Updating SEC's early NFL Draft projections
The NFL Draft is still more than three months away, but draft projections are already running rampant. Most draft boards are littered with SEC talents at every position (except place kicker), but the projected success of those SEC prospects varies.
Take a look at where the stars of the SEC are expected to be selected in the draft three months before the fact.
(NOTE: Draft projections and position rankings courtesy of CBS Sports; players listed at positions they’ll play in NFL, not positions they played in college — i.e Nick Marshall listed as a CB not a QB.)
QUARTERBACK
Blake Sims, Alabama: No. 8 quarterback, projected 6th or 7th round pick
Hutson Mason, Georgia: No. 15 quarterback, projected 7th round pick
Bo Wallace, Ole Miss: No. 18 quarterback, projected to go undrafted
RUNNING BACK
Todd Gurley, Georgia: No. 2 running back, projected 1st or 2nd round pick
T.J. Yeldon, Alabama: No. 7 running back, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Cameron Artis-Payne, Auburn: No. 8 running back, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Mike Davis, South Carolina: No. 9 running back, projected 3rd round pick
Matt Jones, Florida: No. 14 running back, projected 4th or 5th round pick
Terrence Magee, LSU: No. 16 running back, projected 5th round pick
Josh Robinson, Mississippi State: No. 19 running back, projected 6th round pick
Marcus Murphy, Missouri: No. 21 running back, projected 7th round pick
Corey Grant, Auburn: No. 26 running back, projected 7th round pick
FULLBACK
Jalston Fowler, Alabama: No. 1 fullback, projected 4th or 5th round pick
Connor Neighbors, LSU: No. 3 fullback, projected 6th or 7th round pick
Hunter Joyer, Florida: No. 5 fullback, projected 7th round pick
WIDE RECEIVER
Amari Cooper, Alabama: No. 1 wide receiver, projected 1st round pick
Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma (played only college ball at Missouri): No. 4 wide receiver, projected 1st round pick
Sammie Coates, Auburn: No. 6 wide receiver, projected 1st or 2nd round pick
Chris Conley, Georgia: No. 40 wide receiver, projected 7th round pick
TIGHT END
C.J. Uzomah, Auburn: No. 16 tight end, projected 7th round pick
Rory Anderson, South Carolina: No, 18 tight end, projected 7th round pick
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
La’El Collins, LSU: No. 4 offensive tackle, projected 1st round pick
Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M: No. 10 offensive tackle, projected 3rd round pick
Austin Shepherd, Alabama: No. 13 offensive tackle, projected 4th round pick
Corey Robinson, South Carolina: No. 15 offensive tackle, projected 5th round pick
Trenton Brown, Florida: No. 23 offensive tackle, projected 7th round pick
Mitch Morse, Missouri: No. 24 offensive tackle, projected 7th round pick
Chaz Green, Florida: No. 25 offensive tackle, projected 7th round pick
D.J. Humphries, Florida: No. 28 offensive tackle, projected to go undrafted
GUARD
A.J. Cann, South Carolina: No. 1 guard, projected 2nd round pick
Arie Kouandjio, Alabama: No. 4 guard, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Ben Beckwith, Mississippi State: No. 12 guard, projected 6th round pick
Jarvis Harrison, Texas A&M: No. 14 guard, projected 7th round pick
Leon Brown, Alabama: No. 17 guard, projected 7th round pick
CENTER
Reese Dismukes, Auburn: No. 1 center, projected 2nd round pick
Max Garcia, Florida: No. 6 center, projected 6th or 7th round pick
David Andrews, Georgia: No. 10 center, projected 7th round pick
Dillon Day, Mississippi State: No. 11 center, projected to go undrafted
DEFENSIVE END
Shane Ray, Missouri: No. 2 defensive end, projected 1st round pick
Bud Dupree, Kentucky: No. 3 defensive end, projected 1st round pick
Danielle Hunter, LSU: No. 6 defensive end, projected 2nd round pick
Trey Flowers, Arkansas: No. 8 defensive end, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Za’Darius Smith, Kentucky: No. 9 defensive end, projected 3rd round pick
Preston Smith, Mississippi State: No. 10 defensive end, projected 3rd round pick
Jermauria Rasco, LSU: No. 20 defensive end, projected 6th or 7th round pick
Ray Drew, Georgia: No. 22 defensive end, projected 7th round pick
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Gabe Wright, Auburn: No. 9 defensive tackle, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Kaleb Eulls, Mississippi State: No. 14 defensive tackle, projected 4th round pick
Darius Philon, Arkansas: No. 24 defensive tackle, projected 7th round pick
Brandon Ivory, Alabama: No. 26 defensive tackle, projected 7th round pick
Bryon Bennett, Ole Miss: No. 29 defensive tackle, projected to go undrafted
INSIDE LINEBACKER
Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State: No. 1 inside linebacker, projected 1st or 2nd round pick
Ramik Wilson, Georgia: No. 4 inside linebacker, projected 3rd or 4th round pick
Trey DePriest, Alabama: No. 11 inside linebacker, projected 6th or 7th round pick
Amarlo Herrera, Georgia: No. 14 inside linebacker, projected 7th round pick
A.J. Johnson, Tennessee: No. 16 inside linebacker, projected 7th round pick
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
Dante Fowler, Florida: No. 1 outside linebacker, projected 1st round pick
Markus Golden, Missouri: No. 8 outside linebacker, projected 3rd round pick
Kwon Alexander, LSU: No. 12 outside linebacker, projected 4th round pick
Martrell Spaight, Arkansas: No. 13 outside linebacker, projected 4th or 5th round pick
Xzavier Dickson, Alabama: No. 21 outside linebacker, projected 6th or 7th round pick
CORNERBACK
Jalen Collins, LSU: No. 7 cornerback, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Senquez Golson, Ole Miss: No. 8 cornerback, projected 2nd or 3rd round pick
Nick Marshall, Auburn: No. 22 cornerback, projected 5th round pick
Deshazor Everett, Texas A&M: No. 24 cornerback, projected 5th or 6th round pick
Damian Swann, Georgia: No. 26 cornerback, projected 6th round pick
Justin Coleman, Tennessee: No. 30 cornerback, projected 7th round pick
Jonathon Mincy, Auburn: No. 36 cornerback, projected 7th round pick
FREE SAFETY
Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss: No. 1 free safety, projected 2nd round pick
Justin Cox, Mississippi State: No. 12 free safety, projected 7th round pick
Jermaine Whitehead, Auburn: No. 19 free safety, projected to go undrafted
Nick Perry, Alabama: No. 20 free safety, projected to go undrafted
STRONG SAFETY
Landon Collins, Alabama: No. 1 strong safety, projected 1st round pick
Ronald Martin, LSU: No. 15 strong safety, projected to go undrafted
Robenson Therezie, Auburn: No. 16 strong safety, projected to go undrafted
Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss: No. 17 strong safety, projected to go undrafted
PUNTER
Kyle Christy, Florida: No. 4 punter, projected 7th round pick
Sam Irwin-Hill, Arkansas: No. 7 punter, projected to go undrafted
LONG SNAPPER
Kyle East, Vanderbilt: No. 1 long snapper, projected to be a 7th round pick