With the NFL draft looming and plenty of time to review prospects after the NFL Combine and individual pro days, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his fourth mock draft of the year on Thursday.

The extra film study and evaluation has been kind to SEC players at the top of the 2015 draft, at least in Kiper Jr.’s eyes. He’s upgraded some of his projections for SEC first-rounders and added a few more.

RELATED: NFL draft countdown: SEC WRs

Here’s how the SEC’s first-round players currently project, according to Kiper Jr.:

4. Alabama WR Amari Cooper (Oakland Raiders)
5. Florida DE Dante Fowler Jr. (Washington Redskins)
9. Missouri OLB Shane Ray (New York Giants)
16. Kentucky DE Bud Dupree (Houston Texans)
19. Georgia RB Todd Gurley (Cleveland Browns)
20. Alabama S Landon Collins (Philadelphia Eagles)
23. LSU OT La’El Collins (Detroit Lions)
25. Florida OT D.J. Humphries (Carolina Panthers)
30. LSU CB Jalen Collins (Green Bay Packers)

The biggest surprise is that Kiper Jr. has slotted Gurley all the way up at No. 19.

The former SEC standout hasn’t been able to perform on the field for NFL scouts since tearing his ACL during the season, and with running backs getting devalued more every season, it’s no longer a certainty that at least one will get selected in the first round each year.

Gurley has the talent to be a Top 20 selection, but that’s a valuable resource to spend on a back who may not be 100 percent at the start of the season, especially for a franchise with many needs like the Browns.

Other big risers by Kiper Jr.’s estimation in the last few months include Kentucky’s Dupree and Florida’s Humphries.

The discussion on where to play La’el Collins at the next level continues to intensify. Kiper Jr. lists him as an offensive tackle, then casually mentions him as “an immediate upgrade at left guard, as he’s one of the most dominant run-blockers in the draft over the past few seasons.”