No conference produces NFL talent like the SEC. This is proven year-in and year-out via the NFL Draft, where the boys from down south annually let the rest of the country know where the best football is played.

Regularly the SEC produces top-shelf RBs, OL, LBs and DBs, and recently have become a hotbed of WRs, as well. But if there’s one area where the SEC truly proves its dominance, it’s along the DL. In fact, in the past five drafts, the SEC has seen 23 defensive linemen selected in the first or second rounds – just a staggering figure, especially compared to the other Power 5 conferences (ACC — 14; PAC 12 — 11; Big Ten — 8; Big 12 — 3).

So who are the best DL prospects in the SEC this fall? Here’s a ranking of the top 10 as of now, though it’s sure to change throughout the season. A quick disclaimer – only draft eligible players are included and we’re not including guys who will almost assuredly be moved to OLB at the next level like Jabari Zuniga, Cece Jefferson, etc.

10. Jonathan Ledbetter, DE/DT, Georgia

The versatile lineman has moved on from some alcohol issues early in his career and become a rock up front for the Bulldogs. He’s still coming along as a pass rusher, improving his hands and repertoire of rush moves, but he provides great flexibility for their defense because of his versatility to play inside or out. He thrives against the run, showing great strength in his base and the ability to anchor down and split doubles.

As an NFL prospect his greatest strength is his versatility. At 6-4, 277 pounds he can play 5-tech in a 3-4, 3-tech in a 4-3 or even strongside DE in a 4-3. I also think he can slide inside to nose in a 4-3 in sub packages. NFL teams love versatility in their linemen because of the flexibility it provides them in terms of creating different looks, and Ledbetter can do just that while also providing excellent run defense.

9. McTelvin Agim, DT, Arkansas

Agim has become a real difference-maker up front with his disruptive playing style. He’s a good athlete who can move, showing good lateral quickness and burst upfield, with the ability to penetrate and collapse the pocket. He plays through the whistle and will make plays on broken runs away due to his hustle and speed. He’s a heady player who reads the ball well, showing good instincts and the ability to react quickly.

He’s best suited as a penetrating 3-tech in a 4-3 defense thanks to his ability to generate a pass rush from the inside. His rush numbers in college aren’t great on paper, but that’s not really indicative of how his play affects the rest of the defense. As he continues to use his hands better, he’ll see his sack numbers rise.

8. Terry Beckner Jr., DT, Mizzou

I wasn’t the only one surprised Beckner came back for his senior season after a fantastic junior campaign in 2017. After overcoming knee injuries in his first two years in Columbia, the former 5-star prospect finally was able to stay healthy the whole season and blew up for 10.5 TFLs and 7 sacks.

He plays with an inconsistent motor and doesn’t show much of a get-off, but when he’s dialed in he can be a force inside with the strength and athleticism to shed blocks and play two gaps. Beckner reminds me a lot of former Mizzou star Sheldon Richardson (1st round, 2013) — and like Richardson I think he’s also best suited at 5-tech in a 3-4 front in the NFL.

7. Isaiah Buggs, DT/DE, Alabama

Buggs was one of the less heralded players on an absolutely loaded Alabama defense last year, but he was arguably one of the most consistent and reliable players they had. He’s big (6-5, 295), long, powerful and athletic with the ability to play boh inside at DT and outside at DE. He has a strong punch and generally gets good hand placement inside, allowing him to rag doll linemen and shed off to the ball gap.

He’s not an explosive pass rusher and is still improving his hands, but he’s a remarkably consistent player rushing the passer and stuffing the run. He’s not getting as much national attention as he probably should, but that will change with another solid campaign this fall, one in which he’ll take on more of a leadership role.

Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

6. D.J. Wonnum, DE, South Carolina

Wonnum showed a lot of progress developmentally from his freshman to sophomore seasons, and by the end of 2017 was one of the better pass rushers in the conference. He has the length and strength to rush from both sides of the line, and from either a 2 or 3-point stance. He has good burst off the ball and uses his long arms well to get extension and shed blockers, showing good hands and the ability to rush half a man.

