Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view of the SEC logo at mid-field after the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Southeastern Conference is undoubtedly the top college football conference in the nation. While the league is discussing expanding to nine conference games, the non-conference schedules can often leave much to be desired. SEC teams routinely beat up on FCS schools, but the high-profile non-conference games will often get overlooked.

Down the road we may get an increase in top-notch non-conference games with the College Football Playoff, but the SEC teams are already starting to schedule some quality games out of their conference.

This year alone we have games like Florida vs. Miami, Georgia vs. Clemson and LSU vs. TCU on a neutral stage and that is just the tip of the iceberg for the SEC moving forward.

Here is a look ahead at some of the most exciting non-conference match ups that we will be treated to in the coming years, via ESPN:

2013

• Georgia at Clemson
• LSU vs. TCU (Arlington, Texas)
• Mississippi State vs. Oklahoma State (Houston)
• Ole Miss at Texas
• Tennessee at Oregon
• Florida at Miami
• North Carolina at South Carolina

2014

• Ole Miss vs. Boise State (Atlanta)
• Clemson at Georgia
• Auburn at Kansas State
• Tennessee at Oklahoma

2015

• South Carolina vs. North Carolina (Charlotte)
• Oklahoma at Tennessee
• Arizona State at LSU
• Texas A&M vs. USC

2016

• Tennessee at Nebraska
• Texas A&M vs. USC
• Michigan State at Alabama

2017

• Nebraska at Tennessee
• Georgia Tech at Ole Miss
• Alabama at Michigan State

2018

• LSU at Oklahoma
• Texas A&M at Oregon
• Ole Miss at Georgia Tech

2019

• Oklahoma at LSU
• Oregon at Texas A&M

Which of the games are you looking forward to the most? Sound off in the comments section and share your thoughts.

NOTE: Annual match ups like Florida vs. Florida State and South Carolina vs. Clemson were not included in the listings to give us a wider variety of opponents.

Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detail view of the SEC logo before the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

We continue to hear that the Southeastern Conference is the most dominating in college football and we can see that with their string of BCS National Championship victories. But just how good is the SEC? All you need to do is look at the 2013 NFL Draft results.

For the past few years, the Southeastern Conference has dominated the draft from top to bottom, but this year it is more evident than ever.

After three rounds of draft selections, the SEC has an unbelievable thirty-two draft picks. Yes, 32 of the first 97 picks in the 2013 NFL Draft came from the best conference in college football. Just to put that in perspective, that is an entire round of players drafted from one conference. That is dominance.

This just goes to show that if you want to improve your skills on the field in your college career and you want to have a legitimate shot at making it to the next level, performing in the SEC prepares you the most and gives you the best shot at success.

Here are the thirty-two players from the Southeastern Conference that were drafted in the first-three rounds (alphabetical order by last name):

• Johnthan Banks, cornerback, Mississippi State — Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Round 2
• Jon Bostic, linebacker, Florida — Chicago Bears — Round 2
• Knile Davis, running back, Arkansas — Kansas City Chiefs — Round 3
• Matt Elam, safety, Florida — Baltimore Ravens — Round 1
• Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida — Minnesota Vikings — Round 1
• DJ Fluker, offensive tackle, Alabama — San Diego Chargers — Round 1
• Zavier Gooden, linebacker, Missouri — Tennessee Titans — Round 3
• Justin Hunter, wide receiver, Tennessee — Tennessee Titans — Round 2
• John Jenkins, defensive tackle, Georgia — New Orleans Saints — Round 3
• Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle, Texas A&M — Jacksonville Jaguars — Round 1
• Jarvis Jones, linebacker, Georgia — Pittsburgh Steelers — Round 1
• Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama — Green Bay Packers — Round 2
• Corey Lemonier, defensive end, Auburn — San Francisco 49ers — Round 3
• Bennie Logan, defensive tackle, LSU — Philadelphia Eagles — Round 3
• Tyrann Mathieu, defensive back, LSU — Arizona Cardinals — Round 3
• Christine Michael, running back, Texas A&M — Seattle Seahawks — Round 2
• Dee Milliner, cornerback, Alabama — New York Jets — Round 1
• Barkevious Mingo, outside linebacker, LSU — Cleveland Browns — Round 1
• Kevin Minter, linebacker, LSU — Arizona Cardinals — Round 2
• Sam Montgomery, defensive end, LSU — Houston Texans — Round 3
• Damontre Moore, defensive end, Texas A&M — New York Giants — Round 3
• Alec Ogletree, linebacker, Georgia — St. Louis Rams — Round 1
• Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver, Tennessee — Minnesota Vikings — Round 1
• Jordan Reed, tight end, Florida — Washington Redskins — Round 3
• Eric Reid, safety, LSU — San Francisco 49ers — Round 1
• Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle, Missouri — New York Jets — Round 1
• Darius Slay, cornerback, Mississippi State — Detroit Lions — Round 2
• DJ Swearinger, safety, South Carolina — Houston Texans — Round 2
• Dallas Thomas, offensive tackle, Tennessee — Miami Dolphins — Round 3
• Larry Warford, guard, Kentucky — Detroit Lions — Round 3
• Chance Warmack, guard, Alabama — Tennessee Titans — Round 1
• Shawn Williams, safety, Georgia — Cincinnati Bengals — Round 3

