Thanks to Ryan McGee, we took a look at the best recruiting head coaches in the SEC on Monday.
But what about the assistants?
They’re the ones who lay the groundwork, and in most cases, establish the relationships with prospects and their families so the head coach can get in the door and close the deal.
Having conferred with several in and around the league, not to mention talking with players who've gone through the the process, here are the 25 best recruiters in the SEC among assistant coaches. They’re listed alphabetically:
Charlie Baggett, Tennessee's assistant head coach/wide receivers coach
Shane Beamer, South Carolina’s special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator
Mike Bobo, Georgia’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
Burton Burns, Alabama’s associate head coach/running backs coach
Steve Caldwell, Arkansas’ defensive ends coach
Rodney Garner, Georgia’s assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator/defensive line coach
Billy Gonzales, LSU’s passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach
Aubrey Hill, Florida’s wide receivers coach
Tim Horton, Arkansas' recruiting coordinator/running backs coach
Tony Hughes, Mississippi State’s recruiting coordinator/safeties coach
Ellis Johnson, South Carolina’s assistant head coach for the defense
John Lilly, Georgia's tight ends coach
Gus Malzahn, Auburn's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
Tee Martin, Kentucky’s passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach
Garrick McGee, Arkansas’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach
Wesley McGriff, Vanderbilt’s defensive recruiting coordinator/defensive backs coach
Curtis Luper, Auburn’s recruiting coordinator/running backs coach
Chris Rumph, Alabama's defensive line coach
Kirby Smart, Alabama’s defensive coordinator
Trooper Taylor, Auburn’s assistant head coach/wide receivers coach
Lance Thompson, Tennessee’s linebackers coach
Sal Sunseri, Alabama’s assistant head coach/linebackers coach
Chris Vaughn, Ole Miss’ recruiting coordinator/cornerbacks coach
Brian White, Florida's tight ends coach
Frank Wilson, LSU’s recruiting coordinator/running backs coach