Barring a shocking turn of events tonight, LSU QB Joe Burrow is set to become the 11th SEC player selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft since 1980.

Not all 10 SEC players who went No. 1 in the past 40 drafts worked out, but several would go No. 1 overall again in a draft do-over. (As always, only SEC players are eligible. George Rogers went No. 1 overall in 1980, but South Carolina hadn’t joined the SEC.)

10. JaMarcus Russell, LSU QB

No need to keep piling on. It didn’t work out. Taken No. 1 overall in 2007, Russell played just 3 seasons in the NFL. Know this, though: None of the 11 QBs drafted that year reached a Pro Bowl or threw more than 28 career TD passes.

This rest of the class was loaded. Calvin Johnson went No. 2 overall. Joe Thomas was No. 3, Adrian Peterson No. 7, Patrick Willis No. 11, Marshawn Lynch No. 12 and Darrelle Revis No. 14. Five are locks to make the Hall of Fame, and Lynch might get there.

9. Aundray Bruce, Auburn LB

Taken No. 1 overall in 1988, Bruce spent 10 years in the NFL but rarely started after his 2nd season. Even worse, 5 players selected after him went on to become Hall of Famers: Tim Brown, Michael Irvin, Randall McDaniel, Thurman Thomas (2nd round) and Dermontti Dawson (2nd round).

8. Tim Couch, Kentucky QB

Couch set school and SEC records but couldn’t keep it going in the NFL. It wasn’t all his fault. Taken No. 1 overall in 1999, he started almost immediately for the woeful Browns and was sacked a league-high 56 times. He played 5 years and finished with 64 TD passes against 67 interceptions. Donovan McNabb went No. 2 overall. He didn’t make the Hall of Fame, but he made 6 Pro Bowls and led the Eagles to a Super Bowl.

7. Bo Jackson, Auburn RB

Too low? Bo certainly did things we hadn’t seen, but injuries robbed him of realizing all of his potential. He only played 4 seasons — and didn’t play at all for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who drafted him No. 1 overall in 1986.

My favorite Bo stat? He had at least 1 88-yard run in 3 of his 4 seasons. He scored on 2 runs of 90+ yards — matching the most in the NFL from 1946-present.

6. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina DE

There’s still time for Clowney to climb this list, but the No. 1 overall pick in 2014 has yet to have a 10-sack season in the NFL. He’s a 3-time Pro Bowler, but if he doesn’t re-sign with Seattle, he’ll be with his 3rd team in 7 years.

5. Myles Garrett, Texas A&M DE

The No. 1 overall pick in 2017 already has had double-digit sacks in 2 seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and likely would have last season too, had it not been for his bone-headed altercation with Pittsburgh QB Mason Rudolph that resulted in a season-ending suspension. He has been cleared for 2020, though, and is among the most dangerous edge rushers in the game.

4. Matthew Stafford, Georgia QB

The No. 1 overall pick in 2009 has done everything short of win playoff games. He’s 0-3 in the postseason.

From 2010-2019, Stafford threw for 38,758 yards. Only 4 QBs threw for more yards in that decade: Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers and Tom Brady. Stafford is 6th in TD passes in that span, too.

In both categories, he paced all former SEC QBs.

If he played for a better team, you’d think of Stafford as one of the game’s truly elite QBs. Instead, he’s criminally underrated.

3. Cam Newton, Auburn QB

Newton’s career numbers are no match for Stafford’s, but the No. 1 overall pick in 2011 won an MVP and led his Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl.

2. Eli Manning, Ole Miss QB

Little brother never played a down for the Chargers, who took him No. 1 overall in 2004, but he built a Hall of Fame career with the Giants, who traded for him.

Eli is a 2-time Super Bowl MVP who finished his career ranked 7th in NFL history in passing yards (57.023) and 7th in TD passes (366).

Both figures rank 2nd in SEC QB history … and 2nd in his family.

1. Peyton Manning, Tennessee QB

We can debate a lot of things, but not this: Manning is simply the greatest NFL QB and best No. 1 draft pick in SEC history.