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To no one’s surprise, the SEC sends more players to the NFL draft annually than any other conference in the country. No conference does a better job at turning its elite high school recruits into NFL prospects.
Who are the SEC’s players that could give their draft stock a big boost during bowl season?
QB Nick Marshall, Auburn
Outback Bowl, Jan. 1 vs. Wisconsin
Scouts have been talking about Marshall playing something other than quarterback at the next level, and he clearly has the athleticism to do it. At 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, he has ideal size to play safety in the pros, and he was originally recruited to play defensive back. Marshall has said that he’d like to play quarterback, and he has one last game to prove he has the arm to do it in the NFL. Marshall lit it up through the air in the Iron Bowl, and he faces a Wisconsin team that was best in the Big Ten in pass defense. If he can put up a big performance against the Badgers, he’ll have scouts rethinking his position in the pros.
LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State
Orange Bowl, Dec. 31 vs. Georgia Tech
McKinney is already considered one of the best draft prospects in the SEC and the top linebacker in this year’s class, but he can vault himself up the draft board by putting up a dominating performance in the Orange Bowl. While McKinney certainly won’t see any triple-option offenses in the pros, he can add to a growing list of evidence that he is going to be the highly intelligent brain of an NFL defense in the near future. Mississippi State will need McKinney to be on top of snuffing out Georgia Tech’s rushing attack, and McKinney can use a strong performance to go flying up draft projections into the top half of the first round.
CB Jalen Collins, LSU
Music City Bowl, Dec. 30 vs. Notre Dame
Collins hasn’t officially declared for the NFL draft, but all indications are that he’ll be turning pro after his junior season comes to an end after the Music City Bowl. With the NFL trending toward bigger cornerbacks, Collins will fit right in at the professional level, measuring 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds. Collins led LSU in pass break ups in 2014, but only had one interception. Against a mistake-prone Notre Dame offense, he could pad that total and show the NFL he has some serious ball skills.
RT Austin Shepherd, Alabama
Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1 vs. Ohio State
Shepherd is considered a fringe draft prospect, but he can prove to teams he’s worth a late-round flier with a strong Sugar Bowl. He and left tackle Cam Robinson will be the two men largely responsible for dealing with Joey Bosa, Ohio State’s outstanding defensive end. With the Buckeyes moving Bosa around frequently, Shepherd could see plenty of work against the sophomore. If he can help keep Bosa in check and out of the backfield, NFL scouts should take notice.
RB Mike Davis, South Carolina
Independence Bowl, Dec. 27 vs. Miami
Steve Spurrier expects Davis to turn pro, and the running back has some work to do on his draft stock after a junior year that didn’t meet expectations. He has the chance to impress against a tough Miami run defense that allowed just 3.7 yards per carry this season. The linemen in front of him, especially Corey Robinson, can help make up for an up-and-down season with a big performance against Miami’s tough defensive front.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
