[h=1]SEC's NFL draft dominance[/h][h=3]At which positions has the SEC produced the most pros?[/h]
By Brad Edwards | ESPN Insider
The SEC being home to the past seven BCS National Championship teams is not exactly news to any fan of college football.
But even NFL fans who pay little attention to the college game have probably noticed that the SEC has recently been a step ahead of the other major conferences. It would be hard not to notice.
Last September, the SEC had 256 players on NFL Week 1 rosters, 41 more than any other conference. Last April, the SEC had the most players selected in the NFL draft for the sixth consecutive year. That's every draft since the conference's current streak of national championships began.
In all, the SEC has had 242 players drafted over the previous six years, which is 48 more than any other league (ACC has 194). That includes 51 taken in the first round, 17 above the second-highest total (Big 12 has 34) -- and, just to clarify, that's with Texas A&M and Missouri players being counted on the Big 12 side.
But the sheer volume of SEC players in the NFL doesn't tell the whole story. The NFL draft reveals where the SEC has had an edge on the other conferences, and it also shows, perhaps, what position strengths an opponent will need to end the SEC's title streak.
<OFFER></OFFER>We've all heard about defenses winning championships, and of the seven straight national champs from the SEC, only 2010 Auburn was statistically stronger on offense. Defense has indeed been the driving force behind the SEC's BCS titles, and the draft confirms that the conference has had plenty of great players on that side of the ball.
Over the past six drafts, the SEC has had 125 defensive players selected, with 28 of them going in the first round -- both numbers easily the most by any conference. But the biggest position of differentiation seems to be defensive tackle. The SEC has had 31 interior defensive linemen picked (ACC is second with 19), and eight of them have gone in the first round (Big 12 has the second most with three). Sharrif Floyd of Florida and Sheldon Richardson of Missouri are expected to join that group on Thursday.
The next-biggest edge for the SEC is at defensive back with 48 total players drafted (ACC is second with 37) and 10 first-round picks (Big 12 is next with six). Dee Milliner of Alabama is believed to be the only first-round lock among SEC defensive backs in 2013, but safeties Matt Elam of Florida, D.J. Swearinger of South Carolina and Eric Reid of LSU are other possibilities.
On offense, the position of strength for the SEC in recent years has been running back. Since 2007, 25 have been drafted. The Big 12 and Pac-12 are tied for the next-best mark with 16. If Bama's Eddie Lacy goes in the first round, he'll be the third straight Crimson Tide running back to do so (Trent Richardson 2012, Mark Ingram 2011), making Alabama the first college to accomplish that feat.
Those are the most dominant positions for the SEC over the past six drafts, although not the only positions at which that conference leads the pack. The SEC also has the most wide receivers selected with 31 (Big Ten is second with 24) and the most offensive linemen with 37 (Big Ten is second with 36).
These numbers support what we've seen from almost all of the SEC's BCS champions. They run the ball, stop the run and usually cover receivers well enough to allow their pass rush to become a factor. Draft data shows the ACC as the conference best equipped to match up with the SEC on the lines of scrimmage, but it's hard to think of too many teams from that conference over the past seven seasons that would've seemed up to the task.
One of the few positions at which the SEC hasn't produced the most draft picks in recent years is quarterback, but the SEC's 10 selections are second only to the Pac-12's 11. The Big 12 has the most first-round signal-callers over this span (six), however the SEC is also second in that category with four. There doesn't appear to be a first-round quarterback candidate from the conference in 2013, although Tennessee's Tyler Bray and Arkansas' Tyler Wilson are both expected to be drafted.
If there's been a weakness in the SEC over the previous six drafts it would have to be at linebacker. Even though the conference has had four first-round picks over this span -- tied for the most with the ACC -- the SEC, surprisingly, has the fewest total linebackers drafted (22) among the five major conferences. The Big Ten leads with 34.
That trend might change this year, however, as three SEC linebackers appear in the first round of Mel Kiper's latest mock draft (four if you count Barkevious Mingo as an LB). Kiper has a total of 13 SEC players going in the first 32 picks (thanks to the inclusion of Texas A&M and Missouri as SEC schools), which would break the first-round record of 12 selections from the ACC in 2006.
Leading the way for the SEC, of course, is Alabama, which has begun to dominate the draft in addition to winning three of the past four national championships on the field. Kiper and Todd McShay both have four Crimson Tide players projected as first-round picks, which would put Bama in some very elite company.
Most analysts believe that Milliner, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker are likely to go in the first round, which would give Alabama three straight years with at least three players picked that early. Only Miami (2001 to 2004) and USC (1980 to 1983) have done that. If Lacy also goes in the first 32 picks, Bama will join Miami as the only programs with at least four players taken in the first round in three consecutive drafts. The Hurricanes' total of 19 first-round picks from 2001 to 2004 would be the only four-year total higher than the Tide's number since 2010.
By late Thursday night, Alabama could have as many as 15 players taken in the first round of the past five drafts. If the mocks of Kiper and McShay are somewhat accurate, no other school will have more than six during this span.
Once again, this year's draft figures to reflect the on-field results we've seen in the past few seasons, with the SEC (and Alabama, in particular) dominating.
