After years of discussions, negotiations and preparation, Texas has finally joined the SEC. But how do the Longhorns stack up as they enter the toughest conference in college football?

We're ranking the SEC position by position, assigning points for each team — 16 points for first place through one point for 16th. We'll update the totals with each installment, giving a sense of which teams will contend for the SEC title and College Football Playoff spots.

Next, we rank the SEC schools on the strength of their receivers and tight ends heading into the summer:

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1. Ole Miss: Rebels add some Juice to unit

A loaded Ole Miss offense that ranked third in the SEC in passing yards with 285.6 per game didn’t need much help entering the offseason. But coach Lane Kiffin got some anyway when he lured Juice Wells from South Carolina. The 6-foot-1, 208-pound senior had 184 catches for 2,781 yards and 27 touchdowns through his first three seasons before missing most of 2023 with a foot injury. If healthy, he'll team with established star Tre Harris for a duo that’s arguably as dynamic as any in the country. Oh, and speedy senior Jordan Watkins isn’t bad as a third option after catching 53 balls for 741 yards a year ago. Neither are tight ends Caden Prieskorn and Dae’Quan Wright, who operate as big receivers in Kiffin’s scheme.

2. Missouri: Luther Burden leads loaded group

Is there a better receiver in the nation than Luther Burden III, a burly 5-11, 210-pound playmaker who caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards a year ago and projects as a first-round NFL pick? He’s a yards-after-catch specialist who immediately draws the focus of any defensive game plan. And that’s good news for a talented supporting cast, which includes Theo Wease Jr., who had 682 yards and six touchdowns receiving after joining Missouri from Oklahoma last season. Every receiver who caught a ball for the SEC’s sixth-ranked passing game is back.

3. Oklahoma: Deep set bolstered by portal

The Sooners have more than enough to replace Drake Stoops, the fan favorite who led the team in receiving last season. Nic Anderson, a 6-4, 210-pound junior, returns as one of the nation’s top vertical threats after catching 38 passes for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. Veterans Jalil Farooq and Jayden Gibson also return after combining for 59 catches and 935 receiving yards. And former Michigan star Andrel Anthony looks healthy after his first year for the Sooners ended with a knee injury midway through the season. But Oklahoma’s real prize came when it lured Purdue’s Deion Burks, one of the country’s premier slot receivers, who should better what Stoops did last season and keep things open for the rest of the receivers.

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4. Texas: Rebuilt unit boasts lots of talent

The collection of talent for the Longhorns impresses. Now, what about that cohesiveness? Head coach Steve Sarkisian had to rebuild the receivers room via the portal after losing Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders to the NFL draft. Former Alabama star Isaiah Bond, a 5-11, 185-pound junior, headlines the newcomers after pacing the Tide with 48 catches for 668 yards a year ago. Matthew Golden showed his physicality and ability after the catch at Houston, and cat-quick Silas Bolden arrives from Oregon State. Don’t overlook promising youngsters such as speedster Johntay Cook and five-star freshman Ryan Wingo, who could muscle his way into the rotation. Alabama transfer Amari Niblack will probably serve as the receiving tight end.

5. Georgia: Dawgs reload with transfers

The Bulldogs might lack a go-to No. 1 receiver unless 5-10, 190-pound slot machine Dominic Lovett takes the next step after compiling 54 catches and 613 yards in 2023. But star quarterback Carson Beck has lots of options. London Humphries arrives from Vanderbilt and gives him a 6-3 downfield weapon who had 22 catches for 439 yards as a freshman in the Commodores’ anemic offense a year ago. Colbie Young, a Miami transfer, is another lanky target at 6-6 while Dillon Bell, Rara Thomas and Arian Smith are among a large group of former blue-chip recruits eager for an expanded role. Replacing All-American tight end Brock Bowers is almost impossible, but Stanford transfer Benjamin Yurosek has 1,338 receiving yards since 2021.