Congratulations to all of the young men who had their dream come true over the first two days of the draft. There are still many more to come.

Beth Hall-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Makanjuola digressed after a promising 2011 campaign as a freshman. In his first year at Tennessee, Makanjuola had a 19.3 PER in 232 minutes (8.3 minutes per game in 28 appearances) and looked efficient in limited playing time. He shot 59.1% from the floor and looked lively on the boards. In 2012, he looked worse statistically in all facets with a meager 9.9 PER and a shooting percentage of 38.1%, which is awful for a center even if it was in just 42 shot attempts. Makanjuola should have received more playing time in 2012, but he instead received about the same amount (slightly less, actually).

Tennessee nabbed Makanjuola in the 2011 recruiting class as a three-star recruit out of Raleigh. No other schools besides Tennessee offered him during his recruitment, so it will be interesting to see what Makanjuola’s options are going forward.

Here was the statement left by the 6’9″, 250 pound center provided in the piece linked above, “It’s been a great privilege to be a part of the Volunteer family for the past two years. I want to thank the Tennessee fans for all the support they’ve shown me, and I hope they’ll continue to show my teammates here great support in the future. Tennessee is going to have a great team next year, and that will be good for the fans to see. But the best thing for me right now is to continue to pursue my dream with another school. I’ll never forget the memories from my time at Tennessee, but I’m also excited about what’s next for me. Go Vols!”

Feb 22, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson speaks to the media during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this month, there was some buzz that began to mount in the scouting community surrounding potential first-round pick Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson reportedly performed very poorly during team interviews throughout the draft process and that is causing him to slide out of the first-round discussion.

He has also shown an inability to learn new offenses and that has raised a lot of concern moving forward.

Now, there is another red flag with Peterson above the shoulders.

In a report from Bob McGinn in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Patterson’s bombed the Wonderlic test at the scouting combine.

McGinn writes:

According to several teams, Patterson wasn’t impressive during interviews at the combine. He also scored 11 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test, which caused more consternation.

“Mentally, it’s going to be a project,” one personnel man told McGinn. “Running routes, he doesn’t know how to do any of that stuff. You may have to keep it simple for him, but this is football. It’s not building a super glider or anything.”

Another added, ”You’re not expecting receivers to be in the 30s, but you’ve got to have some type of intelligence to pick up the system.”

If these concerns continue to gain steam over the next week, Patterson could be drafted much later than a majority of people are expecting. You need intelligence to pick up the wide receiver position and, unfortunately, that is where Patterson’s biggest questions surface.

Nov 3, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Marlin Lane (15) leaves the field after his team defeated the Troy Trojans 55-48 during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Volunteers running back Marlin Lane has been absent throughout the spring, and we now have a clearer understanding of why.

Initially it was reported that Lane was “dealing with a family illness” when he missed practice last week, but when he wasn’t present again on Thursday reporters began to ask about his status with the team. Assistants were directing the reporters to head coach Butch Jones, who ultimately said Lane was out for disciplinary reasons.

Jones did not give a timetable for Lane’s return, so there is some doubt that he will ever put on a Vols uniform again.

Last season, Lane had 658 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 29 passes for 228 yards. Lane was expected to compete for the starting running back position in 2013 with Rajion Neal, but that could be in jeopardy now that his junior year is off to a rough start.

