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No conference was more active in the transfer portal than the SEC. All 14 teams added at least one player out of the portal. In total, 51 transfers are currently slated to join the SEC. For reference, the Big East was second among the Power 6 conferences with 36 transfers.

When you add in elite returners like Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky) and Colin Castleton (Florida), it's clear that the talent level in the SEC will continue to be one of the elite conferences in the country. So who will have the advantage? It feels like three teams might be considered the favorites, but the depth of the league should improve thanks to six new coaches.

Editor's note:  this is the second edition of a series detailing the updated projected order of finish for each Power 6 conference now that the offseason additions are mostly finalized. You can read the Big Ten version that has been completed. 

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Let's dive into who might have the edge in the loaded SEC.

Projected starting lineup: G Sahvir Wheeler, G Cason Wallace OR G CJ Fredrick, G Chris Livingston, F Jacob Toppin, C Oscar Tshiebwe

Kentucky's roster construction might be a little funky, but John Calipari is going to have a full offseason to figure out the best ways to build around reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe. You know Tshiebwe will get at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. It's everyone else that really matters. Freshmen like Wallace and Livingston are ready-made studs, and the addition of Illinois State transfer Antonio Reeves combined with a healthy version of Fredrick should give the 'Cats the shooting this roster desperately needed. If Wheeler and Toppin can take another step forward, Kentucky will be the best team in the SEC, but the competition is fierce.

Projected starting lineup: G Zakai Zeigler, G Santiago Vescovi, G Josiah-Jordan James, F Olivier Nkamhoua OR G Julian Phillips, C Uros Plavsic

There's so much to love about this Vols roster. This team should mesh together perfectly. Zeigler is such a fun, budding point guard who is more than ready to take over for Kennedy Chandler. Veterans like James and Vescovi keep Tennessee's floor awfully high. You know what you get from those two wings. Tennessee will not put a lot of pressure on a 5-star freshman like Phillips because they have legitimate, proven scorers on the roster already, so whatever Phillips gives Tennessee will be gravy. Don't forget about Indiana State transfer Tyreke Key who profiles to be an elite sixth man who can give Tennessee plenty of scoring punch off the bench. Tennessee has everything it takes to win a conference title.

Projected starting lineup: G Nick  Smith, G  Anthony Black, G Jordan Walsh, F  Trevon Brazile, F Makhel Mitchell

Arkansas loaded up with an awesome recruiting class and a strong batch of transfers. Now it's up to Eric Musselman and the Hogs' staff to put the pieces together. Arkansas is just super deep. Smith, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2022, is poised to take on a monster role as a lead scorer. Black is a high IQ, do-it-all weapon and Walsh can really defend. Missouri transfer Trevon Brazile is going to be a superstar. Oh, and Davonte Davis is another guy who could go off for 20+ points any given night. Arkansas should be the best defensive team in the SEC. If they make enough perimeter shots, the Hogs will win it all.

Projected starting lineup: G Tyrece Radford, G Wade Taylor IV, G Manny Obaseki, G Dexter Dennis OR F Julius Marble, F Henry Coleman III

Texas A&M looked like one of the SEC's most dangerous team late in the year, and the Aggies are running it all back. Radford and Taylor are proven commodities in the backcourt, while Obaseki has the look of a rising star. Wichita State transfer Dexter Dennis is the perfect veteran 3-and-D addition and can play the 4 which keeps the floor wide open for Coleman to wreak havoc. Buzz Williams is building something really special at Texas A&M, and the Aggies are poised for an awesome year.

Projected starting lineup: G Wendell Green Jr., G K.D. Johnson, G Allen Flanigan, F Yohan Traore, F Johni Broome

Auburn has an incredibly fun frontcourt for the second year in a row. Traore and Broome are tantalizing because they can provide so many mismatch problems for opponents. It'll be interesting to see how Auburn utilizes them together or if they try to play four-guard lineups so that Traore and Broome can be on the court separately with as much spacing as possible. Auburn's hopes to run it back as SEC Champions rest on its backcourt. If Green, Johnson and Flanigan can find some semblance of consistency, Auburn has the talent to compete with Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee.

Projected starting lineup: G Jahvon Quinerly (when healthy), G Mark Sears, G Nimari Burnett, F Noah Gurley OR F Brandon Miller, C Charles Bediako

It's a little scary to project Alabama to finish sixth in the loaded SEC with as many injury questions that the Crimson Tide have to deal with. But make no mistake. Alabama's roster is as talented as anybody's if Burnett and Quinerly can get back to full strength. If Miller, Jaden Bradley and St. Bonaventure transfer Dominick Welch are all coming off the bench, Nate Oats will have an eight-man unit that can be really dangerous. Alabama might be the SEC's biggest dark horse.