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6. Kentucky: Veteran duo paces Cats

Head coach Mark Stoops revamped his offensive staff, with coordinator Bush Hamdan arriving from Boise State and receivers coach Daikiel Shorts Jr. coming in from Houston. Returners Dane Key, a 6-3, 195-pound junior, and 6-1, 165-pound classmate Barion Brown have combined for 172 catches and 2,322 yards with 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons, giving the Wildcats one of the most experienced tandems in the SEC. They’ll be joined by Ja’Mori Maclin, a fifth-year senior who had 57 receptions for 1,004 yards and 11 touchdowns at North Texas last season.

7. LSU: Big losses but big talent

Losing wideouts such as Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. to the NFL would create a massive gap on any roster, but head coach Brian Kelly and his staff did their best to fill the hole for a team that led the SEC in receiving yards last season. Returner Kyren Lacey, a physical 6-2, 215-pound senior, could step into the spotlight after making 30 catches for 557 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. Chris Hilton Jr. is another Tiger who has already earned his stripes in the program. Kelly hopes Liberty transfer CJ Thomas can stay hot against SEC competition after 55 catches for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago. Tight end Mason Taylor cleans up underneath with 74 catches for 762 yards and four touchdowns over the past two seasons.

8. Florida: Eugene Wilson looks ready for breakout

How do you replace a dynamic All-SEC player like Ricky Pearsall? Florida coach Billy Napier needs to find out quickly. Fortunately for the Gators, sophomore Eugene Wilson III looks as if he can handle an expanded role after the 5-10, 190-pounder had 61 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman. The arrival of junior Elijhah Badger will help keep the pressure off Wilson; Badger had 135 catches for 1,579 yards over the past two seasons at Arizona State. Kahleil Jackson emerged as a steady slot receiver a year ago, and highly touted recruits TJ Abrams and Tank Hawkins also could see some snaps. Arlis Boardingham gives the Gators a pro-style tight end who can split out wide and get downfield.

9. Tennessee: Squirrel, size bolster Vols

A mixture of veteran Vols and talented transfers gives head coach Josh Heupel a dangerous set of wideouts. Slippery Squirrel White, a 5-10, 165-pound junior, had 67 catches for 803 yards while working primarily out of the slot, and he’ll be complemented by 6-5 Chris Brazzell II, a downfield threat who transferred from Tulane. Junior Dont’e Thornton brings even more size at 6-5, 215 after arriving from Oregon. And don’t forget about mercurial senior Bru McCoy, a former five-star recruit who went through 2019 spring practices at Texas.

10. Alabama: Can Tide regain star power?

The Tide spent the better part of the Nick Saban era producing first-round draft prospects such as Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Calvin Ridley, DeVonta Smith and Jameson Williams. But that talent pool at receiver has shrunk in recent years. A new coaching staff headed by Kalen DeBoer will try to recapture some of that downfield magic, even though the Tide lost stars such as Jermaine Burton to the NFL and Bond to Texas. Kobe Prentice, a 5-10, 185-pound junior, has the most experience, and blazing junior Kendrick Law might have the most potential among the returners, but newcomers such as Germain Bernard from Washington and five-star freshman Ryan Williams will get opportunities.

11. Arkansas: Andrew Armstrong anchors group

The good news for the Hogs: Dallas native Andrew Armstrong bypassed NFL options to return to Arkansas; the 6-4, 200-pound redshirt senior led the team a year ago with 56 catches for 764 yards and five touchdowns. The bad news: He doesn’t have much proven playmaking company. The returning set of receivers, which includes Tyrone Broden, Isaiah Sategna and Jaedon Wilson, had just 80 total catches for 802 yards for a team that averaged 187.5 yards passing. And the portal didn’t bring in much. The Hogs might need athletic tight end Luke Hasz to take on more of a receiving role.

