An al.com copypasta looking at some of the SEC's top defensive players so far this year.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- It has been a trademark since the days of Wallace Wade and Robert Neyland, through the golden age of Bear Bryant and a renaisÂsance under Pat Dye.
Times change, as do faces, but it's what doesn't change that sets the SEC apart.
Defense.
The 2012 season is barely a third of the way through the regÂular season, yet some uncommon defenders have made their mark on the league by disrupting rhythm, creating havoc and changing games with a single play.
Here's a look at some of the best and why they rank among the elite:
> CB Johnthan Banks/ Mississippi State -- A preseason All-American, Banks already has three interceptions this fall and 15 for his career. That's one shy of Walt Harris' school record.
Why would anyone throw anyÂwhere near Banks? Because teammate Darius Slay has four picks. So pick your poison.
> DE Jadeveon Clowney/ South Carolina -- What do you get when you put a 6-foot-6, 250-pound speed rusher with the wingspan of an aircraft carrier opposite an offensive lineman?
An unstoppable force that, as a sophomore, is just coming into his own. Clowney ranks third in the SEC with seven tackles for losses and fourth with 4.5 sacks.
And what's really scary: He may be only scratching the surface.
> LB Jarvis Jones/Georgia -- NFL scouts are already comÂparing him to Von Miller, who transformed the Denver Broncos defense as a speed linebacker last season, and he is being talked about as a potential No. 1 overall draft pick. Jones is second with 7.5 tackles for loss and tied with Clowney in sacks despite missing a game. Oh, and he has an interÂception. How good will Georgia's defense be when safety Bacarri Rambo and linebacker Alec OgleÂtree rejoin Jones in the lineup?
> DE Corey Lemonier/ Auburn -- Auburn's defense started slowly, but don't blame the All-SEC junior. He ranks secÂond in sacks (5.0) and sixth in tackles for loss (5.0) and gives AuÂburn a building block for imÂprovement. He's an impact player, despite being a little unÂdersized to go against SEC offenÂsive fronts.
> LB C.J. Mosley/Alabama -- Cornerback Dee Milliner leads the SEC in passes defended, but no one on the nation's most herÂalded defense has been more consistent than Mosley, who plays primarily in nickel and dime packages yet has been named the Tide's defensive player of the game four times on four straight Saturdays.
> DE Sam Montgomery/LSU -- Some say the junior All-AmeriÂcan has underperformed this seaÂson, which is a terrifying thought. Montgomery ranks fourth in the SEC with six tackles for loss but has only has two sacks. Is that underperforming? Ask any offenÂsive coordinator: when you're game-planning, locating MontÂgomery is job No. 1.
> LB Jonathan Bostic/Florida -- He's considered the heart and soul of a resurgent Florida deÂfense, providing both leadership and guidance. He's also a decent playmaker, with four tackles for loss.
> DE Damontre Moore/Texas A&M -- The jury's still out on whether the Aggies are ready for the grind of the SEC. There's little doubt about Moore, however. He leads the SEC with six sacks and eight tackles for loss in three games.
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