If Lane is gone for a long period of time and misses any games, redshirt freshman Alden Hill will take over back up duties.

Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (24) laughs while waiting to do the vertical jump during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson is an intriguing prospect that many have placed in the first 32 picks of the 2013 NFL Draft, but the closer that we get to draft day the less likely it appears that Patterson will be a first-round pick.

A lot of buzz in the scouting community is that Patterson performed very poorly during team interviews throughout the draft process and that is causing him to slide out of the first-round discussion.

He has shown an inability to learn new offenses and that has raised a lot of concern moving forward.

There are also injury concerns.

It would certainly be a surprise to see Patterson fall out of the first-round after all of the hype that has been surrounding him over the past few months, but you need to perform well and impress teams during your one-on-one interviews if you want your draft stock to hold up. Patterson has failed to do that.

It will be interesting to see where Patterson lands on draft day, but the most recent buzz makes it appear that he could fall much further than anticipated.

Mar 17, 2013; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick (left) speaks with Tennessee Volunteers head football coach Butch Jones before the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

New Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones wants to ensure that his team is prepared for everything that comes their way during the upcoming season, so he has called on some unorthodox techniques to get his team ready for their 2013 campaign.

According to GoVolsXtra.com, Jones brought a few random distractions to his practice sessions while the offense was driving the ball. Here are some of the interesting choices of distractions from the report:

A baby crying. A siren screeching. An airplane taking off. A car alarm wailing incessantly.

With the offense approaching the end zone, Jones signaled for the noise. It wasn’t crowd noise or heavy metal, as some teams use. It was ear-splitting, annoying and, yes, quite distracting.

The craziest part of Jones’ distractions are that he says he is just getting started.

It’s not exactly a technique that coaches in the past have found useful, but we will see this season whether or not Jones choice of distracting sounds proves to get the Volunteers ready for their upcoming season.

What do you think of Jones’ techniques? Sound off in the comments section and share your thoughts.

Nov 24, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray (8) is congratulated by fans while leaving the field after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won by a score of 37 to 17. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills need a quarterback, which is perhaps the worst kept secret in the NFL. In fact, the Bills don’t want it to be a secret, they’re taking all comers to see if they can’t find their quarterback of the future to carry the franchise to the next level. Right now Tavaris Jackson is the starter, but it’s long been known that the Bills will almost certainly spend a draft pick on a signal caller, the only question is how high will they draft one?

We may have an idea of where the Bills are looking at taking a quarterback, as the team has scheduled a private workout with Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray.

A Bills contingent including their HC, GM, asst GM, Pres are scheduled to work out Tennessee QB Tyler Bray in Knoxville, next Sat.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 28, 2013

Bray is currently projected to be a middle-round pick, which means the Bills are exploring all options even those beyond the first round. Bray has a big arm, and is a solid quarterback but historically has struggled when faced with pressure and that’s something that has sunk the Bills previous quarterbacks, most notably Ryan Fitzpatrick who managed to fizzle out as quickly as he arrived on the scene.

But Bray is just one of many quarterbacks the Bills have been looking at, and his private workout in way means that Buffalo has selected a favorite. But Bray is valued enough to be called in for a workout, which means if he works hard enough he may find himself starting in the NFL in 2013.

Oct 22, 2011; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers offense huddles up against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Volunteers have had some trouble establishing themselves over the past few years and have struggled to emerge as a top team in the Southeastern Conference, but that has done absolutely nothing to take away from the team’s confidence. Early in to spring ball, the team is already believing that they have an offensive line that can compete with the best of them.

In fact, they believe they can be elite.

“I feel like we definitely have the talent and capability to have the best offensive line, really, in the country,” offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James said, via Go Vols Xtra. “We’ve just got to work every day to get that. We want to set our bar high.”

The best in the country? I guess it is great to set the bar high.

It may seem like optimism at it’s finest, but when you dig deeper you see that the team is returning four starters from a year ago. Last year’s unit allowed only eight sacks, so it may appear as a bold statement but the talent is certainly there to surprise some people.

Tennessee will need some quality play in the trenches if they hope to climb the SEC ranks, but will they be able to do so in 2013? We are only a few months away from finding out.

