The SEC is known for producing elite NFL talent on the defensive side of the ball on a yearly basis, and 2020 will be no different.

When the 2020 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23, in Las Vegas, it is quite possible that 9 different SEC defenders could hear their names called in Round 1. Of course, a lot of that depends on how these players fare in their pre-draft workouts and at the NFL Combine at the end of the month, but there’s plenty of talent in the SEC ranks.

So, who are the best SEC prospects at each defensive position? I’ll break down the top 3 players at each position for you right here:

Interior defensive line

  1. Derrick Brown, Auburn
  2. Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
  3. Jordan Elliott, Mizzou

Derrick Brown is, in my opinion, one of the safest bets in this year’s draft. That guy has an NFL body and he’s probably been ready for the NFL since he was like 12 years old. This is absolute man strength on this play against LSU:

In almost any other year, Javon Kinlaw would be the No. 1 interior defensive lineman in the class. Sadly, he shares this year’s class with Brown. However, he’s still almost a lock to be a Round 1 pick, and deservedly so. You can’t stop him. You can only hold on for dear life and he’s still going to make a play, as this Mizzou offensive lineman discovered:

Elliott doesn’t get much national love, but he’s an incredible athlete and one of the fastest interior defensive linemen you’ll find in this year’s draft class. He might be best in a 3-4 scheme as a defensive end, but no matter where you line him up, he’s a heck of a player.

Edge

  1. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
  2. Terrell Lewis, Alabama
  3. Darrell Taylor, Tennessee

Chaisson has had trouble staying on the field in years past, but in 13 games in 2019, he recorded 13.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. Just look at this incredible play in the Peach Bowl against Oklahoma to see why he’ll continue to be a beast in the NFL:

Lewis is another guy who had injury concerns in college, but if he can stay on the field, he’ll be an impact player. He could work his way into the first-round mix with a strong performance at the NFL Combine.

Taylor is, quite simply, a sack machine. He finished with 8.5 sacks in 2019, bringing his total to 16.5 in the past 2 seasons. He could go pretty early on Day 2 of the draft.

Linebacker

  1. Patrick Queen, LSU
  2. Jacob Phillips, LSU
  3. Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State

This year’s SEC linebacker class was hurt by the fact that Dylan Moses decided to return to Alabama. There are no Roquan Smiths or Devin Whites in this class, but the 3 guys mentioned above have the talent to compete at the NFL level for years to come.

As far as the 2 LSU guys go, I give Queen the edge because of his speed in coverage and his ability to get after opposing quarterbacks. Still, Phillips has the more NFL-ready body and could easily be in the top spot after the NFL Combine.

Gay was limited to only 5 games in 2019 due to suspension, and with the way the NFL scrutinizes every draft prospect, you can bet that will hurt his stock. Yet, here’s the sort of player whatever team drafts him is going to get:

Also, can we acknowledge how hilarious that quote from Moorhead is? “I wish we had 100 Willies.” … No comment.

Cornerback

  1. Kristian Fulton, LSU
  2. CJ Henderson, Florida
  3. Trevon Diggs, Alabama

This is another position where the SEC is absolutely loaded in 2020. Fulton has the talent to be a top-10 pick, and Henderson and Diggs could both be off the board by pick 20. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of these guys. I’d have Fulton ranked slightly ahead of Henderson and Diggs, but it’s close. And then, after that, I think it’s basically a coin flip between Henderson and Diggs.

All 3 of these guys still have a lot to prove, but behind Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah, who is viewed by most as the top corner, they could all be the second corner taken.

Safety

  1. Grant Delpit, LSU
  2. Xavier McKinney, Alabama
  3. J.R. Reed, Georgia

I know Delpit didn’t exactly match his 2018 stats, when he had 5 sacks and 5 interceptions, but he did post 2 sacks and 2 picks in 2019. Plus, he didn’t have to do as much in 2019, playing up near the line of scrimmage more as Derek Stingley Jr. emerged and Fulton took a step forward. He’s still the best overall safety in this class and will almost certainly be a Round 1 pick.

Speaking of being a playmaker, McKinney isn’t that far behind Delpit. McKinney can come up and make big hits in the run game and can run routes even better than some receivers to put himself in position for interceptions:

Reed doesn’t necessarily have the measurables that these other guys have, but he has plenty of experience and always seems to be in a position to make a big play. He won’t go on Day 1 of the draft, but he could be a second- or third-round selection.