• Alabama potentially returns everyone but Estrada and brings in a top 10 class featuring 5 star Forward Derrion Reed. And of course Oats has already landed a name out of the portal.
• Tennessee is losing Knecht, JJJ, and Vescovi and not bringing in much so far to replace them. Barnes might be looking to hit the portal heavy after having success with Knecht. Or maybe he’s retiring?
• Florida lose 2 of their top 3 in Pullin and Samuel, but return everyone else. They’re bringing in a 3 star guard and the giant 7’6 project Olivier Rioux from IMG. Golden will definitely be in the portal.
• Auburn can get everyone back except Jaylin Williams. They are bringing in a couple talented, Auburn type pieces, though I wonder how/if Jakhi Howard fits on an experienced roster. I think they’ll have 2-3 defections after their meltdown.
• Arkansas is not one to count out. I think they lose just about everyone and probably will have a couple transfer, but most of those guys were 5th year players. No idea if Brazile and Davis would choose to stick around for a reset, but I’d be surprised to see either of them in an Arkansas uniform next year. Muss has a huge mess to clean up, but has a couple 4 stars coming in. He needs to hit the portal with a smaller net and a more discerning eye this off-season.
• Mississippi State loses Smith, Jeffries, and Bell. They are bringing in some pieces that may have a hard time in an experienced and expanded SEC
• Georgia: As far as I can tell, everyone on their roster is eligible to return. They’ll definitely lose some to the portal. But they bring in 5 star Asa Newell. Mike White should focus on bringing in one impact piece in the portal and Georgia could be sneaky dangerous
• LSU: Will lose a starter and a couple rotation players. Unless they manage a big portal splash, they could be in for it. Two 4 stars coming in. I don’t think McMahon is long for it. Will help him to have a Calipari around to beat up on though.
• Missouri: Dennis Gates is bringing in an arguably top 5 class to replace the 5th year clunkers he had. Already getting busy in the portal too, landing Jacob Crews, a name that had a thread on here recently. Watch out for Mizzou in a few years. They won’t go winless in the SEC next year, I’ll say that much.
• Vanderbilt: Big question mark with coaching change. They didn’t have much returning anyway. Lawrence and Lubin the only two returnees that can hang in the SEC.
• South Carolina: They lose BJ Mack and a couple graduate reserve pieces. A couple development pieces in their recruiting class, they need a couple hoopers in the portal, but they could be right back humming. There’s work to do to keep from slipping in the new SEC though.
• Oklahoma: They lose a few graduate pieces but bring back the core of a once top 10 team that faltered and missed the tournament. They have their work cut out for them in the new SEC.
• Ole Miss: A couple nice development pieces, with only Sharp and Flanigan having their eligibility expire. Beard needs to make something happen in the portal or it’ll be tough again.
• Texas A&M: They technically lose 2 starters since Leveque starts, but Radford also finally graduates out. Not huge splashes in recruiting, but if Buzz feels they can slot in he might could/should steer clear of the portal beyond finding guard experience to directly replace Radford. Dangerous.
• Texas: Top 10 class featuring Tre Johnson at Guard. They lose a lot to graduation but if they can retain Hunter & Mitchell and get the required pieces in the portal, they’re gonna be looking to make a splash in their SEC debut.
• Kentucky: Without returning at least one of DJ or Sheppard, things are off to a rough start. Will lose a ton as always and will have to rely on the portal and the NIL fund to land a couple big splash pieces or it’s going to be rough. If Cal is still around and promises were made to this class, forget about it.
1 Alabama
2 Texas A&M
3 Florida
4 Auburn
5 Tennessee
6 Texas
7 Georgia
8 Kentucky
9 South Carolina
10 Arkansas
11 Oklahoma
12 Missouri
13 Ole Miss
14 Mississippi State
15 LSU
16 Vanderbilt
It’s going to be a deep, tough, experienced and brutal league next season. It was really tough to rank 7-14 and I just don’t see a ton of separation there. Interchange those the way you please, and convince me Kentucky can’t be in the back half (11-14) of that group. You’ll have to know something I don’t.