Will Tennessee have one of the best offensive line units in college football this season? Let us hear your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section.

Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson makes a catch during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

“He’s explosive. He’s dynamic. He runs consistent 4.4s, I’m just not sure how smart he is,” one scout told the Times of Trenton. “You’re going to have to keep it simple for him. But the kid is really dynamic.”

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Patterson is certainly generating a lot of buzz, but the question of his ability to hand a complicated offense will continue to surface. However, one thing that people need to remember is that no prospect ever comes in to the league as a finished product and there is always room for growth and learning.

Patterson will be one of those players who will come in and try to make an immediate impact like he did when he joined Tennessee.

NFL Films’ Greg Cosell seems to believe that the athleticism and size of Patterson is going to be enough to overcome the questions about his ability to understand the playbook.

Patterson will be drafted high due to size + athletic tools. Not as explosive running routes as he is with ball in his hands. Lack of exp.

— Greg Cosell (@gregcosell) March 2, 2013

Cosell also added, “One thing to always remember. No one comes into NFL a finished product. What can be coached and what can’t. That’s key question in evaluation.”

So it is going to be up to NFL teams to determine whether or not Patterson’s football IQ really is a concern. What do you think? Would you take a chance on the former Tennessee wide receiver early in the first-round or is there another pass catcher that you would prefer your team to select in April’s draft?

As always, let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section.

Feb 23, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A

NFL Draft prospects took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium last week at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine in an effort to impress NFL scouts and solidify their rankings in the draft class. SB Nation put together a list of the prospects 40-yard dash times that compare the results from their high school run to their NFL 40.

The most interesting numbers came from the Southeastern Conference, where the top players in the nation come to play.

Out of the 55 SEC players that ran the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, only 17 were able to cut their times from college. It’s likely a results of adding weight and muscle to their frames.

Here are the times from the SEC scouting combine invitees:

Feb 22, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson speaks to the media during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Wide receiver prospects will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday for on-field drills at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine.

Here are the weigh-in results for the wide receivers participating in the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine:

Dec 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith (12) warms up prior the 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl against the Syracuse Orange at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Many of the top quarterbacks in the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine will be participating in on-field drills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday, but their first test was when they were hit with the tape measure. NFL scouts measure the signal-callers to see how they stack up.

Quarterbacks often can find criticism directed their way because of their size, though Russell Wilson may have erased those concerns, but that didn’t take away from the measuring in Indy that resulted in some impressive numbers.

USC Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley was one of the biggest winners by measuring in taller than many thought he would. Unfortunately, we won’t see him participate on the field.

Here are the weigh-in results for the quarterback participants at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine:

Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detail view of the SEC logo before the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Southeastern conference is undoubtedly the best college football conference in the land, so they demand a lot of attention. Each and every year it is an SEC team that is playing for the national championship and there is no reason to believe this season will be any different after looking at the team’s strength of schedule.

Alabama, the two-time defending national champion, has the easiest schedule in the conference which should set them up for another great record and national title berth. In fact, the Crimson Tide are the only team that has an opponent win percentage of less than fifty percent. Of course, they have to play the games first.

Another team with a lot of hype, Ole Miss, has one of the easiest schedules in the conference along with the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies.

It looks like another great year of SEC play is ready and we will all receive the benefits.

Here is the 2013 strength of schedule for every SEC team:

Will Alabama be able to take advantage of their weak schedule and make it to another national championship game? Let us know your thoughts on all of the strengths of schedule by sounding off in the comments section.

Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view of the SEC logo at mid-field after the 2011 SEC championship game between the LSU Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

National Signing Day is in the books and colleges across the nation are evaluating their 2013 recruiting classes. While there are impressive classes all across the nation, there is no conference that did a better job at landing top talent more consistently than the Southeastern Conference.

The SEC has dominated the college football world for a majority of the past decade and their success can be seen by looking at the top ten recruiting classes in the country. Of the top ten classes, five hail from the SEC.

Alabama came in with the No. 1 ranked class, while Florida secured the No. 2 spot. Auburn, Ole Miss and Texas A&M all managed to crack the top ten. It sets up for an interesting and exciting few years ahead in the SEC.

