
Biggest recruiting need: Offensive line
Progress: You could easily say safety here too, but it always starts in the trenches in the SEC. The offensive line is a very important unit this cycle for LSU coach Ed Orgeron. The Tigers have loaded up on the defensive line, linebacker and wide receiver position so far in 2021, so they need to close strong on the offensive line.
The lone commitment is four-star Garrett Dellinger, but it can’t stop there. Five-star Tristan Leigh could be the top target on the board and four-star Savion Byrd likely isn’t far behind.
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MISSISSIPPI STATE
Biggest recruiting need: Quarterback
Progress: When it became known that Mississippi State was going to be switching to the Air Raid, things changed quickly in terms of their recruiting on the offensive side of the ball. That is especially the case at the quarterback position. For years, the coaches in Starkville had been recruiting athletes that could also play quarterback, and filled their roster with those types of players. That is no longer the case, and while KJ Costello and freshman Will Rogers seem to be somewhat capable, landing at least one QB that fits what Leach is looking to do offensively was imperative for his first full recruiting class.
They did just that, landing four-star Texas QB Sawyer Robertson and three-star QB Daniel Greek. While neither is expected to come in and start as a true freshman in 2021, Robertson and Greek represent a good example of what Leach is looking for in his signal callers.
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MISSOURI
Biggest recruiting need: Defensive line
Progress: Almost there, but not quite. The Tigers are loading up on defensive linemen in this year's class and already have six commitments at the position and they are not done yet. Missouri is looking to add at least one more high school defensive lineman with their top guy being Cherry Creek (Colo.) product Arden Walker, who they've targeted for a year and half now.
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OLE MISS
Biggest recruiting need: Defensive line
Progress: Ole Miss' biggest position of need without question is the defensive line. So far in 2021, Lane Kiffin and his staff have added three nice pieces to their 50th-ranked class.
High school three-stars Jibran Hawkins and Devin Lee join junior college prospect Jamond Gordon to form quite the trio. They need more. Four-star Tywone Malone is the No. 1 overall target on the board regardless of position. The two-sport star seems to be focused on the Rebels, Tennessee, and Texas A&M due to his desire to play high-level college baseball. In-state target Tyvoris Cooper joins Malone at the prep level as Ole Miss' biggest wants in this class. The Rebels could go back to the JUCO ranks for more as well. Isaiah Iton, Nijel McGriff and Jalen Williams are all big-bodied defensive linemen who would challenge for a spot in the two-deep next year.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
Biggest recruiting need: Wide receiver
Progress: This need is still a work in progress, but there is still time for South Carolina. The Gamecocks have done a good job of landing pledges from a couple of true wide receivers and then several others in the athlete category who can play on that side of the ball. So it's probably fair to say they have hit their numbers, but whether or not they've landed a true difference-maker or two at that position remains to be seen.
It appears they'd like to land one more receiver and have had their eyes on Kansas-decommitment Keon Coleman, who has the Gamecocks in his final three during his initial commitment, and Tennessee commit Jordan Mosley, who they've continued to pursue for months.
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TENNESSEE
Biggest recruiting need: Quarterback
Progress: To win today in college football, you have to score points — a lot of points. Gone are the days of relying on defense and a solid running game to be competitive among the best in the country.
With Tennessee, it starts at quarterback. The Vols have Kaidon Salter committed in the 2021 class after signing five-star Harrison Bailey in 2020. They look well positioned to be a contender for Ty Simpson in 2022, but it is hard to think too far ahead. Tennessee needs better quarterback play to take that next step under Jeremy Pruitt and the quarterback room has very little mobility. But Salter brings that, so this class could be vital moving forward.
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TEXAS A&M
Biggest recruiting needs: Cornerback and offensive line
Progress: Texas A&M clearly needed to find cornerbacks and offensive tackles in this class. The depth chart made it a necessity. With four-star tackles Trey Suhn, Reuben Fatheree and Matthew Wykoff committed, that position looks good. At cornerback, the Aggies have landed Deuce Harmon, Tyreek Chappell and Dreyden Norwood, so that has largely been taken care of also.
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VANDERBILT
Biggest recruiting need: Wide receiver
Progress: The Commodores have a couple of talented wide receivers already in the fold in Ezra McAllister as an inside slot and four-star Jack Bech on the outside. Vanderbilt is in need of receiving weapons that can create separation and are looking for another dynamic, outside threat with St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) product Quincy Skinner being its top priority. Vandy may now need to worry about keeping Bech too, as LSU, an in-state school, offered him late last week.