To the surprise of no one, the Southeastern Conference once again led the way in the NFL draft with eight first-round selections Thursday.

The real surprise came from the order of the picks and the players that failed to hear their name called on the draft’s opening night.

Leonard Floyd’s meteoric rise leading up to the draft resulted in his name being the first called from the league. Meanwhile Laremy Tunsil, the presumed favorite to go No. 1 overall for much of the offseason, dropped all the way to No. 13 in the strangest story to date.

Now that these eight former SEC standouts know where they’ll initially compete in the NFL, which player is best setup for immediate success at the game’s highest level?

1. Laquon Treadwell – Minnesota Vikings

While draft night may have been rough on his former Ole Miss teammates, Treadwell landed on a team full of established veteran offensive talent.

With arguably the best running back of the last decade in Adrian Peterson, a promising young quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater to throw him the ball, an established tight end in Kyle Rudolph and second-year receiver Stefon Diggs coming off a fantastic rookie season, Treadwell won’t be asked to carry the offense year one.

Instead, the physical Treadwell can do what he does best and serve as an imposing possession receiver and ease into a complementary role year one.

2. Robert Nkemdiche – Arizona Cardinals

The fact that Nkemdiche fell all the way to No. 29 shows what a risky selection he was in the eyes of talent evaluators around the NFL. The off-the-field concerns weren’t the only red flag for the former No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, as Nkemdiche has been criticized for lack of consistent effort at times.

If Nkemdiche won’t play hard for Arizona head coach Bruce Arians, the most player-friendly coach in the league, he won’t play hard for any coach. Arians and the Cardinals also helped Tyrann Mathieu resurrect his career and image, and the former LSU star was a much bigger risk at the time of his draft selection.

Expect the culture and veteran environment to bring the best out of Nkemdiche, who likely will be used in Arizona’s rotation of defensive linemen.

3. Keanu Neal – Atlanta Falcons

Another late riser up draft boards, Neal will be asked to play a hybrid safety/linebacker role in the defensive-minded Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn’s system.

Serving as defensive coordinator of the Seahawks in 2013-14, Quinn helped establish the foundations of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” secondary. The physically imposing Neal will fit nicely as the Falcons’ version of Kam Chancellor and serve as the enforcer in the secondary.

An interesting connection between Neal and Quinn already existed before the draft, as Quinn was Florida’s defensive coordinator during Neal’s recruitment to the Gators. Quinn left for Seattle before ever coaching Neal but now has the opportunity to make up for lost time.

4. Leonard Floyd – Chicago Bears

The Bears traded up ahead of the New York Giants in order to secure their selection of the former Georgia standout defender.

Floyd should be thankful, as new Chicago defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was instrumental in turning similar prospect Aldon Smith into the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in only his second season in the NFL.

Floyd may not have the frame to compete immediately on every down in the NFL but if the Bears can maximize the strength of his game – his ability to rush the passer — the rookie could lead the team in sacks his rookie season.

5. Ryan Kelly – Indianapolis Colts

Tired of seeing their franchise quarterback on his back, Indianapolis wisely used their top selection on Kelly.

With only one center currently on the roster (third-year pro Jonotthan Harrison) Kelly will have every opportunity to solidify his place under center for the Colts from day one. Just how effective was Kelly last season for Alabama? He had a 98.3 percent pass block success rate and surrendered zero penalties, according to CFB Film Room.

Indianapolis gave up 37 sacks last season and had to rotate quarterbacks in and out of the lineup after Andrew Luck went down. With Kelly anchoring the middle of the line this season, the Colts now have the foundation to build an improved offensive line from the inside out.

6. Laremy Tunsil – Miami Dolphins

Tunsil’s unfortunate draft tumble cost him millions of dollars in first contract money and also sent him to a Miami team that already feature two established tackles in Branden Albert and Ja’Wuan James.

If Tunsil fails to unseat either veteran, he faces the task of shifting inside and learning a new position at guard. It’s also impossible to tell how the trauma of his nationally televised meltdown will affect him moving forward. It’s likely in Tunsil’s best interest to keep his head down and stay out of the public spectrum.

South Beach may not be the most ideal location to help a rookie keep a low profile.

7. Vernon Hargreaves III – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

VH3 will be asked to start immediately in Tampa opposite another small cornerback in Brent Grimes. The Bucs defense registered 38 sacks in 2015, which tied for No. 14 in the league, so the pass rush likely won’t overwhelm opponents and assist the small secondary this season.

Hargreaves is also notorious for gambling on routes, often looking for a big turnover. NFL quarterbacks are significantly better at using their eyes to fool defenses; how long will it take the rookie defensive back to adjust? While some big plays are likely to be coming from Hargreaves, some missed assignments are just as likely his first year at the NFL level.

8. Germain Ifedi – Seattle Seahawks

The final selection of the first round, Ifedi landed in an ideal location to develop into a quality NFL lineman. With more than a decade of experience coaching the offensive line in the NFL, Seattle assistant coach Tom Cable is regarded as one of the best in the business.

With Cable overseeing his development, the physically gifted Ifedi has a chance to become a more consistent all-around performer for the Seahawks – however, his development won’t come overnight.