Here is a complete breakdown of the 2013 recruiting classes from around the SEC (Click on the team name for details on each team’s recruits):

SEC East

• Florida Gators
• Georgia Bulldogs
• Kentucky Wildcats
• Missouri Tigers
• South Carolina Gamecocks
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Vanderbilt Commodores

SEC West

• Alabama Crimson Tide
• Arkansas Razorbacks
• Auburn Tigers
• LSU Tigers
• Mississippi State Bulldogs
• Ole Miss Rebels
• Texas A&M Aggies

With a few hours until national signing day, the top programs around the country are putting in their final and greatest recruiting pitches to some of the nation’s top high school football players. National Signing Day has the ability to make or break a football program, so the schools are engaging in battles to get the best players they can.

Some of the fiercest recruiting battles in the nation come from the Southeastern Conference.

As you would expect from the SEC, the conference that develops the most NFL talent and dominates the college football world, the top recruits have SEC schools among their final lists for deliberation.

Who are some of the top uncommitted recruits that are debating between the SEC programs? Let’s take a look.

Robert Nkemdiche, Defensive Line

January 4, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Team Highlight defensive end Robert Nkemdiche (1) prior to the the Under Armour All-America high school game at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

SEC Finalists: Ole Miss, Florida, LSU
Nkemdiche is the consensus number one player in the nation and he has been fielding offers from all of the SEC’s top programs. While Florida and LSU may be more heralded programs than Ole Miss, the Rebels are considered to be the favorite. Ole Miss has one advantage over all of the other schools — Nkemdiche’s brother, Denzel, is a linebacker for the team and the brother’s mother would like to see them play college ball together. Landing Nkemdiche would put the icing on the cake for Hugh Freeze’s already incredible 2013 recruiting class.

Reuben Foster, Linebacker –

COMMITTED ALABAMA

SEC Finalists: Alabama, Auburn,
We have talked about Foster on FanSided.com in the past. He is the recruit who famously got an Auburn logo tattoo only to decommit from the school later in the process. It appears that the Tigers are once again in the lead to land the star linebacker, but Foster did cut short his Auburn visit to head to Alabama, so the Crimson Tide could pull of a big steal.

Montravius Adams, Defensive Line

SEC Finalists: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia
Adams is a stud defensive linemen with a lot of remaining options. Unfortunately for all of the SEC teams hoping to land his services, there is a strong chance that he could end up playing with the Clemson Tigers in the SEC.

Tony Conner, Safety

January 4, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Team Nitro linebaker Reuben Foster (2) holds a trophy after he won MVP of Team Nitro during the second half at the Under Armour All-America high school Game at Tropicana Field. Team Highlight defeated the Team Nitro 16-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

SEC Finalists: Ole Miss, Alabama
Conner highly talented safety with a well-rounded game. There are reports that Alabama is making a late push to land the star recruit, but in the end he is expected to sign on with the amazing Ole Miss class. Conner is from a high school that has a strong connection with the Rebels – South Panola High School.

Laremy Tunsil, Offensive Line

SEC Finalists: Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss
Ole Miss being involved with the major recruits is becoming a trend, and the Rebels have made a serious push for Tunsil’s services. This should turn out to be an intriguing race with the SEC schools fighting it out to land the top offensive tackle recruit in the nation.

Von Bell, Safety

SEC Finalists: Tennessee, Alabama
Bell is a Tennessee kid that the Vols would love to land. He was recruited by the old regime in Knoxville, but went on his official visit with the new coaching staff in place. Alabama is a serious contender to land Bell, but his heart has been with the Volunteers from the beginning. It will be interesting to see if he chooses to stay in state.

There is a lot of recruiting left to do in such a small period of time, so be sure to stay tuned to FanSided.com for the latest recruiting news and coverage and be sure to join us on National Signing Day for up to the minute coverage.

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Dooley wasn’t out of a job very long. While many thought the recently fired Tennessee Volunteers head coach would be headed towards a broadcasting job of some sort, he is instead about to be hired as the new wide receivers coach on Jason Garrett’s staff in Dallas. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that Dooley is set to join the Cowboys staff, but neither Dooley or the Cowboys have made nay mention of this.

Dallas Cowboys are set to hire former Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley as their WR coach.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 27, 2013

The reason that some people are surprised about the hire, is the fact that Dooley was announced as part of ESNPU’s extended national signing day coverage just a few days ago. Dooley hasn’t accepted an offer from the Cowboys, but logic would suggest that if he’s on the verge of doing so, ESPN isn’t about to bring him on for an audition on ESPNU.

