SEC finishes with 7 first-round picks in 2026 NFL Draft, behind Big Ten
By David Wasson
Published:
The Southeastern Conference has dominated the first round of the NFL Draft in recent years, and the 2026 version saw the SEC finish with seven players hearing their names called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in front of more than 320,000 fans in Pittsburgh.
Those seven SEC players were behind the 10 players selected from Big Ten programs. For reference, the SEC has a nation-leading 194 players taken in the opening round over the last 21 NFL Drafts – an average of over nine per season. The SEC saw six of the first 15 selections, nine of the first 20 and a record-tying 15 players selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Big Ten eclipsing the SEC in first-round picks also snapped the SEC’s streak with the most first-round selections.
LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane was the first SEC player taken in 2026, going No. 6 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Alabama had back-to-back players selected later in the first round, as offensive tackle Kaydn Proctor went No. 12 to the Miami Dolphins and quarterback Ty Simpson was a surprise choice at No. 13 to the Los Angeles Rams.
Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks was tapped by the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 18 pick and Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling went right after at No 19 to the Carolina Panthers.
Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion was taken with the No. 24 pick by the Cleveland Browns, and Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk rounded out the SEC first-round representation when he was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the No. 31 pick.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
