Tennessee offensive line moving up in SEC East rankings

 You expect Georgia to recruit well under Kirby Smart. But he has exceeded those high expectations when it comes to offensive linemen.

Not even Alabama can match the Bulldogs on the offensive line. Neither can any other team in the SEC East.

Georgia: The Bulldogs will have to replace All-SEC center Lamont Gaillard, but the rest of the line returns. That includes Andrew Thomas, an All-SEC selection last season. He’s Georgia’s “small” tackle. Isaiah Wilson (6-foot-7, 345 pounds) is the other starting tackle.

Trey Hill (6-4, 330), who started four games at guard, is the favorite to replace Gaillard at center. Knoxville’s Cade Mays (6-6, 318), who started some as a freshman last season, has All-SEC potential at guard.

Missouri: First-team All-SEC guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms will anchor an offensive that will return two other proven starters in tackle Yasir Durant and center Trystan Colon-Castillo.

The Tigers can’t be so sure about the other two starters.

A couple of redshirt freshmen – Case Cook at guard and Larry Borom at tackle – could fill out the starting line. Both were backups last season.

Kentucky: Guard Logan Stenberg’s decision to return for his senior season will boost an offensive line that has a mixture of talent and experience.

Drake Jackson should be one of the top centers in the conference. Landon Young, who missed last season with an injury, started at tackle in 2017 and is expected to reclaim his starting position.

Tennessee: The Vols have plenty of room for improvement in the offensive line, so signing a pair of five-star offensive tackles, Darnell Wright and Wanya Morris, was a giant step in the right direction.

Center Brandon Kennedy will return after missing all but one game last season because of injury, and guard Jerome Carvin was good enough to start six games last season as a freshman.

This could be the most improved area of Tennessee’s team – especially if Trey Smith can return. He hasn't played since October, when he was ruled out indefinitely because of blood clots in his lungs.

Coach Jeremy Pruitt said this spring that Smith wants to play football again. The sooner the better for UT.

ANALYSIS:How much youth will be served on Tennessee's offensive line?

South Carolina: The line probably will be the weak link of South Carolina’s offense, which has more experience in its other offensive units.

Starting guard Sadarius Hutcherson should take over at left tackle. Hank Manos started at center in the Belk Bowl as a redshirt freshman. Donell Stanley is a returning starter at guard. Dylan Wonnum became a starter in the second half of the season and performed well against Clemson’s elite defensive front.

Florida: How will the Gators replace talented, experienced linemen like Jawaan Taylor, Martez Ivey and Fred Johnson?

They probably won’t. The new line has more questions than experience.

If Brett Heggie can stay healthy, he could be a plus at guard. Center Nick Buchanan also has starting experience.

Stone Forsythe has a good name for an offensive lineman. He and Richard Gouraige could be the new tackles. Texas transfer Jean Delance also is in the running at tackle.

Vanderbilt: As well fortified as the Commodores are at receiver and running back, the offense might struggle unless they can produce a competent offensive line.

They lost three starters but can rebuild around tackle Devin Cochran. Guard Saige Young has 13 career starts.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 john.adams@knoxnews.com. Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.