However, his connection to the Cowboys might be something the four letter network might want to exploit. The again, Dooley was just recently fired by Tennessee and he’d be joining Gene Chizik who was also recently fired and since re-hired elsewhere. Having two coaches fired because essentially they didn’t recruit well, analyzing a recruiting class doesn’t totally make the most sense.

Either way, all signs are pointing to Dooley going from being fired by an SEC school in mid-November to part of an NFL staff by late-January.

August 31, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson will forgo his final year of eligibility and declare for the 2013 NFL Draft.

Patterson was in his first year at Tennessee after transferring up from the JUCO level. He is viewed as a wide receiver with unbelievable upside and he could work his way into the first-round of April’s draft. Patterson has potential to become a number one receiver at the next level.

In the season opener against North Carolina State, Patterson torched the North Carolina State defensive backfield — especially David Amerson, who Patterson single-handedly exposed.

Patterson joins fellow wide receiver Justin Hunter, quarterback Tyler Bray and defensive lineman Darrington Sentimore as early entries into the 2013 draft class.

You can stay up to date with the latest underclassmen declarations with our 2013 NFL Draft Underclassmen Declarations Tracker.

Jan 29, 2012; Honolulu, HI, USA; A sand sculpture with the NFL logo during the 2012 Pro Bowl at Richardson Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The Pro Bowl rosters were revealed yesterday and have been analyzed from top to bottom. We have already gone over the most deserving players and the biggest snubs for the NFL’s annual all-star game, so how about a look on how every college football conference is represented in Hawaii.

The ACC sent out a press release that gave the conference by conference numbers for the Pro Bowl. It should come as no surprise that *drum roll* the Southeastern Conference had the most players voted in to the Pro Bowl.

[RELATED: 2013 Pro Bowl Rosters: Top 5 Snubs]

The SEC is on a dominant run in college football — having won six straight BCS national championships, with a shot at seven in a row. Not only does the SEC own the college hardware, they also produce the most first-round talent in the NFL Draft on a yearly basis, so we should not be surprised they produced the most Pro Bowlers.

SEC schools counted for 20 players on the 2013 Pro Bowl rosters. A total of 84 players were voted into the game, so nearly a quarter of the NFL’s all-stars are products of the nation’s top college football conference.

The ACC had the second most players with 12, followed by the Big 12 (11), the Pac-12 (10), the Big Ten (8) and Conference USA (4). Of course, that doesn’t add up to 84, but those were the only conferences mentioned in the press release from the ACC.

When you look at individual schools, the Tennessee Volunteers and Miami Hurricanes produced the most Pro Bowlers with six a piece.

Nov 24, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray (8) is congratulated by fans while leaving the field after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee won by a score of 37 to 17. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Volunteers lost their leading wide receiver Justin Hunter to the pros and now it appears that their starting quarterback will follow.

Per Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports, Bray“is leaving Tennessee to put his name into April’s NFL draft.”

The move comes as no surprise. Tennessee will be entering next season with a new coaching staff and Bray is coming off of the best season of his three year career with the Vols. During his junior campaign, Bray set new career highs in highs in yards (3,612) and touchdown passes (34).

Bray has the potential to become a first-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, but at this moment, he should be considered a solid second-round prospect.

August 31, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Justin Hunter (11) reacts to a call in the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at the Georgia Dome. Tennessee beat NC State 35-21. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Volunteers will be losing their top wide receiver as the 2013 NFL Draft class gains a top talent. Vols wideout Justin Hunter has decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft. Hunter made the announcement on his Twitter account.

*Declared*

— Braylon J. Hunter (@justinhunter_11) December 17, 2012

After making the announcement on his Twitter account, Hunter confirmed to govols247 that he indeed will be going pro.

Many NFL scouts believe Hunter will be selected in the first or second round of the draft.

