Who will win the SEC East QB Battles?

We realize that this is an important time of year for those of you trying to work out who’s going to win the all-important 12 vs 5 seed in March Madness, but there’s something more important happening in SEC land: The SEC East QB battles (the ones in the West have already been set out).

FLORIDA

Josh Grady vs Luke Del Rio vs Austin Appleby vs Feleipe Franks vs Kyle Trask vs Treon Harris

Del Rio and Harris have got tenure but Franks could be a great wild card. He’s a pro-style, four-star local quarterback who should be a lot of fun to watch. Austin Appleby, who transferred to The Swamp from Purdue, will shake things up too. Appleby threw for 8 TDs and 8 INTS at a rate of 57.5, which is hardly golden, but Harris is the most hated quarterback in Gainseville since a bad Chris Leak. This will be fun.

PREDICTION: Appleby

GEORGIA

Jacob Eason vs No-one Else

Georgia did everything they could to get him to come to Athens, and after an early commitment and then a brief look at Florida, he came to town. And the “battle” was over with. Kirby Smart has a starting quarterback. Now, all he has to do is pray he doesn’t get injured…

PREDICTION: Eason. 

KENTUCKY

Drew Barker, Stephen Johnson, Gunnar Hoak

If you’re a Kentucky oddsmaker, you SHOULD be making Barker the favorite, bearing in mind two of his competitors – Patrick Towles (graduation) and Reese Phillips (transferred to FCS powerhouse Montana) have left the building. But Johnson – a three-star Juco transfer and three-star Ohio player Hoak will press him all the way.

PREDICTION: Barker, although expect Johnson to get his throws in gametime.

MISSOURI

Drew Lock, Jack Lowary, Marvin Zanders, Micah Wilson

Drew Lock is adored by Missouri fans we know. They felt that he should have been given the starting job at the beginning of the 2015 season instead of having to wait around for Maty Mauk to get suspended. Anyway, we lock Lock’s arm, his leadership, and if his offensive line can improve 40% from where it was last season, he should be a good pick in Barry Odom’s first season.

Prediction: Lock.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Connor Mitch,  Lorenzo Nunez,  Michael Scarnecchia, Brandon McIlwain, and Perry Orth

This is going to be a riveting battle bearing in mind that Mitch, Nunez and Orth all have starting experience. Orth threw for 1,929 yards, 12 TDs and 9 INTs, while Nunez went 376-3-3 and Mitch 165-1-0. Nunez was the most accurate of the three passers, but managed to suffer a “hyperextended knee and sprained LCL” in practice that will probably keep him out for the Spring Game, according to Josh Kendall at The State. Kendall is also reporting that McIlwain took charge of one of the drives in practice. This battle will go on until the end.

Prediction: Orth, until he falls to pieces and gets injured, and then it’s McIlwain’s team. 

TENNESSEE

Josh Dobbs vs The Great Big Zero

There’s no point putting anyone up against Dobbs since the kid-with-the-amazing-disappearing-hairline is going to get the starting job. We’ll also throw it out there that Dobbs may well compete for All-American and Heisman honors by the time this season’s over. He’s a hell of a quarterback.

Prediction: Dobbs