He’s surprisingly refined (for his age) with his repertoire of rush moves, showing an ability to bait and stack blockers with various moves, including an effective inside counter. He’s well-rounded with his ability to play the run, in addition to getting after the QB. If he continues to develop at his current rate, he’s going to rapidly rise up draft boards toward the end of his junior year this fall.

5. Landis Durham, DE, Texas A&M

His size (6-3, 255) suggests he should only be an OLB in the NFL, but man, I love him coming off the edge from a 4-point stance. He’s an electric athlete with an elite first step, showing a great get-off and the ability to get upfield in a hurry. He offers enormous upside as a pass rusher, displaying the twitch and flexibility to rush the arc and get underneath longer OTs off the edge. He’s also stronger against the run than you might think, showing decent power at the point of attack and reading the ball carrier well, using his hands effectively to shed blocks and cross face inside.

Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

With his speed, quickness, strength, explosiveness and athleticism he be used all over the place. He could play 3-4 OLB and rush standing up, but like I said earlier, I love him coming out of a 4-point stance, so I think he’s best suited at wide-9 in a 4-3 defense, in a role similarly to how the Jaguars use Yannick Ngakoue.

4. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State

The footage of him beating a woman on the ground is hard to watch, but he’s seemingly made the most of the second chance former coach Dan Mullen granted him. It certainly won’t help his draft stock, but few leagues are as forgiving as the NFL, especially when you’re talking about a player as talented as Simmons, who is one of the most gifted defensive linemen in a league well known for talented defensive linemen.

He has good size at 6-4, 300 with quickness, burst, twitch and power. He’s stout at the point of attack, can split and dip under doubles, penetrate the backfield and chase down ball carriers on backside runs. With his skill set he has the potential to play numerous positions in various schemes, making him a flexible chess piece to be taken advantage of by a creative DC.

3. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

If the 2019 NFL Draft class wasn’t historically talented and deep at DT, Brown would be getting far more attention. With that said, he’s still being mentioned as a possible first-round pick for next year, so it’s not like he’s being snubbed by the national media. At 6-5, 325 he’s hard to miss on the field, though he has the feet and quickness of a much smaller man, making him a nightmare to block inside.

He shows tremendous strength in his base to anchor down and split doubles, making him an ideal fit as a two-gap NT in a 3-4 front. Considering his athleticism and lateral mobility however, he could also play nose or 3-tech in an even front as well. Athletes with his size, strength and agility are hard to find, meaning he has a chance to be an early pick next April.

2. Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State

The 6-6, 250-pounder initially played for Michigan State before transferring to a JUCO and then Starkville. He’s a gifted athlete with prototypical length for an edge rusher, and he uses that length well, whether it’s reaching for the QB, batting down a pass or getting extension on an OT to shed. He shows excellent burst and a quick first step, rushing with good leverage despite his height.

He needs to get more powerful in his base to better hold up at the point of attack against the run, but he offers unbelievable upside to develop into an upper echelon pass rusher. Considering the amount of attention he’ll necessitate this fall, asking him to replicate or surpass his sack totals from last year might be a tall order, but scouts don’t need to see him put up another 10 sacks again to know what kind of potential he has.

1. Raekwon Davis, DT/DE, Alabama

At 6-7, 310 and blessed with unbelievable strength and athleticism, Davis is a sight to behold on film. Guys his size just shouldn’t be able to move the way he does. He can rush the passer from anywhere along the line using a very good but still improving repertoire of rush moves and can collapse the pocket quickly. He has long arms and a powerful base, reacting quickly to the run and shedding to the ball gap – and he has the speed to make plays on runs away.

The 2019 NFL Draft class is shaping up to be historically great along the defensive line – potentially half the top-10 could be defensive linemen – and Davis is among that group. His versatility, mobility, lateral quickness, range, strength and flexibility are of the caliber to potentially make him a perennial Pro Bowler at the next level.