Hunter was recovering from a torn ACL suffered in 2011 and he was able to make a statement this year during his return to the field. He led the Vols with 1,083 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

Nov 24, 2012; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey IX during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Neyland Stadium. Smokey IX is retiring after this game. Tennessee won by a score of 37 to 17. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Volunteers were able to sway Cooper City High School’s Lemond Johnson away from the Auburn Tigers. Johnson, who plays safety at Cooper City, had been committed to the Tigers since June. He is a three-star recruit, considered to be the No. 30 ranked safety in the nation.

“Going there, just seeing all the facilities and the people in the office and everything just being in place, it’s just a great place to succeed and set you up for the next level and all that stuff after school,” Johnson said, via goVols247.

“Coming in mid-year, that’s something I really wanted to do.”

And coming to school early is a major reason that Johnson decided to switch his commitment from Auburn to Tennessee. Johnson had wanted to enroll in college mid-January, but newly named Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said it was not an option.

Johnson leaves an Auburn recruiting class that is ranked 13th in the nation.

Dec 31, 2011; Memphis, TN, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Butch Jones rings the Liberty Bowl bell trophy after defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats defeated the Commodores 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

After a wild search, the Tennessee Volunteers have found their new head coach. It was a search that took a lot of unexpected twists and turns since mid-November when the team fired Derek Dooley, but the Vols finally found their coach in the northeast.

The Volunteers have officially hired Butch Jones, who spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats. In his head coaching career, Jones has racked up a record of 50-27. Prior to coaching the Bearcats, Jones led the Central Michigan Chippewas.

A press conference will be held at 2:30 p.m. ET this afternoon to announce Jones as the head coach.

The University of Cincinnati confirmed that Jones decided to step down as the Bearcats head coach in order to take his new job in Tennessee.

“I would like to thank Butch Jones for his time at the University of Cincinnati,” Cincinnati athletic director Whit Babcock said. “With that said, we are excited about the future of this program and this job will be extremely attractive nationally. Our search will begin immediately.”

Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Volunteers have been at the forefront of some pretty juicy coaching rumors, but like that super hot girl in high school they’ve all been nothing but teases. From Jon Gruden to Jimbo Fisher and everyone in between, it seems that no one actually wants to coach the Volunteers.

Two more possible candidates have taken their names out of the hat, as Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has stated he is not leaving his program to accept a job at Tennessee. Louisville head coach Charlie Strong also stated yesterday night that he won’t be heading to the SEC either and will instead stay put with the Cardinals.

Now that at least four candidates have flat out said no to them including one without an actual coaching job at the moment, an interesting question is raised: does anyone really want to coach Tennessee or do they just like being desired?

When the Vols fired Derek Dooley, they assumed that the Volunteer history and the promise of playing in the SEC would lure at least one viable candidate or big name to their school. The Vols are coming off some harsh sanctions brought on by the one year Lane Kiffin spent there, and they’re in desperate need of rebuilding after the destruction.

Plus they play in the most popular conference in college football, which affords them a chance to get back on top quicker than most schools may be able to. The only thing holding them back is a good coach, and apparently none of them are interested.

The Vols coaching search is going through stages: first stage is the stage where you think everybody wants you. You walk into the party, the music is pumping, people are feeling good and you think every sexy, scantly-clad women present wants to bed you. Then they all look at you and walk away like you’re the guys from A Night At the Roxbury and you slowly realize you’re not that great.

Panic mode hasn’t set in and you’re still not ready to settle for the last girl on the bar-line, but you begin to see that could very well be the outcome of of you’re night out. That’s exactly where Tennessee is right now, none of the top-tier women want them, and it’s starting to snowball from there.

That’s not a terrible thing however, but Tennessee has set the bar so incredibly high by flaunting out names like Gruden, Fisher, Gundy, and all the other names that this search is quickly looking like a disaster even though it’s not.

Sure, a big name has the chance to rebound the program quicker, but it’s high risk, high reward.

If the Vols were to settle for a lesser known name, things could still work out in their favor — it just might take a little longer. But by swinging and missing so fast and so hard, the Volunteers are making this a situation that whoever steps in, no matter how big or small the name is, it’s a high risk, medium reward type deal.

And nobody wants to get tangled in that mess.

Sep 8, 2012; College Station, TX, USA; SEC logo on the field before a game between the Texas A

The college football regular season has come to a close and awards and honors are beginning to be handed out. Today, the most prestigious college football conference in the land — the Southeastern Conference — had their All-SEC team unveiled by the Associated Press for the nation to see.

