The SEC has worn the crown of most NFL Draft production and that will not change any time soon, especially with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma. For perspective on what the Longhorns and Sooners bring to the table, check out the Big 12 draft preview. Here are the SEC players that should be on the radar of draft aficionados this fall:
Alabama
The pipeline of Alabama quarterbacks to the NFL will have to wait because Bryce Young is not eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft. Offensive talent litters the Crimson Tide’s roster, however. Wide receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie III may not be discussed in a manner reminiscent of Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle but they are both fantastic players. Tight end Jahleel Billingsley has been in Nick Saban’s doghouse and Alabama is one of the few programs in the country with the luxury of being able to sit a player that talented to teach him a lesson. The program has produced an offensive lineman taken in the first round each of the past three years. The streak will continue with offensive tackle Evan Neal, who is pound for pound a freak of an athlete. Offensive guard Emil Ekiyor does not carry the same top 10 expectations but could potentially be drafted on Day 2.
The Alabama defensive line is loaded, per usual. Across the front, DJ Dale, Justin Eboigbe, Byron Young and Phidarian Mathis are all NFL-caliber players with the former two having the highest upside. Eboigbe has grown man strength and just tosses opponents out of the club as if he is Carlos from the Benchwarmers. The best of the bunch is edge rusher Will Anderson, who is not eligible for the draft until the following year.
The embarrassment of riches continues beyond that talented front. An annual tradition has been overvaluing Alabama linebackers early in the process whether it was Mack Wilson or Dylan Moses. Is the same happening with Christian Harris? Incoming Tennessee linebacker transfer Henry To’o To’o is a player that has drawn mixed reviews but has taken on a leadership role and flies around the field. The secondary is no less talented with safeties Daniel Wright and Jordan Battle, as well as cornerback Josh Jobe. Cornerback Malachi Moore is likely to be the best of the bunch but is still a year away from being eligible.
Arkansas
Safety Jalen Catalon is a fun and exciting player to watch but there are concerns with his size (5-foot-10, 189) and tackling ability. I want to buy into the player and hope that my exposure to him was just a few of his worst appearances in that regard. Offensively, center Ricky Stromberg is a really sound player at the heart of that Razorbacks offensive line. Wide receiver Treylon Burks has averaged more than 16 yards per reception each of the past two seasons so his 8.4-yards-per-catch average in the 2021 campaign opener was a bit of an outlier. He is comfortably within my top 100 prospects right now.
The team did lose starting wide receiver Mike Woods to Oklahoma.
Auburn
Most of Auburn’s talent is found in the secondary. They have some guys in the front seven that should be drafted but the focus has not been as much on lower-round projections as potential top 100-caliber players. Cornerback Roger McCreary is one of the top seniors in the country and has a knack for making plays on the ball. Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett is another that should generate early-round discussion. West Virginia cornerback transfer Dreshun Miller will be one to watch as the season progresses.
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Florida
Cornerback Kaiir Elam is Florida’s top-ranked prospect, according to CBS Sports’ initial rankings. Elam is ranked No. 19 overall and considered the fourth-best cornerback prospect going into the year. The Gators have a long-standing tradition of producing defensive backs, including Keanu Neal, Joe Haden, C.J. Henderson and Marcus Maye.
The SEC program is cycling bodies along the front seven. Edge rusher Brenton Cox Jr. is currently graded as a top 100 prospect for me. Jeremiah Moon and Mohamoud Diabate are a few others applying pressure off the edge. Linebacker Ventrell Miller has a cheering section in the draft community but his tackling has been inconsistent and he does not look comfortable in coverage.
Quarterback Emory Jones is another being projected to break out this season.
Georgia
The development of USC quarterback transfer J.T. Daniels is one of the more noteworthy storylines of the season. He showed some flashes that prompted CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso to include him in first-round projections a year ago. Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer leads the way for running back Zamir White and would generally allow Daniels time to find wide receiver George Pickens, who is an elite prospect from a talent perspective but is missing time with an injury.
Viewers of last Saturday’s showdown between Georgia and Clemson should be well aware of the defensive wealth in Athens this season. Defensive linemen Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt absorb most of the praise but Travon Walker could become better than both. Nakobe Dean is a modern-era linebacker capable of playing sideline to sideline. The Bulldogs went to the open market to secure the additions of West Virginia safety Tykee Smith and Clemson cornerback Derion Kendrick. Both are within my top 75 prospects overall. Lewis Cine is a homegrown product that added some weight this offseason and looks like an NFL safety.
There was so much talent on that Georgia defense that cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (Miami) and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson departed in search of playing time elsewhere.
The sophomore trio of wide receiver Jermaine Burton and tight ends Arik Gilbert and Darnell Washington is physically different. All are former top 100 prospects that made an impact on the college football landscape immediately. They will not be eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Kentucky
Over the last three years, the Wildcats have elevated their draft profile with 13 being taken during that time period. The expectation is that another handful put themselves in that position this year. Offensive tackles Darian Kinnard and Dare Rosenthal are talented and capable players. The transition to a more balanced offensive attack should expose Kinnard to more pass blocking and that could determine how high his stock rises. Personally, I believe he is best suited to play inside but teams will value the versatility to play both. Rosenthal is an LSU transfer that looks more like a traditional left tackle. Nebraska wide receiver transfer Wan’Dale Robinson made his presence felt Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe accumulating 125 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. Quarterback Will Levis could be one to watch beyond his viral TikTok video of himself eating a banana with the peel. He showcased a Howitzer for an arm but needs to continue developing his eyes.
