14.Auburn Projected Starter:Malik Willis
2018 Stats:12 Carries,88 Rush Yards
While former top notch recruits Joey Gatewood and Bo Nix could take his place,Malik Willis has the most expierence so I’m pegging him as the projected starter.The only thing really to say about Willis is that he needs to develop as a passer but may have the best speed out of any QB in the SEC.
13.Vanderbilt Projected Starter:Riley Neal (Grad transfer from Ball State)
2018 Stats for Riley Neal:1,917 Yards,11 TDs/4 INTs,58 Completion %
Riley Neal should have some big numbers for Vanderbilt after being hurt for some part of the season for Ball State.Neal is pegged the starter after Kyle Shurmur left.
12.Arkansas Projected Starter:Ben Hicks (Grad transfer from SMU)
2018 Stats:2582 yards,19 TDs,7INTs,56% Completion %
Ben Hicks and Head Coach Chad Morris have reunited and Hicks will fit perfectly into a Morris offense that should be a whole lot better despite Ty Storey and Cole Kelley (their top two QBs transferring) and leading receiver La’Michael Pettway leaving the program as well.
11.Mississippi State Projected Starter:Keytaeon Thompson
2018 Stats:458 Yards,226 Rushing Yards,10 Total TDs
Thompson should easily win the starting job and had little playing time with Nick Fitzgerald at the helm.Thompson should make this offense go with some dual threat abilities that Joe Moorehead wants in his offense.
10.Ole Miss Projected Starter:Matt Corrall
2018 Stats:16/22 239 Yards,13 Carries,83 Rush Yards
The very talented Matt Corrall,who came out of high school as a five-star recruit to many people,will get his shot to get Ole Miss back to the promised land.While he’s losing some top targets at receiver to the draft,like projected first round prospect A.J. Brown,Corrall should be the perfect man for the job.
9.Tennessee Projected Starter:Jared Guarantano
2018 Stats:1097 Yards,12 TDs,3 INTs,62% Completion %
Guarantano led a Tennessee offense that showed some progress in Jeremy Pruitt’s first season as head coach.He led Tennessee to wins over ranked Kentucky and Auburn during the season.
8.Kentucky Projected Starter:Terry Wilson
2018 Stats:1889 Yards,11 TDs,8 INTs,547 Rush Yards
Wilson does need to cut down on the picks and that may not be something he can change as NFL draft prospect Benny Snell is gone but I do see some upside with Wilson as a dual threat who should continue what he did last year with a few more touchdown throws.
7.Texas A&M Projected Starter:Kellen Mond
2018 Stats:3107 Yards,24 TDs,9 INTs,472 Yards Rushing
Mond was in a QB competition last spring but ran away with it over Nick Starkel.Mond played a huge part in the Jimbo Fisher’s first season in College Station with a close loss to the eventual national champion Clemson Tigers.
6.LSU Projected Starter:Joe Burrow
2018 Stats:2894 Yards,16 TDs,5 INTs,399 Rush Yards
After transferring to LSU from Ohio State,Joe Burrow made the LSU offense go when it wasn’t running the football.Although the tigers are usually known to be and a ground and pound team,LSU was finally able to have a capable passer,for the first time since 2013-14,with Zach Mettenberger.
5.South Carolina Projected Starter:Jake Bentley
2018 Stats:3171 Yards,27 TDs,14 INTs,62% Completion %
Jake Bentley needs to cut off his turnovers and loses star wide receiver and return man Deebo Samuel to the NFL.This is Bentley and South Carolina’s last chance to take over the SEC East,with Georgia and Florida both fielding more talented teams in 2019.
4.Florida Projected Starter:Feleipe Franks
2018 Stats:2457 Yards,24 TDs,6 INTs,350 Rush Yards
Feleipe Franks is becoming the prototypical Dan Mullen QB.He’s a dual threat.If he continues and does more than in 2018-19 Feleipe Franks could become a dark horse Heisman candidate.
3.Missouri Projected Starter:Kelly Bryant
2017 Stats:2802 Yards,13 TDs,8 INTs,665 Rush Yards
The graduate transfer from Clemson adds instant impact to a Missouri team that needs a new QB as Drew Locke heads to the NFL.Bryant,as you can see from his final full season at Clemson,is a running back at the QB position.Bryant will need to develop as a passer with one season left to get the attention of NFL scouts.
2.Georgia Projected Starter:Jake Fromm
2018 Stats:2761 Yards,30 TDs,6 INTs,67% Completion %
While Fromm has been inconsistent,he outplayed Tua Tagovailoa in the SEC Championship and the ‘Dawgs should have gotten the job done.With Justin Fields transferring,Jake Fromm should be locked in to have another great season.
1.Alabama Projected Starter:Tua Tagovailoa
2018 Stats:3996 yards,43 TDs,6 INTs,69 Completetion %
Tua is the top dog of SEC QBs despite poor showings in two of his last three games,throwing four picks combined in the SEC Championship versus Georgia and the National Championship versus Clemson.Tua put up video game like numbers with his 43 passing touchdowns.