The All-SEC team is loaded with talent from top to bottom and features many future NFL stars.

One of the nice gestures from the conference was to include injured South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore among the honorable mentions for the squad.

Without further introduction, here is your first-team All-SEC Team for 2012:

FIRST TEAM

Offense

WR — Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas, 6-3, 209, Sr.
WR — Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 205, Jr.
L — Chance Warmack, Alabama, 6-3, 320, Sr.
L — Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M, 6-6, 310, Jr.
L — Jake Matthews, Texas A&M, 6-5, 305, Jr.
L — Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State, 6-4, 320, Jr.
C — Barrett Jones, Alabama, 6-5, 302, Sr.
TE — Jordan Reed, Florida, 6-3, 243, Jr.
QB — Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, 6-1, 200, Fr.
RB — Todd Gurley, Georgia, 6-1, 218, Fr.
RB — Mike Gillislee, Florida, 5-11, 209, Sr.
K — Caleb Sturgis, Florida, 5-11, 184, Sr.

All-Purpose — Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee, 6-3, 205, Jr.

Defense

T — Sharrif Floyd, Florida,6-3, 303, Jr.
T — Sheldon Richardson, Missouri, 6-4, 295, Jr.
E — Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina, 6-6, 256, So.
E — Damontre Moore, Texas A&M, 6-4, 250, Jr.
LB — Jarvis Jones, Georgia, 6-3, 241, Jr.
LB — C.J. Mosley, Alabama, 6-2, 232, Jr.
LB — Kevin Minter, LSU, 6-2, 245, Jr.
CB — Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State, 6-2, 185, Sr.
CB — Dee Milliner, Alabama, 6-1, 199, Jr.
S — Matt Elam, Florida, 5-10, 202, Jr.
S — Eric Reid, LSU, 6-2, 212, Jr.
P — Kyle Christy, Florida, 6-2, 199, So.

Thanks to some close votes, a number of top players were left off of the first-team ballot, but landed second-team honors. Here is the All-SEC second team:

SECOND TEAM

Offense

WR — Justin Hunter, Tennessee, 6-4, 200, Jr.
WR — Chad Bumphis, Mississippi State, 5-11, 200, Sr.
L — D.J. Fluker, Alabama, 6-6, 335, Jr.
L — Larry Warford, Kentucky, 6-3, 343, Sr.
L — Antonio Richardson, Tennessee, 6-6, 332, So.
L — Dallas Thomas, Tennessee, 6-5, 310, Sr.
C — Travis Swanson, Arkansas 6-5, 305, Jr.
TE — Mychal Rivera, Tennessee, 6-3, 244, Sr.
QB — A.J. McCarron, Alabama, 6-4, 210, Jr.
RB — Eddie Lacy, Alabama, 6-0, 220, Jr.
RB — Zac Stacy, Vanderbilt, 5-9, 210, Sr.
K — Carey Spear, Vanderbilt, 5-10, 190, Jr.

All-Purpose — LaDarius Perkins, Mississippi State, 5-10, 190, Jr.
All-Purpose — Ace Sanders, South Carolina, 5-8, 175, Jr.

Defense

T — Jesse Williams, Alabama, 6-4, 320, Sr.
T — John Jenkins, Georgia, 6-3, 358, Sr.
T — Bennie Logan, LSU, 6-3, 295, Jr.
E — Sam Montgomery, LSU, 6-5, 260, Jr.
LB — Alec Ogletree, Georgia, 6-3, 232, Jr.
LB — Cameron Lawrence, Mississippi State, 6-3, 230, Sr.
LB — Barkevious Mingo, LSU, 6-5, 240, Jr.
LB — Denzel Nkemdiche, Mississippi, 5-11, 203, Fr.
CB — Andrew Hal, Vanderbilt, 6-0, 184, Jr.
CB — Marcus Robertson, Florida, 6-0, 178, So.
S — D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina, 6-0, 210, Sr.
S — Craig Loston, LSU, 6-2, 205, Jr.
S — Bacarri Rambo, Georgia, 6-0, 210, Sr.
P — Dylan Breeding, Arkansas, 6-1, 211, Sr.

What do you think of the conference’s All-SEC team? Are there any glaring omissions or some snubs? Sound off in the comments section and let us know how you think the SEC did.