On the defensive side of the ball, UK has a few players that could be taken in the first few days. Defensive end Josh Paschal is a prospect that scouts were talking about this summer. Nose tackle Marquan McCall has had some dominant moments but they need to become more consistent. The coaching staff said that he has really matured and could take on more of a leadership role.
LSU
LSU has been a factory of offensive talent producing quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and wide receivers Terrace Marshall Jr., Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. NFL scouts will not find that caliber of 2022 NFL Draft offensive prospect in the bayou but they will find some very gifted defenders; notably cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., linebacker Mike Jones Jr., safety Todd Harris Jr., and edge rusher Ali Gaye (not a Jr.). Stingley is the best prospect at his position.
The prospects of cornerback Elias Ricks, wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and edge rusher BJ Ojulari are exciting. Ricks splashed onto the scene last season and made a reasonable case as the team’s best cornerback. Ojulari is the younger brother of Giants second-round choice Azeez Ojulari. He looks like he will be better than his older brother.
Mississippi
It should come as no surprise that Lane Kiffin’s team’s draft prospects reside on the offensive side of the ball. Early returns suggest that Nick Broeker is going to be the polarizing offensive line prospect this year. Projections have been wide ranging. There is a lot for him to improve upon but there is a strong foundation in place. Running back Jerrion Ealy is explosive in the run game and productive in the pass game but his size will prevent him from being anything more than a Day 2 pick. Wide receiver Dontario Drummond is one to double back on after an eye-popping performance in the Rebels’ opener against Louisville.
Outside of the usual suspects, Matt Corral is one of the quarterbacks generating the most discussion. He has traits but he also makes incredibly frustrating decisions with the football.
Edge rusher Sam Williams has a bit of a checkered past and does not possess the length that will make teams salivate. The Alabama native shows first-step quickness but needs to develop his pass-rush moves.
Mississippi State
Charles Cross certainly looks the part at offensive tackle. He shows good speed and natural movement skills but the technique needs some refinement. There are plenty of examples where he is leaning in his stance or oversets. Several tackles in this class have the size profile but need the technique to match.
The Bulldogs’ secondary should be very talented. Texas transfer Jalen Green is transitioning from cornerback to safety because cornerbacks Martin Emerson and Emmanuel Forbes exist. Emerson is hovering around the top 100 and Forbes, who is not eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft, is even better.
Missouri
Two of Missouri’s top draft prospects are Tulsa imports: cornerbacks Akayleb Evans and Allie Green IV. Evans is currently graded among my top 50 players and is a member of a strong cornerback class. Edge rusher Trajan Jeffcoat looks like an NFL prospect already but there is work to be done. Jeffcoat has to work on his counter moves and improve in run defense. Defensive tackle Kobie Whiteside flashes some penetration potential through the use of fast hands but needs to do a better job of controlling his gaps.
Running back Tyler Badie is fun to watch but his size may prevent him from being assigned a feature role at the next level. The Tigers will be incorporating Ohio State wide receiver transfer Mookie Cooper and did lose cornerback Jadarrius Perkins to Florida.
South Carolina
Despite losing defensive tackle Keir Thomas and defensive back Jammie Robinson to Florida State in the transfer portal, the Gamecocks still have some talented prospects on defense. South Carolina’s efforts up front begin with edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare, who checked in at No. 34 on CBS Sports’ initial top 50 prospects list. Enagbare shows an understanding of how to soften the edge and has a few moves to get off blocks but needs to put it all together.
It is evident that defensive tackle Zacch Pickens has a lot of natural ability but he is not quite the prospect that everyone wants him to be yet. Incoming Georgia State edge rusher transfer Jordan Strachan was productive last season with 10.5 sacks but he was reliant on speed. Strachan has moved up to the SEC and will need to find other ways to get to the quarterback consistently. He certainly does not look his listed 6-foot-5, 250 pounds either.
Tennessee
You can find several ex-Volunteers in draft previews for other programs, including Oklahoma, North Carolina, Texas A&M and Alabama. No program lost more through the transfer portal than Tennessee. They did retain some solid players in the form of cornerback Alontae Taylor and offensive guard Cade Mays. Taylor has good size and a physical style of play so I am eager to dive more into his film.
The Vols did add Mississippi State wide receiver JaVonta Payton in the transfer portal.
Texas A&M
The Aggies were one of the most well-represented teams in CBS Sports’ initial top 50 draft prospects: defensive lineman Demarvin Leal (No. 8), offensive guard Kenyon Green (No. 10), tight end Jalen Wydermyer (No. 28) and running back Isaiah Spiller (No. 31). Leal is a unique prospect that can play on the edge or condense inside depending on the situation. Green was moved to right tackle for Texas A&M after incoming Tennessee transfer Jahmir Johnson was installed at left tackle this season. Green is best suited on the interior.
Wide receiver Ainias Smith and Spiller give the SEC team two of the most explosive skill players in the conference. Smith is a prospect with versatility to line up in the backfield. Wydermyer is a physically imposing pass catcher. Safety Demani Richardson could rise this fall. He is an athletic safety with a muscular build most comfortable playing downhill.
Vanderbilt
The Commodores made the right decision to hire head coach Clark Lea and appear to be making a strong commitment to the football program by investing in facility upgrades. However, Vanderbilt is not going to have much excitement in the 2022 NFL Draft.
