5 SEC sleepers and their best (realistic) fits entering the 2026 NFL Draft
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Mock drafts have not been particularly kind to the SEC this offseason.
Pick your favorite NFL mock draft — whether it be Todd McShay, Daniel Jeremiah… any of them, really — and you’ll probably find they have 8 or sometimes 9 SEC guys taken in the first round. There are no guaranteed top 10 picks among those 8 or 9 players, and the majority of them are projected to be selected in the 20s.
For reference, last year’s draft saw 15 SEC players taken in the first round, and the past 5 first rounds have averaged 12 SEC picks. (And if you’re wondering, LSU‘s Mansoor Delane has the best odds to be selected in the top 10, hovering around 58% on Kalshi.)
Even the SEC’s biggest draft storyline is a little tired at this point. Ty Simpson could go in the first round, sure, but it appears much more likely that he’ll be selected on Day 2 with Fernando Mendoza being the clear QB1 in this draft and a strong class coming up on the horizon in 2027.
But even with the first-round headcount down and only a few elite names being thrown around, there’s a ton of value coming out of the SEC this year — in the first round and beyond. Here are 5 SEC sleepers who aren’t getting enough love heading into draft week, in no particular order.
Brenen Thompson — WR, Mississippi State
- Best Fit: Kansas City Chiefs
This is an Andy Reid guy if I’ve ever seen one. Despite the fact that speedsters like Thompson don’t always work out in the NFL, I think this Mississippi State product will be different.
Thompson ran a combine-leading 4.26 in the 40, which should come as no surprise whatsoever if you’ve seen him play. Not only is he fast, he’s an excellent route runner (underrated, I may add) and proved he can match up with physicality at the line of scrimmage by putting up numbers against SEC secondaries. He had 6 receptions for 76 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Texas and fellow future 2026 draftee Malik Muhammed, and averaged 85 yards receiving against Georgia and Ole Miss.
The knock on Thompson is his size. He’s 170 pounds soaking wet and stands at 5-foot-9, which has him listed as a consensus Day 3 prospect. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kansas City targets him at No. 109; that is, assuming someone doesn’t like him enough to take him earlier.
KC Concepcion — WR, Texas A&M
Best fit: Carolina Panthers
Yes, I realize KC Concepcion is (correctly) considered a first-round prospect in many NFL mock drafts. I wouldn’t really call the Texas A&M standout a sleeper, admittedly, but I’ll stand by the notion that he’s getting nowhere near the love he should be.
There are so many teams that could use a player like Concepcion that I’d be shocked if he got to 24, where several (here’s an example) mock drafts have him going to Cleveland. The Panthers immediately come to mind, not only because Bryce Young could desperately use some help on offense, but because Carolina could use his talents as a returner. The Panthers managed the 2nd-fewest kick return yards and 6th-fewest punt return yards in 2025.
Some win-win potential there for whoever ends up drafting him.
R Mason Thomas — Edge, Oklahoma
Best fit: New England Patriots
R Mason Thomas’s draft stock is all over the place. I’ve seen him as high as the teens and as low as Round 3, but I’d be ecstatic if my my team drafted him with a late first-round pick.
On the surface, I understand the hesitation. The Sooners standout has very short arms and, as a result, there are worries about his abilities as a run defender against NFL athletes. What some haven’t considered, however, is that R Mason Thomas is a junkyard dog and a game-wrecker who will gladly pin his ears back and go to war every single snap. Don’t overthink this, NFL GMs.
The Patriots and Seahawks both need a violent rusher off the edge, and I could see either grabbing Thomas off the board at 31 or 32.
Oscar Delp — Tight End, Georgia
Best fit: Denver Broncos
Using college statistics as a gauge to assess NFL-readiness is ill-advised, but I wouldn’t blame you for taking pause with Oscar Delp’s underwhelming 20 receptions and 1 touchdown throughout all of 2025. It begs the question: Why did Delp not get the ball considerably more than he did his last year at Georgia?
A lot of folks are picking Eli Stowers as their TE2 in this draft, but I can’t help but think Delp will have a better NFL career. He’s further along as a blocker and has some impressive speed for a guy who stands at 6-foot-5, 245 pounds. Delp is a sneaky gifted athlete. Better yet, the Broncos are in need of a strong TE to make Bo Nix’s life easier, and Delp fits Denver like a glove.
Jalon Kilgore — Safety, South Carolina
Best fit: Chicago Bears
It’s hard not to let out a hearty “football guy” when watching Jalon Kilgore light dudes up at South Carolina. He can guard tight ends and receivers and plays about as physical as any player in the 2026 class.
Kilgore is flying under the radar because of this year’s excellent safety class. Caleb Downs is considered the jewel of the cycle, but Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are projected first-round guys as well. Kilgore is likely to fall to Day 2, and he fits perfect for a Bears team looking to replace Kevin Byard and JaQuan Brisker from a year ago. Philadelphia at No. 54 makes a ton of sense, too.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
