South Bound & Down
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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
Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle John Campbell (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Missouri Tigers

Center Cam’Ron Johnson (Transfer from Houston)

A two-time (2021 and 2022) All-American Athletic Conference performer, Johnson heads to CoMo after being a two-year starter for the Cougars. Johnson has a lot of experience playing left guard, but is expected to slide into the starting center role for Missouri. As Missouri tries to improve on a rushing attack that ranked tenth in the SEC a year ago and a passing attack that ranked twelfth, Johnson will be a big piece of that.

Johnson comes in as the #13 ranked offensive lineman from the transfer portal, and should bring some needed stability and flexibility to the Tiger offensive line. Johnson played almost 1,000 snaps a year ago while allowing just one sack on the season.

I also considered Oklahoma transfer receiver Theo Wease, Eastern Michigan OT transfer Marcellus Johnson, Arizona State transfer DLineman Joe Moore, and Jackson State transfer Nyles Gaddy.

South Carolina Gamecocks

TE Trey Knox (Transfer from Arkansas)

Another intra-SEC transfer, Trey Knox heads to South Carolina after a four-year career at Arkansas. The TE position saw major turnover in Columbia, which makes the play of Knox in 2023 that much more important. South Carolina lost Tight Ends Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner to the portal, but dipped into the portal to help replace them with the likes of Knox and Josh Simon.

Knox began has career at Arkansas as a receiver, but eventually shifted inside to Tight End. For his career at Arkansas, Knox put up 81 catches, 883 receiving yards, and 9 TD’s. I believe Knox will take a step up in production this season, and could challenge for Second Team All-SEC honors. Knox is also a quality blocker as well.

Knox is ranked as the #32 overall transfer and the #2 TE transfer in the class. South Carolina could use strong play in the passing game from Knox to help take pressure off Juice Wells, and to make things easier from Spender Rattler.

I also considered Four-Star Freshman LB Grayson “Pup” Howard out of HS in Florida. Howard has a ton of potential, but there’s still at least some questions about whether he will start to begin the year. If Howard can earn a starting role, then he will be a high impact player as well.

Tennessee Volunteers

OT John Campbell (transfer from Miami (FL))

While Campbell is not the sexist pick, he will have an immediate impact for the Vols as they look to replace 2023 NFL Draft top 10 pick in starting Left Tackle Darnell Wright. While Campbell might not be Wright, he should still be a quality starting LT (which every team needs)

Campbell started 11 games last year for the Hurricanes. Campbell is an experienced player as well, registering 33 career games played at the U.

D’onta Thornton would probably be most people’s pick here as he projects to play the role of Jalin Hyatt (although likely not replacing Hyatt fully), but I believe that the presence of Bru McCoy and Squirrel White alleviate the pressure on Thornton to come in and be a 1,000 yard receiver type guy.

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