College Football: Preseason Top 25 Projections

Last year’s SEC champions lost a pair of major talents when running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb were selected four spots apart in the first and second round respectively in the 2018 NFL Draft. D’Andre Swift, Brian Herrien, and Elijah Holyfield will look to replace the production of the departed duo, who combined for 31 rushing touchdowns and more than 2500 yards on the ground last year.

The team could shift toward more of a passing attack in 2018. Jake Fromm is back Between the Hedges, and Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Jim Chaney could give the quarterback more leeway to air out the ball. Javon Wims is now with the Chicago Bears, but the top three receivers behind him last year are all back. Look out for Riley Ridley and Terry Godwin to explode with more targets.

The biggest loss wasn’t Michel or Chubb but rather Roquan Smith. The linebacker led the SEC in solo and total tackles last season, and he also recovered a pair of fumbles and knocked down a couple of passes for good measure. Smith was a safety net at the second level that will be the hardest piece of last year’s squad to replace. D’Andre Walker and Juwan Taylor bring senior leadership to the linebacker group, and the schedule lines up to stay high in the AP Top 25.