Greeson: SEC's 10 most valuable non-QBs include Chubb, Barnett

Cam Robinson plays offensive line for the University of Alabama
Cam Robinson plays offensive line for the University of Alabama

National experts are offering college football picks and rankings. Hey, it's early August. It's that time of the year.

One national website has its 10 most indispensable college football players, and former Brentwood Academy and current Florida State star defensive back Jalen Ramsey is on the list. (Side note: How good would the Tennessee secondary look if it had landed Ramsey and Ridgeland's Vonn Bell? Wow.)

That got us thinking, which is always a dangerous thing. Who are the most valuable players around the Southeastern Conference?

We'll take a swing at it.

First, a disclaimer. There will be no quarterbacks on this list. That's too easy. Teams that are fortunate enough to have a returning starter behind center know how valuable that commodity is. Heck, there's an argument that Tennessee's Josh Dobbs is the most valuable player to his program of any ranked team in the nation. And we believe that UTC's Jacob Huesman is probably the most critical player to his team in the FCS, as well.

With that caveat, let's offer a view at the most valuable non-quarterbacks across the SEC:

Alabama tackle Cam Robinson. A bona fide top-five pick when he enters the NFL draft, dude is a monster.

Arkansas tackle Denver Kirkland. Yes, running backs Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams are studs, but if the Razorbacks lose either one, the other gets more work. Kirkland is the best of an experienced offensive line. To make matters worse, heading into preseason camp, all of Arkansas' second-team offensive linemen are freshmen.

photo Running back Nick Chubb during Georgia's game against Kentucky on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2013, in Lexington, Ky.
photo Tennessee defensive back Cameron Sutton, left, and defensive end Derek Barnett are proven standouts now for the Vols, and both are expected to be even better leaders this season.

Auburn defensive end Carl Lawson. Yes, Will Muschamp is the highest paid defensive coordinator since the Barzini family hired Virgil Sollozo. Still, without Lawson last year, Auburn's pass rush was nonexistent. With him, Muschamp and Co. have much loftier expectations.

Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III. Any time you can trot out an elite, shutdown cornerback, well, advantage you. That's what V-3 is. And then some.

Georgia running back Nick Chubb. This is one of the rare occasions when the non-quarterback is more valuable than the quarterback.

Kentucky linebacker Jason Hatcher. Hatcher's a big-time playmaker for a team short on them.

LSU running back Leonard Fournett. The league is flush with prime-time running backs, and Fournett is right there atop the list with Chubb and Alabama's Derrick Henry. And like Chubb's situation in Athens, the uncertainty at quarterback for the Tigers means Fournett is the team's most crucial player

Ole Miss receiver Laquan Treadwell. Returning from a gruesome injury, Treadwell is a tremendous playmaker and a key figure in the locker room. If he returns 100 percent healthy, the Rebels could have four first-round draft picks next spring.

Mississippi State defensive lineman Chris Jones. Offensively, Dak Prescott and De'Runnya Wilson give the Bulldogs a chance to score quickly. Jones is the key defensively for a team trying to replace seven starters on that side of the ball.

Missouri running back Russell Hansbrough. Corner Kenya Dennis is likely the Tigers' best player, but Hansbrough is far and away the team's most explosive playmaker.

South Carolina receiver Pharoh Cooper. Cooper may have been the most versatile offensive player in the league last year, and that's saying something. Cooper's abilities give the Gamecocks options, something that is in short supply.

Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett. The youth movement in Knoxville last year was impressive, and often Barnett was somewhat overlooked. The main reason was his play was so effective and impressive that it was easy to forget the pocket-collapsing defensive end was a freshman last fall.

Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett. The Aggies could be a sneaky contender, and Garrett is a big reason why. He was disruptive as a freshman and figures to be the centerpiece of new defensive coordinator John Chavis' attempt to overhaul the unit.

Vanderbilt linebacker Nigel Bowden. Another dynamic sophomore who flies to the football, Bowden is the best thing on a Vandy defense that is going to be asked to do a lot to help an inadequate offense.

Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. Follow him on Twitter at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.

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