San Diego State opens preseason practice Wednesday morning on the SDSU practice fields with perhaps half of the starting positions still to be won, as well as backup roles on both sides of the ball.

Coach Sean Lewis will have exactly one month before the Sept. 5 season opener against Portland State to sort everything out.

Seven starters, led by quarterback Jayden Denegal and running back Lucky Sutton, return on offense. That includes left tackle Joe Borjon and left guard Kalan Ellis. Junior transfer Isaac Lucas has the edge to start at center, but the right side of the line is where a couple of starters still need to emerge.

Junior Jackson Ford is expected to start at tight end, but sophomore returner Ryan Wolfer and sophomore transfer Kime Fangupo (Snow College) will compete for playing time at the position.

There is more depth at wide receiver than the past two decades. All three starters return, although Jordan Napier and Jacob Bostick are returning from ACL surgery. Watching their progress, along with converted quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. and sophomore Will Cianfrini, will be interesting. And it seems like a newcomer always emerges. Senior transfer Justius Lowe (Oregon) was most impressive transfer during the spring.

There are only three returning starters on defense and one of them, senior linebacker Tano Letuli, is coming back from ACL surgery.

Senior transfer nose tackle Gavriel Lightfoot (Colorado) is expected to start up front with two returning senior starters, edge Brady Nassar and defensive lineman Malachi Finau. Key is identifying a rush edge. SDSU lost almost all of its sacks last season with the transfer of Trey White and Ryan Henderson and graduation of Niles King. Junior transfer Djibril Rahman (Rutgers) and senior transfer Kai Wallin (Oregon State) are the leading candidates to step in.

Starting linebackers are expected to be Letuli and senior transfer Sione Hala (Weber State), but depth at the position is still being determined. Junior transfer Cameron Cooper (Western Colorado) and sophomore transfer Jeramiah Lewis (College of San Mateo) are among those in the mix.

The secondary has one returning starter, senior safety Dalesean Staley, but he suffered a torn ACL late in spring practice and is lost for the season. There are more than a dozen candidates for the first spots in the secondary. Safeties Josiah Cox, Jelani McLaughlin and Josh Hunter are some of the most experienced returners. Sophomore transfer Isaiah Green (Portland State) is listed first on the depth chart at free safety coming into camp. Senior transfers Jamison Starks (Foothill CC) and Mike Lindsay (Idaho State) are first on the depth chart at cornerback, where the Aztecs have the task of replacing Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick Chris Johnson.

Senior transfer kicker Noah Serna (Cal Poly), who arrived over the summer, is listed first on the depth chart, but the position will be determined in camp. It could be decided soon after SDSU’s Aug. 15 scrimmage at Snapdragon Stadium.

While incoming freshmen typically redshirt, keep an eye on right guard Harlem Nellum, right tackle Jarvis Williams, wide receiver Daishaun Davis and rush edge Dominic Coelho. All four made the depth chart after graduating from high school early and making an impression during spring practice.

San Diego State’s depth chart

(returning starters in bold)

OFFENSE

Left tackle: Joe Borjon, 6-8, 330, Sr.; Cam May, 6-7, 310, Sr.; Delon Craft Jr., 6-5, 290, Fr.-RS.

Left guard: Kalan Ellis, 6-5, 350, Sr.; Evan Lawrence, 6-6, 306, So.-TR; Mercer Luniewski, 6-6, 320, So.-TR.

Center: Isaac Lucas, 6-3, 298, Jr.-TR; Ikbahl Kassim, 6-2, 315, So.; Alex Bleszynski, 6-2, 295, Fr.-RS.

Right guard: Michael Leville Watkins, 6-2, 310, So.; Harlem Nellum, 6-5, 350, Fr.-HS.

Right tackle:  Dennis Jones, 6-6, 350, Sr.-TR; Ashdon Wnetrzak, 6-8, 335, Fr.-RS; Jarvis Williams, 6-7, 340, Fr.-HS.

Tight end: Jackson Ford, 6-6, 250, Jr.; Ryan Wolfer, 6-5, 235, So.; Kime Fangupo, 6-3, 250, So.-TR.

Quarterback: Jayden Denegal, 6-5, 230, Sr. *; Stone Saunders, 6-1, 222, Fr.-TR; Draiden Trudeau, 6-0, 190, Fr.-RS.

Running back: Lucky Sutton, 6-1, 225, Sr.; Javion Kinnard, 5-8, 175, So.-TR; Christian Washington, 5-10, 205, Sr.

Wide receiver (slot): Jordan Napier, 6-2, 205, Jr.; Nathan Acevedo, 5-10, 170, Sr.; Daishaun Davis, 5-11, 170, Fr.-HS.