12. South Carolina: Needs help in Nyck of time

Xavier Legette left for the NFL, and Wells left for Ole Miss, which means head coach Shane Beamer and his staff hope the receiver room’s potential can translate to production. Those hopes start with sophomore Nyck Harbor, a physical freak at 6-5 and 242 pounds who qualified for the NCAA track and field championships in the 100-meter dash. But he’s also raw, as evidenced by his 12 catches in 2023. Senior transfer Gage Larvadain is much more polished after playing in 36 games over the previous three seasons at Miami (Ohio) and Southeastern Louisiana, and redshirt junior transfer Jared Brown arrives after several productive seasons at Coastal Carolina. If healthy, Brady Hunt gives the Gamecocks a receiving weapon at tight end.

13. Mississippi State: Revamped roster includes WRs

New head coach Jeff Lebby, a Texas native who arrives after serving as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator, hasn’t shied away from rebuilding the offense. That includes the receiver position, with two new transfers who will probably start as well as a recruiting class with three four-star receivers. Deep threat Kelly Akharaiyi comes in from UTEP after racking up 1,033 yards receiving and seven touchdowns and averaging 21.5 yards per catch last year, fourth-best in the nation. Former Louisville and Jackson State playmaker Kevin Coleman also arrives and should slide into the slot and return kicks. Justin Robinson leads all returning receivers with 21 catches a year ago for the Bulldogs.

14. Texas A&M: Ho-hum unit needs to take jump

The Aggies got some needed help when Troy standout Jabre Barber joined the program. The 5-10, 175-pound slot maestro who racked up 75 catches for 999 yards last season suffered a foot injury in the spring but should be ready for the season. The rest of the receivers group looks like a concern for new offensive coordinator Collin Klein, who arrives as part of Mike Elko’s initial staff. Leading receiver Ainias Smith now plays with the Philadelphia Eagles and former five-star signee Evan Stewart joined Oregon. That leaves the uninspiring trio of Jahdae Walker, Noah Thomas and Moose Muhammad III — who combined for 91 catches a year ago — as the group's core.

15. Auburn: Is tight end the best option?

The Tigers ranked last in the conference with 162.2 receiving yards per game in 2023, not unusual for a program that has only two 1,000-yard receivers in its history. Only two of last year’s receivers return, including Caleb Burton, the son of Connally football coach Charles Burton, who played at both Del Valle and Lake Travis. Five-star prospect Cam Coleman headlines a group of four freshmen who could push for snaps, and Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith will provide a veteran presence after racking up 673 yards and four touchdowns on 53 catches, along with Georgia State transfer Robert Lewis. Tight end Rivaldo Fairweather led the team last season with 38 catches for 394 yards and six touchdowns.

16. Vanderbilt: Thin group needs help

The SEC’s worst offense in 2023 might not get much help from a decimated receiving corps that lost leading pass-catcher Will Sheppard to graduation and London Humphreys and Jayden McGowan to Georgia and Boston College, respectively. New offensive coordinator Tim Beck arrives from New Mexico State with his version of the pro spread, and he’ll work with some new weapons, such as former Texas Tech wideout Loic Fouonji, a 6-4 fifth-year senior who had 451 yards receiving a year ago. Returners Quincy Skinner and Junior Sherrill both return, and they will have plenty of opportunities.

About this series

This summer, the American-Statesman is ranking the SEC football teams position by position. We assign points for each team at each position, with 16 for the leader and one for 16th place. We’ll update the totals with each installment, giving an idea of which teams will contend for the conference title and a possible College Football Playoff spot.

The lineup: (Week 1) quarterbacks, (2) running backs, (3) receivers, (4) offensive line, (5) defensive line, (6) linebackers, (7) defensive backs, (8) coaching and intangibles

Current standings

1. Ole Miss, 45

2. Georgia, 43

3. Texas, 40

4. Missouri, 37

5. Oklahoma, 35

T6. Alabama, 29

T6. Florida, 29

8. Tennessee, 27

9. LSU, 24

10. Auburn, 22

11. Kentucky, 17

12. Texas A&M, 15

13. Mississippi State, 14

14. South Carolina, 13

15. Arkansas, 10

16. Vanderbilt, 8

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Who has the best WRs in the SEC? The Statesman ranks all 16 schools