We're now about a month out from National Signing Day. While it's a bit much to do detailed recruiting coverage for the entire conference, we can compile all the experts' rankings in one place so you don't have to. This will be coming each Tuesday until NSD. This is a look at how things stand today.
Last season was a banner year for recruiting in the SEC. Ten of the 12 member schools (all but Kentucky and Vandy) ended up in the Rivals, Scout, and ESPN top 25 class rankings, something that is inordinately difficult to do. By comparison, only seven did that in 2007 and six accomplished that in 2008.
As things stand right now, only six (Rivals and Scout) or seven (ESPN) are in the top 25 depending on who you ask. However, a month is a looooong time in the recruiting world. Coaches are still working to seal the deal with prospects, so these lists are likely to look fairly different in a month's time.
I generally consider Rivals to be the best of the three, and Rivals and Scout tend to be somewhat close to each other. ESPN is quite different and often disagrees greatly. It's also worth noting that player rankings tend to get shuffled around so uncommited kids take up most of the top spots. It keeps the drama high and the clicks coming that way. They are also liable to shift as the high school All American proceedings continue.
One thing that jumps out at me at the moment is the prominence of Auburn. For as widely as the Gene Chizik hire was panned last year, he put together a consensus top 25 class (top 20 in both Rivals and Scout) a year ago despite it being a transitionary time, and now he's got potentially a top five or ten class brewing this year. Whatever you think of his coaching prowess, the guy and his staff can recruit.
RIVALS
Overall Team Rankings
2. Alabama
T-3. Auburn
5. Florida
7. Georgia
8. LSU
11. Tennessee
33. South Carolina
35. Ole Miss
40. Mississippi State
54. Kentucky
56. Arkansas
71. Vanderbilt
Top Ten Most Highly Ranked Players Committed to SEC Schools
8. DB Keenan Allen, Alabama
13. WR Da'Rick Rogers, Georgia
17. RB Michael Dyer, Auburn
21. DB DeMarcus Milliner, Alabama
23. CB Joshua Shaw, Florida
27. DE Corey Miller, Tennessee
33. DE T.J. Stripling, Georgia
35. DB Alec Ogletree, Georgia
39. WR Trovon Reed, Auburn
40. DT Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina
Scout and ESPN after the jump.
SCOUT
Overall Team Rankings
3. Alabama
4. Florida
6. Georgia
7. LSU
9. Auburn
17. Tennessee
31. South Carolina
33. Ole Miss
39. Vanderbilt
45. Mississippi State
52. Arkansas
Top Ten Most Highly Ranked Players Committed to SEC Schools
12. S Alec Ogletree, Georgia
16. DT Garrison Smith, Georgia
18. CB DeMarcus Milliner, Alabama
26. RB Michael Dyer, Auburn
34. DE Jacques Smith, Tennessee
35. WR Chris Dunkley, Florida
42. RB Mack Brown, Florida
44. QB Phillip Simms, Alabama
47. WR Da'Rick Rogers, Georgia
50. S Keenan Allen, Alabama
ESPN
Note: ESPN does not rank all 120 classes. It only is publishing its top 20 teams right now, and only publishes its top 25 overall at the end.
Overall Team Rankings
1. Florida
3. Alabama
4. Georgia
6. Tennessee
7. LSU
9. Auburn
15. South Carolina
Top Ten Most Highly Ranked Players Committed to SEC Schools
7. RB Michael Dyer, Auburn
8. S Jonathan Dowling, Florida
11. S Demar Dorsey, Florida
12. WR Chris Dunkley, Florida
17. RB Mack Brown, Florida
20. CB DeMarcus Milliner, Alabama
22. OT Ian Silberman, Florida
24. ATH Antonio Goodman, Auburn
34. TE Gerald Christian, Florida