Wide receiver (outside): Jacob Bostick, 6-3, 190, Sr.: Justius Lowe, 6-1, 190, Sr.-TR; Bert Emanuel Jr., 6-3, 235, Sr.

Wide receiver (outside): Donovan Brown, 6-2, 180, Sr.; Jaylon Hawkins, 6-0, 175, RS-Fr.; Parker Threatt, 6-1, 200, So.

DEFENSE

Field edge: Brady Nassar, 6-5, 255, Sr.; Nate Henrich, 6-6, 260, Jr.-TR; Lucan Amituanai, 6-4, 240, Fr.-RS.

Nose tackle: Gavriel Lightfoot, 6-3, 330, Sr.-TR; Amari Comier, 6-2, 295, Sr.; Tuaoa Tauili’ili, 6-3, 330, Jr.-TR.

3-technique: Malachi Finau, 6-1, 295, Sr.; Krishna Clay, 6-2, 295, Sr.; Kainoa Davis, 6-1, 275, So.

Rush edge: Djibril Rahman, 6-4, 257, Jr.-TR; Kai Wallin, 6-5, 247, Sr.-TR; Dominic Coelho, 6-4, 235, Fr.-HS.

Weakside linebacker: Sione Hala, 6-1, 225, Sr.-TR; Cameron Cooper, 6-2, 230, Jr.-TR; Oberhiri Eyafe, 6-3, 205, So.

Middle linebacker: Tano Letuli, 6-2, 240, Sr.; Jeramiah Lewis, 6-3, 230, So.-TR; Dean Harrington, 6-2, 227, So.

Left cornerback: Jamison Starks, 6-2, 180, So.-TR; Jason Oliver, 6-0, 170, Sr.-TR; Jelani Whitmore, 6-0, 185, Sr.

SAM safety: Josiah Cox, 6-1, 200, Sr.; Jalen Thomeson, 5-11, 195, Jr.-TR; Prince Williams, 6-2, 195, So.

Strong safety: Jelani McLaughlin, 6-0, 205, Jr.; Josh Hunter, 5-9, 180, Sr.; Max Garrison, 5-10, 195, Sr.

Free safety: Isaiah Green, 6-1, 180, So.-TR; Solomon Davis, 6-0, 200, Jr.-TR; Kaimana Tufaga, 6-0, 205, Fr.-RS.

Right cornerback: Mike Lindsay, 6-1, 185, So.-TR; Caleb Ricks, 6-1, 195, So-TR.

SPECIALISTS

Punter: Tashi Dorje, 6-2, 205, Sr.; Camden Cowgill, 6-0, 195, Jr.-TR.

Placekicker: Noah Serna, 6-2, 200, Sr.-TR; Cooper DiLeva, 5-10, 170, Sr.; Lane Garner, 5-10, 185, Jr.-TR; Tyler Prasuhn, 6-1, 185, Fr.-TR.

Kickoffs: Noah Serna, 6-2, 200, Sr.-TR; Cooper DiLeva, 5-10, 170, Sr.; Lane Garner, 5-10, 185, Jr.-TR; Tyler Prasuhn, 6-1, 185, Fr.-TR.

Holder: TBA.

Long snapper/short snapper: Connor Poulson, 5-11, 205, So.; Chase Schubert, 5-10, 190, So.-TR.

Kickoff returner: Jordan Napier, 6-2, 205, Jr.; Donovan Brown, 6-2, 180, Sr.

Punt returner: Javion Kinnard, 5-8, 175, So.-TR; Jordan Napier, 6-2, 205, Jr.

INCOMING FRESHMEN

Offense: QB Brady Campbell, 6-3, 190; RB Josiah Lucas, 5-9, 190; WR Daishaun Davis, 5-11, 170; WR Carson Diehl, 6-3, 195; ; WR Derek Stevenson, 6-2, 180; WR Craig Walker, 5-10, 170; TE Jack Ellis, 6-6, 230;  TE Parker Guiltinan, 6-5, 240; TE Elijah Muliufi, 6-7, 270; OL Brian Borjon, 6-6, 275; OL Harlem Nellum, 6-5, 350; OL Harrison Walters, 6-3, 340; OL Jarvis Williams, 6-5, 340.

Defense: Edge Dominic Coelho, 6-4, 235; Edge Crosby Kelly, 6-5, 255; Edge Robby Lavata’i, 6-5, 250;  DL Roman Paseka, 6-4, 275; DL Kai Taiese, 6-3, 320; LB Alijah Lash, 6-2, 230; LB Javari Nash, 6-2, 215;  LB Aaron Tasin, 6-1, 190;  CB Dareon Edmonds, 6-2, 180; S Rahmeer Henderson, 6-2, 195; S Tainoa Lave, 5-11, 190; S Cammeron Purnell, 6-1, 190.