Last year, the SEC produced 15 players that were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
In that spirit, throughout the 2025 college football season, I’ll be taking a look at the top 15 NFL Draft prospects playing in the SEC this year. This list will be updated based on performance and the perception of each player in the eyes of both scouts and myself throughout the year.
Let’s dive in, starting with No. 1:
1. Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama
Comparison: An SUV that has gained self-awareness and learned how to play football. Also, best-case scenario, maybe there’s a whiff of Jonathan Ogden here.
The Skinny: Proctor grew by leaps and bounds between his freshman and sophomore seasons, seeing his sacks allowed and QB pressures cut in half from one year to the next. There are still some consistency and conditioning issues that could give teams pause, but Proctor’s size (6-7, 360-ish pounds), his mean streak and his otherworldly power will have scouts drooling throughout the season. If Proctor puts it all together this year, he could be the first tackle off the board next April, and potentially the top overall pick in the NFL Draft.
2. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
Comparison: Jalen Hurts’ intangibles with Daunte Culpepper’s arm and Bubba Ray Dudley’s glasses.
The Skinny: It would be easy to look at LaNorris Sellers as your prototypical dual threat quarterback who comes to the NFL with a clearly-defined skillset that includes all of the typical strengths and weaknesses of a player with Sellers’ profile. But there’s more than meets the eye with South Carolina‘s second-year starter. Sellers is a truly special athlete who busted off numerous highlight-reel worthy runs during the 2024 season. But he’s also a far more evolved prospect than that. His pocket presence and football IQ are incredibly advanced, especially considering he only turned 20-years-old in June. The 2026 quarterback class projects to be a strong one, and it’s not out of the question that Sellers may be the best of the bunch.
3. Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Comparison: Andrew Luck mixed with Trevor Lawrence, minus the Sunshine Ronnie Bass hair. That’s right, I didn’t compare him to one of his uncles or his grandfather.
The Skinny: Because Arch has been in the national consciousness for so long, it feels like the Texas QB is a fully-formed player and prospect. But in truth, there’s still a whole lot of projection when it comes to Arch Manning. With only 2 starts to his name and 95 pass attempts in his collegiate career, it’s not a mischaracterization to say that Arch is unproven, but then again, he also comes with a familial pedigree and a feel for the position that few other quarterback prospects will ever possess. He has the physical and mental maturity of a top-5 pick, and with the Longhorns in the national spotlight and championship hunt yet again, Manning has the chance to leave no doubts on his way to the NFL. But a trip to the NFL could wait until 2027, per Grandpa Archie.
4. Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
Comparison: Depending on where you wanna line him up, Fred Warner or Micah Parsons both come to mind.
The Skinny: Even more so than Proctor or either of the quarterbacks ahead of him, Anthony Hill Jr. may be the closest thing to a surefire NFL prospect as things stand in August 2025. Hill is the most complete linebacker prospect in the 2026 draft class, and likely would’ve been the first linebacker off the board in 2025, too. He’s solid in coverage, flies from sideline to sideline and can absolutely light ball-carriers up. And if all of that weren’t enough, he’s also got the makeup of a player who could be moved to the edge if NFL defenses value his skills as a pass-rusher more than anything else. Hill had 8 sacks in 2024 on top of 113 tackles, 4 forced fumbles and a pick-6. Regardless of where Hill ends up playing in the NFL, it’s hard not to imagine multiple Pro Bowl seasons in his future.
5. Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn
Comparison: Calais Campbell with young legs, with the upside of Julius Peppers.
The Skinny: Faulk won’t turn 20 years old until the second week of the 2025 college season, but even as a teenager, he’s built like an absolute tank of an adult man who has the capability of playing anywhere you want him to across the defensive line. The 6-6, 285-pound Faulk showed the ability to generate pressure both on the edge and in the interior of the defensive line, and as he continues to mature, he’ll only get better. His get-off can be a step slow, but Faulk has shown he has a knack for using his length and size to his advantage, and plays with the appropriate amount of violence for a player at his position.
6. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Comparison: A not-so-irrelevant Brock Purdy.
The Skinny: Nussmeier doesn’t have the prototypical size or jaw-dropping physical gifts that both LaNorris Sellers and Arch Manning can boast, but the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier plays like the son of a coach. He’s in command pre-snap, remarkably accurate delivering balls to his target, tough as nails standing in the pocket, and unlike Sellers and Manning, he’ll definitely be part of the 2026 NFL Draft class. Nussmeier was incredibly productive in his first season as the starter at LSU, but if his primary comparison is a guy who was selected with the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, isn’t that somewhat of a concern regarding Nussmeier’s draft stock?
7. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Comparison: Brock Bowers, but let’s calm down about it, okay?
The Skinny: Currently the consensus top tight end prospect in the 2026 draft class, Stowers still has work to do in developing as a blocker, but adding a decent amount of muscle in the offseason should help him in that regard. Beyond that though, the 6-4, 235-pounder is the prototype for the new breed of power-slot tight ends who have a great deal of versatility as a pass-catcher. Stowers is a precise route-runner who has soft hands and has shown some promising burst as a runner after the catch. Even if Stowers never turns himself into an above-average blocker, what he brings to the table in the passing game will likely be enough that creative offensive coordinators will push to make Stowers the Vanderbilt Commodore to be selected in the first round since 2008.
8. Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Auburn
Comparison: Pre-Gambling Suspension Calvin Ridley.
The Skinny: After 2 extremely productive seasons at Georgia Tech — including a 2024 campaign in which he became the Yellow Jackets’ first ever 1,000-yard receiver — we’ll learn a whole lot about Eric Singleton Jr. this year, his first in the SEC. Although he’s a little undersized, Singleton is a crafty route-runner with legitimate NFL speed who is willing to do the dirty work in the middle of the field or make plays on the perimeter. Singleton could end up being the first wide receiver off the board next April so long as he holds up well in the big, bad Southeastern Conference.
9. LT Overton, Edge, Alabama
Comparison: Early-career Cameron Heyward, with late-career Cameron Heyward potential to boot. I guess what I’m saying is Cameron Heyward is the comparison.
The Skinny: Similar to his Iron Bowl counterpart Keldric Faulk, LT Overton possesses the ideal size and explosiveness of a Swiss army knife defensive lineman who could line up wherever you need him to. Overton may not have as high of a ceiling as Faulk, but with 36 games under his belt, he’s got the experience in high-intensity games that suggests he should adjust just fine to life in the NFL. His production and technique leave plenty to be desired. As the kids say, he doesn’t have a big bag of pass-rushing moves, but Overton’s motor cannot be questioned.
10. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
Comparison: Roquan Smith, and I swear it’s not just because they’re both Georgia Bulldogs. But since you don’t believe me, how about we go with Navarro Bowman?
The Skinny: It’s the speed, both in terms of play recognition and his ability to close on and absolutely rock ball-carriers, that makes the Roquan Smith comparison an appropriate one. But Allen’s current shortcomings in both pass-coverage and as a pass rusher knock him down a tier from Anthony Hill Jr. Georgia has produced at least one first-round pick in each of the last 8 NFL Drafts, and Allen is the most likely player to make it 9 straight.
11. Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
Comparison: Mike Pouncey, and yes, this is because they’re both Florida Gators.
The Skinny: You don’t need me to tell you that center isn’t the most appealing position in football, but in Jake Slaughter, one lucky NFL team will be getting a technically sound and mistake-free interior offensive lineman who didn’t allow a single sack in 2024. He’s remarkably durable and insanely smart, with scouts lauding his ability to diagnose defensive looks and make the appropriate adjustments pre-snap. A leader by any definition of the word, Slaughter could once again be named an All-American at season’s end and then head to the NFL Draft.
12. Tyreak Sapp, Edge, Florida
Comparison: A slightly smaller Cam Jordan with a serious mean streak.
The Skinny: After flirting with the idea of making the jump to the NFL Draft last winter, Sapp decided to return to Gainesville for one final season, and without playing a snap, he’s already receiving first-round buzz. Sapp has gotten stronger in the offseason, noting he increased his max bench from 385 lbs to 440 lbs. “Violence” is a word thrown around often for players at Sapp’s position, and it’s mentioned frequently in any of his evaluations. His first step and counter moves need some polish, but Sapp could continue to rise throughout the 2025 season if his production spikes.
13. Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
Comparison: Cooper DeJean, but not as exciting or white.
The Skinny: There’s nothing sexy about Malik Muhammad’s highlight reel, but that shouldn’t hurt his draft stock too much. Muhammad is both consistent and versatile, and though he projects most likely as an outside zone cornerback, you could move him around and count on him to hold his own as a nickel slot corner or even as a safety. You’d like to see him take a few more chances, and for that reason, he doesn’t boast huge interception or pass break-up numbers. But his special teams value and high football IQ raise his floor right out of the gate.
14. Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama
Comparison: Daron Payne, and those are Tim Keenan’s words, not mine.
The Skinny: A big-bodied space-eater whose body used to be a whole lot bigger. Keenan has dropped from 380 lbs to somewhere in the neighborhood of 330, only he moves in a way that a guy his size shouldn’t. He’s not exceedingly explosive, but if you line Keenan up over a center, he’s going to be a disruptive presence — especially as an anchor eating double-teams against the run — whether he’s playing in the SEC or the NFL.
15. Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
Comparison: Bulked up Usain Bolt with better hands.
The Skinny: Harbor is a 1-of-1 athlete who just so happens to play wide receiver in the best conference in college football. At 6-5, 240 pounds, there is no good reason why Harbor should have any business running a 4.24 40-yard-dash, but alas, that’s where we’re at. If this Gamecock can master some of the nuances of the position — and with an offseason spent with the football program instead of with South Carolina’s track and field team — he could end up shooting up draft boards in short time. In 2 seasons, the production has yet to match the potential, but when it does, the sky is the limit.
Honorable Mention: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
The Skinny: McCoy suffered a torn ACL back in January, and his status for the 2025 college football season is something of a mystery. The Tennessee Volunteers cornerback has the talent to wind up being the first cornerback off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, but as we saw with Michigan’s Will Johnson this past April, a lingering injury concern could knock a borderline top 15 prospect down all the way into the second round of the draft.
