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The SEC has had 49 players taken in the first round of the past five NFL Drafts (dating to 2011), including two No. 1 overall picks, nine top-5 selections and 19 top-10 selections.
Former conference players accounted for four of the first five selections of the 2011 draft, including the top pick in Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.
As many as seven additional former SEC players could go in the first round when the 2016 NFL Draft begins next week. In anticipation of this year’s draft, we went back and ranked the 49 SEC first-rounders from the past five drafts to determine who panned out, who didn’t and who is still a work in progress.
(NOTE: Texas A&M and Missouri players had to have played in the SEC to qualify. Von Miller, the No. 2 pick in 2011 out of Texas A&M, is the best example of a star who is not eligible for this list.)
TOTAL BUST CATEGORY
Criteria: The title of this category speaks for itself.
49. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M, No. 22 in 2014 (Cleveland Browns): The former Heisman Trophy winner has been an unmitigated disaster – both on and off the field – since entering the NFL. Known more for his penchant for partying than his play on the field, Manziel was released by the Browns following the 2015 season and it remains to be seen whether anybody else takes a chance on him. He’s played just 14 career games and has as many fumbles and interceptions (seven each) as he does career touchdown passes.
48. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama, No. 3 in 2012 (Cleveland Browns): Richardson followed a stellar college career by becoming the biggest bust since Mt. Rushmore. After washing out in Cleveland, he was relegated to special teams before being released by the Colts. Richardson, who has struggled with weight issues, failed to even make it out of training camp with the Raiders last year and spent all of 2015 out of football. He recently signed with the Ravens for what is likely his last NFL opportunity.
47. Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State, No. 32 in 2011 (Green Bay Packers): Injuries limited Sherrod to just one start over a four-year career. Sherrod was cut by the Packers before last season. He’s now an unsigned free agent hoping for another chance.
46. Dominique Easley, DT, Florida, No. 29 in 2014 (New England Patriots): Easley tore both ACLs in college, so drafting him in the first round was a risk that backfired for the Patriots. It speaks volumes about the organization’s take on Easley’s skills that it would prefer to cut a first-round pick so soon and take the considerable financial hit.
NEVER QUITE PANNED OUT
Criteria: These players failed to assume starting roles, but there’s a chance they’ll last in the league as role players for a few more years.
45. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU, No. 6 in 2012 (Dallas Cowboys): Claiborne began his career as a starter on the outside, but regressed to second-team and/or nickel duties before reassuming a spot in the starting lineup last year. Not exactly the career path you’d expect from a guy drafted sixth overall.
TO BE DETERMINED
Criteria: These players have either battled injuries or are project players still being developed by the teams that drafted them.
44. Jadeveon Clowney, LB, South Carolina, No. 1 in 2014 (Houston Texans): Injuries have relegated Superman into Clark Kent as Clowney has had nowhere near the impact many believed he would have in the NFL. He registered a modest 4.5 sacks in 2015, but the Texans were expecting considerably more from him. There’s still time. Next season will be his third in the NFL.
43. Dante Fowler, LB, Florida, No. 3 in 2015 (Jacksonville Jaguars): The third overall pick of the 2015 draft didn’t play a down last year after tearing the ACL in his left knee during mini-camp.
42. Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M, No. 21 in 2015 (Cincinnati Bengals): Ogbuehi appeared in only the final five games after completing his recovery from a torn ACL he suffered in December 2014 while playing for the Aggies in the Liberty Bowl. Showed a lot of promise in limited playing time.
41. D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida, No. 24 in 2015 (Arizona Cardinals): Humphries was considered a project coming out of Florida, but it’s unlikely anybody expected that the team’s first-round draft pick would fail to even make the active roster for a single game. Humphries has a lot to prove this fall.
40. Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama, No. 9 in 2013 (New York Jets): Milliner has only played in eight games over the past two seasons as injuries (Achilles, wrist) have kept him off the field. He showed a lot of promise as a rookie in 2013, but staying healthy has been a problem.
39. Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU, No. 6 in 2013 (Cleveland Browns): Mingo started a career-low two games at outside linebacker last year after recording 11 starts in 2014 and three as a rookie in 2013. More ominously, he failed to record a sack for the first time last season.
38. Matt Elam, S, Florida, No. 32 in 2013 (Baltimore Ravens): The pressure will be on Elam to again prove himself after missing all of last season with a torn bicep. The timing of the injury couldn’t have been worse because poor tackling had been an issue for him by the end of 2014, forcing him from starter into a role player. Consistency will be the key for Elam.
37. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn, No. 13 in 2011 (Detroit Lions): The former Auburn one-year star joined the New Orleans Saints during the offseason after a lackluster season with the St. Louis Rams in 2015. When healthy, Fairley can be a productive force up front, but he is yet to play a full season. Fairley has managed just 1.5 sacks over his past two NFL seasons.
36. Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia, No. 17 in 2013 (Pittsburgh Steelers): Jones showed a lot of progress in his third year in the league, starting all 15 games in which he played while totaling 29 stops, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. He’ll need to follow up on that this coming season.
35. Dee Ford, DE, Auburn, No. 23 in 2014 (Kansas City Chiefs): Ford did not start a game as a rookie, but recorded five starts in 2015 as his overall production increased to 23 tackles and four sacks.
34. Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida, No. 23 in 2013 (Minnesota Vikings): Floyd started only one game as a rookie but has started 23 of the past 27 games in which he’s played. Floyd has done a solid job in plugging the middle of the Vikings defense, but must show more still to be considered a long-term solution up front.
33. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama. No. 28 in 2011 (New Orleans Saints): Ingram has enjoyed a solid career that includes one Pro Bowl appearance in 2014, but the former Heisman Trophy winner has yet to rush for 1,000 yards.
32. Mark Barron, S, Alabama, No. 7 in 2012 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Barron has always been a ferocious hitter, but never quite seemed to fit at strong safety at the NFL level. He appears to have at last found his home at outside linebacker with the Los Angeles Rams.
31. Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M, No. 2 in 2013 (Jacksonville Jaguars): Now fully healthy, Joeckel has begun cementing himself as the team’s anchor up front and justifying the Jags’ decision to select him second overall in 2013. His job is to protect the franchise, Blake Bortles.
PROMISING CAREER
Criteria: These are above-average players who may not get invited to many Pro Bowls, but who will last as starters in the league for a while.
30. Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn, No. 2 in 2014 (St. Louis Rams): Robinson has started 28 of the career 32 games in which he’s played over the past two seasons, making room for running back Tre Mason and Todd Gurley.
29. Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky, No. 22 in 2015 (Pittsburgh Steelers): Dupree flashed a lot of potential as a rookie last season and could thrive in Pittsburgh’s linebacker-friendly 3-4 scheme. He played his way into the starting lineup by season’s end and was voted as the team’s top rookie.
28. Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri, No. 23 in 2015 (Denver Broncos): The former Tiger delivered a solid rookie campaign, totaling 20 tackles (15 solo) and four sacks in 14 games. Has a great motor and a bright future.
27. Melvin Ingram, LB, South Carolina, No. 18 in 2012 (San Diego Chargers): Ingram enjoyed a breakout year in 2015, recording career-highs in sacks (10.5), tackles (65) and passes defended (6) and forced fumbles (3) while starting all 16 games. Ingram lost nearly 20 pounds before last season to add speed and lessen the chances of the injuries that plagued him in previous years.
26. Michael Brockers, DT, LSU, No. 14 in 2012 (St. Louis Rams): The durable Brockers hasn’t missed a game in three years and just three overall in starting 60 of the 61 games in which he’s played. The former Tigers star has totaled 14.5 career sacks while registering at least 31 stops each season.
25. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama, No. 17 in 2012 (Cincinnati Bengals): Kirkpatrick enjoyed his best season in 2015 after taking over as a starter. He finished with career-highs in tackles (70) and passes defended (16) to help pace an aggressive Bengals secondary.
