The SEC could be poised to set a record for NFL draft picks this weekend
Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham and Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat are both among the SEC players who expect to be drafted by NFL teams this week in Nashville. We’re days away from the NFL draft, which means it is almost time for SEC fans to resume their annual boasting about their favorite conference’s absurd level of talent. In fact, this very well may become a historic display of SEC draft superiority.
This year it probably will not even be close. Not if Todd McShay and ESPN Scouts Inc.’s predictions are in any way accurate – and McShay’s rankings typically serve as a reliable guide. In other words, it’s not a question of whether the SEC will continue its streak, but how big the differential will be between the SEC and the other conferences.The SEC’s 53 draft picks edged the ACC’s 46 for the top spot, well ahead of the Big Ten , Pac-12 and Big 12 . And when it came to high-first-round picks, the other major conferences – the Big 12 , Big Ten , Pac-12 and ACC – all occupied the spotlight before the first SEC selection, Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith at No.
This year, it looks like the SEC will have the edge on both premium talent and in depth. With three of McShay’s top four prospects – Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, Kentucky outside linebacker Josh Allen and LSU inside linebacker Devin White – the SEC boasts nearly half of the top 25 prospects, as well as 18 of the top 50. Led by No. 1 overall prospect Nick Bosa, the Big Ten is next with nine top-50 prospects.
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