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SEC Football: Each team’s most impactful newcomer heading into 2023 season

By Elliot Reeder

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 13: Devin Leary #13 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack drops back to pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at Truist Field on November 13, 2021 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Wake Forest won 45-42. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 13: Devin Leary #13 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack drops back to pass against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at Truist Field on November 13, 2021 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Wake Forest won 45-42. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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SEC Football
Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Jaheim Singletary (Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images) /

After recently looking at every SEC football team’s top returning player from 2022, now I’ll take a look at which newcomer (either freshman from the class of 2023 or a player added from the transfer portal) will have the biggest impact for each team in 2023. This is not a list of who I think will be the highest drafted or end up the best in 2025, but who I think will have the biggest impact for each team in 2023. (teams are listed in alphabetical order)

Each SEC football team’s most impactful newcomer heading into 2023 season

Alabama Crimson Tide

S Caleb Downs (Five-Star recruit out of GA)

It’s not often that a freshman comes in and starts immediately on defense for Nick Saban, but that’s what Downs is expected to do this season. Downs comes in as the #6 overall player and top ranked safety in the class of 2023 out of Mill Creek HS in Georgia.

Downs is arguably one of the most college-ready players in the c/o 2023 and is expected to start alongside the likes of established playmakers Kool-Aid McKinstry and Malachi Moore in what is supposed to be an improved defensive backfield in Tuscaloosa. Alabama is attempting to return to their days of a dominant defense, and Downs will be not only be apart of that for the next 3-4 years but likely this season as well as a preseason front-runner for SEC Freshman of the Year.

Arkansas Razorbacks

CB Jaheim Singletary (Transfer from Georgia)

Arkansas once again hit the transfer portal hard this offseason bringing in a very talented group of transfers, with one of those being former five-star recruit and Georgia transfer Jaheim Singletary. Singletary was one of the top rated corner recruits out of high school in the class of 2022, but struggled to breakthrough in a loaded Georgia DB room last season.

However, Singletary is expected to come in and play early and often for the Razorbacks. Singletary has ideal height for a corner (6’2.5), and is very talented. As Arkansas tries to improve defensively from a unit that allowed over 30 points per game a year ago, Singletary will be a key piece of that. Singletary is ranked as the #54 overall transfer and the #10 corner transfer in the class.

I also considered two other important new pieces in 2023 for Arkansas in Missouri edge rusher transfer Trajan Jeffcoat and four-star TE recruit Luke Hasz.

Auburn Tigers

OT Gunner Britton (Transfer from Western Kentucky), OT Dillon Wade (Transfer from Tulsa), and C Avery Jones (Transfer from East Carolina)

Ok, yes I know this is a cop out. Including three players is probably cheating for this exercise, but they are all three in the same position group, are all expected to start, and come into a major position of need. It’s no secret to say that Auburn really needed to improve their Offensive Line coming out of last season, and they did that with these three impactful transfers.

Britton, Wade, and Jones are all expected to start in 2023, and should represent both of Auburn’s starting tackles and their starting center this season. While all three players are coming in from the Group-of-Five ranks, don’t let that fool you about their talent. Avery Jones is ranked as the #15 overall transfer and #2 IOL transfer in the class. Meanwhile, Wade is ranked as the #29 overall transfer and #1 OT transfer in the class. Britton is ranked as the #5 OT transfer in the class. Auburn had a clear need and addressed it successfully in the transfer portal this offseason.

The group is experienced as well. Jones was a three-year starter at East Carolina, who started his career at North Carolina. Britton started every game in 2022 for Western Kentucky and played in 51 career games. Britton was a Second Team All-Conference USA selection in 2022.

Also, I can’t go without mentioning Michigan State transfer QB Payton Thorne (who was recently named Auburn’s starter) and highly touted freshman defensive lineman Keldric Faulk who is expected to be an instant impact player in Auburn’s front seven and is immediately one of the most talented players on Auburn’s defense.

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