24. James Carpenter, OT, Alabama, No. 25 in 2011 (Seattle Seahawks): Carpenter has started 55 of the 61 games he’s played in and won a Super Bowl with Seattle in 2013. He continues to show promise after signing with the New York Jets in 2015.
23. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina, No. 10 in 2012 (Buffalo Bills): Gilmore has had to be The Man in the Bills secondary since he was drafted and has responded well. He recorded a career-best 18 passes defended last fall to go with three interceptions.
22. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, CB, Alabama, No. 21 in 2014 (Green Bay Packers): The man with one of the NFL’s more memorable names came on strong in his second NFL season, starting all 16 games while recording 100 tackles, two interceptions and three sacks. He’s quickly developing into a mainstay of the Green Bay secondary and into one of the league’s bright young talents.
21. Eric Reid, S, LSU, No. 18 in 2013 (San Francisco 49ers): Reid was drafted onto one of the best defenses in the NFL, and he took advantage in a big way, starting 47 games. The ball-hawking free safety finished 2015 with 71 tackles and has seven career interceptions.
20. D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama, No. 11 in 2013 (San Diego Chargers): The behemoth Fluker has become a force to be reckoned with at right tackle after starting all 43 games for the Chargers in which he’s played over his first three professional seasons.
19. Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M, No. 6 in 2014 (Atlanta Falcons): Matthews hails from a great pro football family, so it shouldn’t come as that much a surprise that his career is off to a strong start as well. Matthews has missed just one game in his first two seasons, starting the other 31 at left tackle while charged with protecting quarterback Matt Ryan’s blindside. Helped pave the way for a potent Falcons ground game led by Pro Bowler Devonta Freeman.
18. Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama, No. 10 in 2013 (Tennessee Titans): It’s not often that you see a guard drafted 10th overall, but Warmack has more than justified the selection by the Titans. Has started at right guard for all 46 games that he’s played.
17. Ja’Wuan James, OT, Tennessee, No. 19 in 2014 (Miami Dolphins): Followed a promising 2014 rookie season in which he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team with a solid second year in 2015. James has proven himself durable and equally as versatile to anchor the Dolphins’ line.
16. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State, No. 12 in 2012 (Philadelphia Eagles): Cox is a complete defensive end who enjoyed his best season in 2015, tallying a career-high 9.5 sacks, 71 tackles and three forced fumbles to pace the Eagles defense. Has started every game for Philadelphia for the past three seasons.
15. Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama, No. 25 in 2012 (New England Patriots): Hightower missed four games with injuries last year, but is a punishing defensive presence whose great lateral running ability allows him to make plays all over the field. He is a key piece of the New England defense.
14. Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia, No. 30 in 2013 (St. Louis Rams): Ogletree played in just four games in 2015, but he led the Rams in tackles in each of his first two seasons with 117 as a rookie in 2013 and 111 in 2014. A complete linebacker who is equally as effective against the run as he is the pass, Ogletree moved to inside linebacker starting this season.
13. Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee, No. 29 in 2013 (Minnesota Vikings): Patterson has delivered more big plays on special teams than as a receiver. He was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2013, even though he only started six games at wide receiver. However, he has a 109-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to his name to match an NFL record, one of two return scores during his brief career. He’s accounted for his 13 career touchdowns in three different ways (receiving, rushing and kick return).
NFL SUPERSTAR
Criteria: Again, the name of this category speaks for itself.
12. Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M, No. 7 in 2014 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Had it not been for Odell Beckham, Jr., Evans would have been the easy choice as the NFL’s best rookie receiver and a household name by now. He followed up a brilliant rookie year in 2014 (1,051 yards, 12 TDs) with another big effort in 2015 (1,206 yards, 3 TDs) to cement himself as of one of the game’s brightest young stars. Drops are an issue, but at 6-foot-5, 231 pounds, Evans poses matchup problems every Sunday.
11. Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri, No. 13 in 2013 (New York Jets): Richardson was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2013 and a Pro Bowler a year later. Richardson must avoid the troubling off-the-field incidents such as the 2014 suspension for substance abuse and his 2015 arrest for fleeing police at 143 mph., but he has enormous potential. He finished with five sacks in 2015 despite missing five games.
