10 SEC players who could be Round 1 picks in the 2027 NFL Draft
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The SEC just finished second to the Big Ten in the 2026 NFL Draft, producing 7 first-round picks to the B1G’s 10. Yes, the SEC ultimately produced the most overall draft picks for the 20th-straight season, but those Round 1 numbers will be used as fuel by SEC haters.
Fortunately for the conference, the 2027 NFL Draft has the potential to see the SEC retake the Round 1 throne.
Below are 10 SEC standouts who could (and probably should) be taken in Round 1 of next year’s draft.
1. Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Manning will once again be the most-analyzed player in America. And for good reason. If the Texas QB continues the momentum he built at the end of last season this fall, he could be in the mix to go No. 1 overall. Teams like the Jets, Cardinals and Steelers could potentially be in the QB market once again in 2027. It seems to be a near-lock that Manning will be a Round 1 pick. The only question is how high he can rise up draft boards.
Will Manning go No. 1 overall in 2027? He currently has a 26% chance, per Kalshi:
2. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
Chambliss was being mocked as a potential Round 1 pick for 2026 before the courts granted him another year of college eligibility. Now he’ll be back in Oxford for 1 last season at Ole Miss. Even with Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. off to LSU, I still think Chambliss will lead a dynamic offense. He’ll put up big numbers and teams will give him a long look in Round 1.
3. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
Sellers certainly took a step backwards in 2025, but the physical skillset is something NFL GMs and scouts have already noted. Sellers was a projected 2026 first-round pick before South Carolina‘s struggles this past fall. Those weren’t all on Sellers’ shoulders, of course, as his OC was fired during the season. If Sellers looks like himself again this fall, he’s going to draw plenty of NFL interest.
4. Colin Simmons, Edge, Texas
Now we switch to the defensive side of the ball and a pair of amazing SEC edge rushers. Simmons finished strong in 2025, recording 1 sack in each of his last 5 games. He ended up leading the SEC with 12.0 sacks, edging out Texas A&M star Cashius Howell. Simmons probably would’ve been a first-round pick in 2026, but he will just be entering his third college season this fall. He has the potential to be a top-5 pick in 2027.
5. Dylan Stewart, Edge, South Carolina
Stewart didn’t really take the step forward most expected in 2025. However, the flashes of brilliance are still there. As mentioned above, South Carolina was a mess this past season, and it affected everyone on the field. If those issues on the coaching staff have been sorted out this offseason, Stewart and Sellers should show much more of their first-round potential in 2026.
6. Ahmad Hardy, RB, Mizzou
We’ve started this list with quarterbacks, then moved on to edge rushers. Now we hit a pair of top-tier running backs. We’ll start with Mizzou’s Ahmad Hardy, who was electric in his first year with the Tigers. Hardy became the latest in a growing line of elite Mizzou running backs under head coach Eli Drinkwitz. He led the SEC in rushing yards in 2025 with 1,649 despite getting 50 fewer carries and playing 2 fewer games than Ole Miss star Kewan Lacy (more on him in a second). Lacy scored 24 touchdowns to Hardy’s 16, but that had more to do with Mizzou’s lackluster QB play. Hardy is going to draw plenty of attention from NFL scouts.
7. Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
Lacy (who started his career at Mizzou) is another amazing SEC running back. It was great work by head coach Pete Golding to keep Lacy in Oxford instead of following Kiffin to LSU. With Chambliss and Lacy running the offense, it figures to be another high-scoring year for the Rebels. I can’t wait to see who wins the rushing yards battle this fall.
8. Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
Coleman left Auburn for Texas in one of the highest-profile transfers of the offseason. Now he should have an elite quarterback for the first time in his career. He’s already proven he’s the best in the country at contested catches. Playing alongside Ryan Wingo and with Arch Manning throwing him the ball, though, he should get more clean looks this fall. After putting up 93 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns in Auburn’s abysmal offenses the past 2 years, the sky is the limit for Coleman under Steve Sarkisian.
9. Jordan Seaton, OL, LSU
Seaton was a big pickup for Kiffin and the Tigers. He started for Colorado the past 2 years and finished as a second-team All-Big12 lineman last year. At 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, Seaton is an absolutely massive human being with incredible NFL potential. He’ll be Sam Leavitt’s best friend this year if all goes well.
10. Ellis Robinson IV, CB, Georgia
We can’t end this list without a Georgia player, can we? Robinson has been steadily improving during his time in Athens and should be a top corner in the nation this fall. Robinson had an impressive 4 interceptions this past season, to go with 7 pass breakups. I wouldn’t be surprised to see his interceptions numbers go down this year as teams stop throwing to his side of the field. But he’s clearly an elite defender.
Of course, there are plenty of other potential Round 1 picks from the SEC who aren’t mentioned in this piece, as this is just a top-10 list. But shoutout to guys like LSU TE Trey’Dez Green, LSU QB Sam Leavitt, Texas OL Trevor Goosby, Mizzou OL Cayden Green, LSU edge Princewill Umanmielen, Alabama WR Ryan Coleman-Williams and others who should find themselves in the Round 1 discussion during the 2026 college football season at various points, too.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