Projected starting lineup: G Kyle Lofton, G Myreon Jones OR G Will Richard, G Kowacie Reeves, G Alex Fudge, C Colin Castleton

Florida had a fantastic offseason. Castleton is a major contender for SEC Player of the Year, but Florida's supporting cast is super strong. Lofton projects to be one of the best point guards in the SEC, and Florida has an intriguing combination of shooting and athleticism on the wing with Jones, Richard, Reeves and Fudge. The SEC has six new coaches, but Florida is best positioned to have the most success under its new coach.

Projected starting lineup: G Justice Hill, G Adam Miller, G Tyrell Ward, G Mwani Wilkinson OR F Kendal Coleman, F KJ Williams

It was tempting to be bold and project LSU a little higher, but we'll be safe and slot the Tigers in at eighth. It's a brand new roster with so many new faces and new roles to figure out. That will not be easy to wade through. LSU could have some early-season kinks to work out under new coach Matt McMahon, but do not be surprised if the Tigers start really gelling towards the end of the season and into tournament time. This roster is really talented. McMahon's remarkably quick rebuild of LSU is still so stunning.

Projected starting lineup: G Daeshun Ruffin, G  Matthew Murrell, G  Tye Fagan, G/F  Jaemyn Brakefield, F  Josh Mballa

Ruffin's return is a big boost for Ole Miss. The lightning-quick point guard is ridiculously hard to stay in front of. Buffalo transfer Josh Mballa was a big win for Ole Miss. He might have played at the mid-major level, but Mballa certainly has SEC-level athleticism. Ole Miss needs Fagan, Murrell and Brakefield to take another step forward. It's not inconceivable for Ole Miss to be a very good defensive team. A really good defensive squad with a no-doubt bucket-getter like Ruffin is a winning combination. 

Projected starting lineup: G D’Moi Hodge OR G Nick Honor, G Isiaih Mosley, G DeAndre Gholston OR G Ronnie DeGray OR G Tre Gomillion, F Noah Carter, F Kobe Brown

New Tigers coach Dennis Gates made a monster splash by landing Mosley. The Missouri State transfer was a top-10 player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. That completely changes the dynamic of Missouri's 2022-23 hopes. A Big Three of Mosley, Carter and Brown is good enough to be very competitive, and the Tigers added really good defensive pieces to the mix to round out the roster. 

Projected starting lineup: G Ezra Manjon, G Tyrin Lawrence , G Jordan Wright, G Myles Stute, C Liam Robbins

Vanderbilt got a gut punch when prized transfer Keonte Kennedy bounced for Memphis. That knocks Vanderbilt down a peg, but this roster is still built to play some defense. When he was healthy, Robbins was an elite shot blocker, and Vanderbilt has some really fun switchable pieces on the perimeter. Vanderbilt still needs more high-level talent to compete at the top of the SEC, but Wright and Stute have untapped upsides that we might get to see unleashed.

Projected starting lineup: G Terry Roberts, G Kario Oquendo, G/F Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, F Jailyn Ingram, C Braelen Bridges

Oquendo, Bridges and Ingram staying at Georgia even after the coaching change certainly raises the floor for Georgia in 2022-23. Oquendo really looked like a potential superstar, so another jump is certainly in the cards. Georgia has added a ton of transfers. Obviously, not every single one will pan out, but if Roberts and Moncrieffe can turn into no-doubt starters that'd be a big win for new Georgia coach Mike White. Keep an eye out for North Texas transfer Mardrez McBride. He could be a big X-Factor.

Projected starting lineup: G Dashawn Davis, G Jamel Horton OR G Eric Reed Jr., G Shakeel Moore, F D.J. Jeffries, F Tolu Smith

New Mississippi State coach Chris Jans knew he needed to hit some home runs in the transfer portal. He got a stud guard in Davis who really showed some high-level pick-'n'-roll navigation at Oregon State. But Mississippi State losing out on Mosley to Missouri really hurt. Jeffries and Smith should both average double figures, and Jans is an elite coach who should get the Bulldogs to compete on the defensive end. But Mississippi State does not have the same talent (on paper) compared to the rest of the SEC.

Projected starting lineup: G Chico Carter Jr., G Jacobi Wright, G Meechie Johnson Jr., G Hayden Brown, F Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk OR C Josh Gray

A lot of talent walked out the door when Frank Martin got fired. Jermaine Couisnard, Erik Stevenson and Devin Carter all transferred to Power 6 programs and might all start. New South Carolina coach Lamont Paris has a tough job, but Johnson was a big add. The Ohio State transfer has the talent to be a lead guard, he just had bad injury luck during his time with the Buckeyes. South Carolina was not able to land some of the top talent in the transfer portal, so Paris' rebuild of the Gamecocks' program might take some time.

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