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When it comes to the NFL draft analysis, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is considered one of the best in the field.
On Thursday, Kiper released the first edition of his first-round mock for the 2017 NFL Draft, and he’s obviously impressed with what the SEC has to offer in this class.
Kiper’s first round included 14 of the conference’s players out of 32 possible picks.
Here’s a breakdown of where he has the SEC players heading at the moment:
1. Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
3. Chicago Bears: Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, S, LSU
7. San Diego Chargers: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
8. Carolina Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
11. New Orleans Saints: Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
13. Arizona Cardinals: Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
14. Philadelphia Eagles: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
18. Tennessee Titans: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
21. Detroit Lions: Tim Williams, LB, Alabama
22. Miami Dolphins: Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
30. Pittsburgh Steelers: Charles Harris, LB, Missouri
31. Atlanta Falcons: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
32. New England Patriots: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
As expected, Kiper has Alabama dominating the first round with six picks — five coming from a defensive unit that ranked No. 1 nationally in almost every major category this past season. Florida is expected to send the second-most number of players, including both starting corners in back-to-back picks mid-round.
Altogether, six SEC schools could be producing a first-round pick in April’s draft, which would be mighty impressive for the conference.
Tyler Waddell is a member of the Saturday Down South news team. He brings over five years of professional journalism experience and is closing in on a Bachelor's in sports management. Follow him on Twitter (@Tyler_Waddell).
