If you follow the lead-up to the NFL Draft, you have probably seen countless mock drafts. Ever since last year’s draft ended, there’s been talk of how the SEC’s 2017 draft class would have an abundance of first-round talent.

The most prominent name associated with draft coverage is ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. He’s been analyzing the NFL Draft for the World Wide Leader for more than three decades and is always front and center in the network’s live coverage. In his latest mock draft (all three rounds are available via ESPN Insider), Kiper has 12 SEC products going in the first round. But not everyone agrees. When comparing his mock first round to longtime Sports Illustrated reporter  Peter King, former scout and NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus, SB Nation blog Mocking the Draft and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, there’s only about eight universal first-round picks from the SEC.

Let’s see how the opinions differ among the various media types:

Player  Kiper  King Jeremiah  PFF MTD  MJD
 Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett  1  1  1  1 1  1
 LSU S Jamal Adams  3  3  2  5  3  3
 Alabama DT Jonathan Allen  4  13  17  3  7  12
 Alabama LB Reuben Foster  5  11  9  11  17  9
 Alabama TE O.J. Howard  6  12  6  18  10  4
 LSU RB Leonard Fournette  15  4  4  24  4  8
 Alabama CB Marlon Humphrey  18  24  11  26  27  30
 Florida LB Jarrad Davis  22  25  21  X  21  21
 Missouri DE Charles Harris  23  28  15  31  X  16
 LSU CB Tre’Davious White  24  22  X  21  32  13
 Vanderbilt LB Zach Cunningham  27  X  X  29  24  X
 Tennessee DE Derek Barnett  28  10  14  4  9  11
 Alabama OT Cam Robinson  X 19  25  X  X  23

What stands out

  • Garrett is the only agreed-upon pick, and that happens to be No. 1. Despite what Warren Sapp has to say, it sure looks like the Aggies’ pass-rusher is going to be the first name called.
  • The six draft forecasters don’t see Jamal Adams falling out of the top five.
  • NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock recently opined that Foster would not fall out of the top 20 despite his NFL Scouting Combine exit and failed drug test (diluted sample). Sure enough, the above six all have him going No. 17 or higher.
  • Palazzolo’s 7.0 mock really stands out from the rest. He’s noticeably low on Fournette at No. 24 when the others have the former Tiger in the top 15, but he’s high on a pair of SEC defenders, Auburn DE Carl Lawson (No. 16) and Alabama edge rusher Tim Williams (No. 32).
  • If we’re going to pick on Palazzolo for being low on Fournette and Davis, it’s fair to call out Kiper for having Barnett at No. 28 when the others have Tennessee’s all-time sacks leader in the top 15.
  • Eight of the above players, including Kiper’s top seven from the SEC, were unanimous first-rounders among the six mocks. Three other draft hopefuls –  Davis, Harris and White – miss the cut by one. If one considers 11 SEC alumni as near consensus picks, it becomes a possibility that the record is broken with 13 first-round picks.
  • The best candidates for No. 13 are the 50-50 guys listed above, Cunningham and Robinson. Besides Garrett going No. 1, not much else is a sure thing, so there could be a surprise second-round projection sneaking into the first 32 picks. The possibility of the record gives SEC fans something to watch for on Thursday night. After Alabama’s loss to Clemson, the conference faithful (or at least Paul Finebaum’s loyal listeners) are in desperate need of some bragging rights.