• Tennessee is losing Knecht, JJJ, and Vescovi and not bringing in much so far to replace them. Barnes might be looking to hit the portal heavy after having success with Knecht. Or maybe he’s retiring?
• Florida lose 2 of their top 3 in Pullin and Samuel, but return everyone else. They’re bringing in a 3 star guard and the giant 7’6 project Olivier Rioux from IMG. Golden will definitely be in the portal.
• Auburn can get everyone back except Jaylin Williams. They are bringing in a couple talented, Auburn type pieces, though I wonder how/if Jakhi Howard fits on an experienced roster. I think they’ll have 2-3 defections after their meltdown.
• Arkansas is not one to count out. I think they lose just about everyone and probably will have a couple transfer, but most of those guys were 5th year players. No idea if Brazile and Davis would choose to stick around for a reset, but I’d be surprised to see either of them in an Arkansas uniform next year. Muss has a huge mess to clean up, but has a couple 4 stars coming in. He needs to hit the portal with a smaller net and a more discerning eye this off-season.
• Mississippi State loses Smith, Jeffries, and Bell. They are bringing in some pieces that may have a hard time in an experienced and expanded SEC
• Georgia: As far as I can tell, everyone on their roster is eligible to return. They’ll definitely lose some to the portal. But they bring in 5 star Asa Newell. Mike White should focus on bringing in one impact piece in the portal and Georgia could be sneaky dangerous
• LSU: Will lose a starter and a couple rotation players. Unless they manage a big portal splash, they could be in for it. Two 4 stars coming in. I don’t think McMahon is long for it. Will help him to have a Calipari around to beat up on though.
• Missouri: Dennis Gates is bringing in an arguably top 5 class to replace the 5th year clunkers he had. Already getting busy in the portal too, landing Jacob Crews, a name that had a thread on here recently. Watch out for Mizzou in a few years. They won’t go winless in the SEC next year, I’ll say that much.
• Vanderbilt: Big question mark with coaching change. They didn’t have much returning anyway. Lawrence and Lubin the only two returnees that can hang in the SEC.
• South Carolina: They lose BJ Mack and a couple graduate reserve pieces. A couple development pieces in their recruiting class, they need a couple hoopers in the portal, but they could be right back humming. There’s work to do to keep from slipping in the new SEC though.
• Oklahoma: They lose a few graduate pieces but bring back the core of a once top 10 team that faltered and missed the tournament. They have their work cut out for them in the new SEC.
• Ole Miss: A couple nice development pieces, with only Sharp and Flanigan having their eligibility expire. Beard needs to make something happen in the portal or it’ll be tough again.
• Texas A&M: They technically lose 2 starters since Leveque starts, but Radford also finally graduates out. Not huge splashes in recruiting, but if Buzz feels they can slot in he might could/should steer clear of the portal beyond finding guard experience to directly replace Radford. Dangerous.
• Texas: Top 10 class featuring Tre Johnson at Guard. They lose a lot to graduation but if they can retain Hunter & Mitchell and get the required pieces in the portal, they’re gonna be looking to make a splash in their SEC debut.
• Kentucky: Without returning at least one of DJ or Sheppard, things are off to a rough start. Will lose a ton as always and will have to rely on the portal and the NIL fund to land a couple big splash pieces or it’s going to be rough. If Cal is still around and promises were made to this class, forget about it.
1 Alabama
2 Texas A&M
3 Florida
4 Auburn
5 Tennessee
6 Texas
7 Georgia
8 Kentucky
9 South Carolina
10 Arkansas
11 Oklahoma
12 Missouri
13 Ole Miss
14 Mississippi State
15 LSU
16 Vanderbilt
It’s going to be a deep, tough, experienced and brutal league next season. It was really tough to rank 7-14 and I just don’t see a ton of separation there. Interchange those the way you please, and convince me Kentucky can’t be in the back half (11-14) of that group. You’ll have to know something I don’t.