10. Mike Pouncey, C, Florida, No. 15 in 2011 (Miami Dolphins): Mike and his twin brother, Steelers star center Maurkice Pouncey, are both rocks up front for their respective organizations. A starter for every game in his career like his brother, Mike Pouncey has been selected for the Pro Bowl at guard and center.
9. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama, No. 3 in 2011 (Buffalo Bills): Dareus began to hit his stride from 2013-2014, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl invites in addition to All-Pro honors in 2014. His production slipped somewhat last year with just two sacks as opposing offenses schemed for him, but Dareus remains a beast in the middle capable of taking over games.
8. C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama, No. 17 in 2014 (Baltimore Ravens): The former Alabama star wasted little time in establishing himself as one of the NFL’s best, tallying 133 tackles as a rookie in 2014 before adding 117 more in 2015 to lead a stingy Ravens defense from his middle linebacker spot. Became the first rookie in Ravens history to earn a Pro Bowl berth in 2014.
7. Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama, No. 4 in 2015 (Oakland Raiders): The former Alabama star quickly established himself as a big-time talent, even while stuck on a bad team. Turned in a memorable rookie season by starting 15 games and totaling 1,070 yards receiving and six touchdowns on 72 catches despite little offensive help around him. Cooper will be a major star.
6. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia, No. 10 in 2015 (St. Louis Rams): Several of the nine teams who passed on Gurley out of concern for his surgically repaired knee are kicking themselves. The former Dawg totaled better than 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns despite sitting out the first two games. He also added 21 receptions for 188 yards, managed five games of at least 100 yards rushing, including four consecutive to put aside any concerns about the torn ACL he suffered the year before while playing at Georgia.
5. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia, No. 4 in 2011 (Cincinnati Bengals): Green is already a five-time Pro Bowler after registering his fifth consecutive season of at least 1,000 yards receiving with his effort of 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns on 86 receptions in 2015. A big-play receiver with great speed and soft hands, Green already has 24 career games of at least 100 yards receiving and 45 touchdowns to his credit. A staggering 20 percent (85 of 415) of his career receptions have gone for 20 yards or better and he’s averaging 14.9 yards per catch for his career.
4. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU, No. 12 in 2014 (New York Giants): Beckham has only been in the NFL for two seasons, but has become a regular fixture on the highlight reels with his many breathtaking catches. The former LSU star and NFL Rookie of the Year in 2014 has rung up 187 catches and 25 touchdowns to establish himself as one of the game’s top receivers. Beckham’s first-year total of 91 catches for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns was the most prolific season in league annals for a rookie receiver. He’s only getting better.
3. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama, No. 6 in 2011 (Atlanta Falcons): The former Crimson Tide star is arguably the best receiver in football after tallying career-highs with his NFL-best 1,871 yards and eight touchdowns on his 136 catches in 2015 that matched Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown for the best in the league. A three-time Pro Bowler, Jones already boasts 414 career receptions and 34 touchdowns and three seasons of better than 1,100 yards receiving in his first five years.
2. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU, No. 5 in 2011 (Arizona Cardinals): Peterson has yet to miss a game in what has been a brilliant career so far. Peterson is a four-time Pro Bowler, with selections to the All-Star game at both cornerback and kick returner. He joined select company in the likes of Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith as the only players to have reached four Pro Bowls before their 25th birthdays. Peterson, who has even dabbled on offense, has shown a nose for the football with 17 career interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. He ranks as one of the game’s great all-around talents.
1. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn, No. 1 in 2011 (Carolina Panthers): The former Heisman Trophy winner enjoyed a banner year in 2015, passing for 3,837 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for 636 yards and 10 more scores to lead Carolina to the Super Bowl and garner MVP honors. His infectious smile and engaging personality have made him a national pitchman for numerous products and one of the most recognizable figures in all of sports. A three-time Pro Bowler and former Rookie of the Year in 2011, Newton has thrown for at least 3,000 yards and run for at least 500 yards in each of his five seasons.
John Hollis is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia and Florida.