By Brad Edwards | ESPN Insider
The SEC being home to the past seven BCS National Championship teams is not exactly news to any fan of college football.
But even NFL fans who pay little attention to the college game have probably noticed that the SEC has recently been a step ahead of the other major conferences. It would be hard not to notice.
Last September, the SEC had 256 players on NFL Week 1 rosters, 41 more than any other conference. Last April, the SEC had the most players selected in the NFL draft for the sixth consecutive year. That's every draft since the conference's current streak of national championships began.
In all, the SEC has had 242 players drafted over the previous six years, which is 48 more than any other league (ACC has 194). That includes 51 taken in the first round, 17 above the second-highest total (Big 12 has 34) -- and, just to clarify, that's with Texas A&M and Missouri players being counted on the Big 12 side.
But the sheer volume of SEC players in the NFL doesn't tell the whole story. The NFL draft reveals where the SEC has had an edge on the other conferences, and it also shows, perhaps, what position strengths an opponent will need to end the SEC's title streak.
<OFFER></OFFER>We've all heard about defenses winning championships, and of the seven straight national champs from the SEC, only 2010 Auburn was statistically stronger on offense. Defense has indeed been the driving force behind the SEC's BCS titles, and the draft confirms that the conference has had plenty of great players on that side of the ball.
Over the past six drafts, the SEC has had 125 defensive players selected, with 28 of them going in the first round -- both numbers easily the most by any conference. But the biggest position of differentiation seems to be defensive tackle. The SEC has had 31 interior defensive linemen picked (ACC is second with 19), and eight of them have gone in the first round (Big 12 has the second most with three). Sharrif Floyd of Florida and Sheldon Richardson of Missouri are expected to join that group on Thursday.
The next-biggest edge for the SEC is at defensive back with 48 total players drafted (ACC is second with 37) and 10 first-round picks (Big 12 is next with six). Dee Milliner of Alabama is believed to be the only first-round lock among SEC defensive backs in 2013, but safeties Matt Elam of Florida, D.J. Swearinger of South Carolina and Eric Reid of LSU are other possibilities.
On offense, the position of strength for the SEC in recent years has been running back. Since 2007, 25 have been drafted. The Big 12 and Pac-12 are tied for the next-best mark with 16. If Bama's Eddie Lacy goes in the first round, he'll be the third straight Crimson Tide running back to do so (Trent Richardson 2012, Mark Ingram 2011), making Alabama the first college to accomplish that feat.
Those are the most dominant positions for the SEC over the past six drafts, although not the only positions at which that conference leads the pack. The SEC also has the most wide receivers selected with 31 (Big Ten is second with 24) and the most offensive linemen with 37 (Big Ten is second with 36).
These numbers support what we've seen from almost all of the SEC's BCS champions. They run the ball, stop the run and usually cover receivers well enough to allow their pass rush to become a factor. Draft data shows the ACC as the conference best equipped to match up with the SEC on the lines of scrimmage, but it's hard to think of too many teams from that conference over the past seven seasons that would've seemed up to the task.
One of the few positions at which the SEC hasn't produced the most draft picks in recent years is quarterback, but the SEC's 10 selections are second only to the Pac-12's 11. The Big 12 has the most first-round signal-callers over this span (six), however the SEC is also second in that category with four. There doesn't appear to be a first-round quarterback candidate from the conference in 2013, although Tennessee's Tyler Bray and Arkansas' Tyler Wilson are both expected to be drafted.
If there's been a weakness in the SEC over the previous six drafts it would have to be at linebacker. Even though the conference has had four first-round picks over this span -- tied for the most with the ACC -- the SEC, surprisingly, has the fewest total linebackers drafted (22) among the five major conferences. The Big Ten leads with 34.
That trend might change this year, however, as three SEC linebackers appear in the first round of Mel Kiper's latest mock draft (four if you count Barkevious Mingo as an LB). Kiper has a total of 13 SEC players going in the first 32 picks (thanks to the inclusion of Texas A&M and Missouri as SEC schools), which would break the first-round record of 12 selections from the ACC in 2006.
Leading the way for the SEC, of course, is Alabama, which has begun to dominate the draft in addition to winning three of the past four national championships on the field. Kiper and Todd McShay both have four Crimson Tide players projected as first-round picks, which would put Bama in some very elite company.
Most analysts believe that Milliner, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker are likely to go in the first round, which would give Alabama three straight years with at least three players picked that early. Only Miami (2001 to 2004) and USC (1980 to 1983) have done that. If Lacy also goes in the first 32 picks, Bama will join Miami as the only programs with at least four players taken in the first round in three consecutive drafts. The Hurricanes' total of 19 first-round picks from 2001 to 2004 would be the only four-year total higher than the Tide's number since 2010.
By late Thursday night, Alabama could have as many as 15 players taken in the first round of the past five drafts. If the mocks of Kiper and McShay are somewhat accurate, no other school will have more than six during this span.
Once again, this year's draft figures to reflect the on-field results we've seen in the past few seasons, with the SEC (and Alabama, in particular) dominating.
