Ad Disclosure
The SEC is proof that you don’t have to be an offensive tackle to get drafted in the first round in today’s pass-happy NFL era.
But it doesn’t hurt. The conference has produced 10 offensive tackles selected in the first round just since ’08, including three last year.
In reality, the first-round drought for non-offensive tackles occurred from 1978 to 2002. Since then, the conference has produced four guards and three centers in the first round, including the Pouncey twins at Florida.
Prior to ’02, just two SEC guards got selected in the first round of the draft. In other words, despite the premium the NFL has placed on tackles, particularly left tackle, it’s as easy as ever to become a valuable professional football player at an interior offensive line position.
To date, NFL teams have selected 55 SEC offensive linemen in the first round.
RELATED: Top 10 returning SEC offensive linemen in 2015
Judging the conference’s best draft class is very tough. There are many years with multiple picks, but not many with multiple stars.
Based on NFL careers, the 2011 group has a case as the SEC’s best-ever class of offensive linemen. Mike Pouncey has become a Pro Bowl center. James Carpenter, a surprise first-round pick, has a Super Bowl ring with the Seattle Seahawks. And Derek Sherrod broke his leg late in his rookie season in ’11. He’s played in 20 NFL games, but only has started one.
In ’66 and ’68, current SEC members produced four first-round offensive linemen, but three of those came from Missouri or Texas A&M, who weren’t members of the conference at that time.
Here’s a complete list of the SEC’s first-round picks, followed by a few observations.
| Year | Position/Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | C Vaughn Mancha | Alabama |
| 1951 | T Bob Gain | Kentucky |
| 1954 | C Ed Beatty | Ole Miss |
| 1957 | T Earl Leggett | LSU |
| 1959 | C Jackie Burkett | Auburn |
| 1961 | T Ken Rice | Auburn |
| 1962 | C Irv Goode | Kentucky |
| 1964 | T Dick Evey | Tennessee |
| 1965 | T Steve DeLong | Tennessee |
| 1966 | OT Francis Peay# | Missouri |
| 1966 | OT Stan Hindman | Ole Miss |
| 1966 | OT George Rice | LSU |
| 1966 | OT Sam Ball | Kentucky |
| 1968 | C Bob Johnson | Tennessee |
| 1968 | OT Russ Washington# | Missouri |
| 1968 | C Forrest Blue | Auburn |
| 1968 | G Mo Moorman# | Texas A&M |
| 1972 | G Royce Smith | Georgia |
| 1973 | G John Hannah | Alabama |
| 1977 | T Warren Bryant | Kentucky |
| 1977 | T Morris Towns# | Missouri |
| 1978 | G Bob Cryder | Alabama |
| 1981 | OT Howard Richards# | Missouri |
| 1985 | OT Lomas Brown | Florida |
| 1986 | OT Will Wolford | Vanderbilt |
| 1987 | OT John Clay# | Missouri |
| 1990 | T Richmond Webb# | Texas A&M |
| 1991 | T Charles McRae | Tennessee |
| 1991 | T Antone Davis | Tennessee |
| 1994 | T Bernard Williams | Georgia |
| 1994 | T Wayne Gandy | Auburn |
| 1996 | OT Willie Anderson | Auburn |
| 1998 | OT Mo Collins | Florida |
| 1998 | OT Victor Riley | Auburn |
| 1999 | OT Matt Stinchcomb | Georgia |
| 2000 | OT Chris Samuels | Alabama |
| 2001 | OT Kenyatta Walker | Florida |
| 2002 | G Kendall Simmons | Auburn |
| 2003 | OT George Foster | Georgia |
| 2004 | G Shawn Andrews | Arkansas |
| 2005 | C Chris Spencer | Ole Miss |
| 2007 | G Ben Grubbs | Auburn |
| 2008 | OT Chris Williams | Vanderbilt |
| 2009 | OT Andre Smith | Alabama |
| 2009 | OT Michael Oher | Ole Miss |
| 2010 | C Maurkice Pouncey | Florida |
| 2011 | C Mike Pouncey | Florida |
| 2011 | OT James Carpenter | Alabama |
| 2011 | OT Derek Sherrod | Mississippi State |
| 2013 | OT Luke Joeckel | Texas A&M |
| 2013 | G Chance Warmack | Alabama |
| 2013 | OT D.J. Fluker | Alabama |
| 2014 | OT Greg Robinson | Auburn |
| 2014 | OT Jake Matthews | Texas A&M |
| 2014 | OT Ja’Waun James | Tennessee |
#School was not an SEC member at the time.
SCHOOLS RANKED BY FIRST-ROUND OL
1. Auburn 9
2. Alabama 8
3. Tennessee 6
T4. Florida 5
T4. Missouri 5*
T6. Georgia 4
T6. Kentucky 4
T6. Ole Miss 4
T6. Texas A&M 4*
T10. LSU 2
T10. Vanderbilt 2
T12. Arkansas 1
T12. Mississippi State 1
14. South Carolina 0
*Again, not an SEC member at the time of at least some of the listed first-round picks.
Need to find a first-round offensive lineman, but you can only visit one state to scout players? Head to Alabama. The Tigers and Tide have produced six since 2007 and 17 overall, dating all the way back to center Vaughn Mancha in 1948.
Then again, every SEC team but South Carolina has produced at least one first-round offensive lineman, so it’s hard to go wrong.
Texas A&M had a chance for a third consecutive year with a first-round left tackle before Cedric Ogbuehi tore his ACL. But for those unfamiliar with Big 12 history, Missouri still has produced more first-round offensive linemen, even though the Tigers haven’t berthed one since 1987.
It’s somewhat surprising that LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State, all teams that traditionally field huge, mauling run-blockers, only have produced a combined four first-round offensive linemen.
SEC FIRST-ROUND OL BY DECADE
1940s: 1
1950s: 4
1960s: 9*
1970s: 4*
1980s: 2*
1990s: 8*
2000s: 10
2010s: 10
*Numbers do not include Texas A&M and Missouri offensive linemen drafted in the first round prior to SEC membership for those schools.
With the exception of a temporary dip in the 1970s and ’80s, the SEC always has produced a high number of first-round offensive linemen. But in the last six drafts, that number has accelerated at a remarkable rate, producing 12 first-round picks.
Offensive tackles have become more valuable than ever, and NFL teams are turning to the SEC with regularity to find big, athletic players to protect their quarterbacks. The SEC may finish this decade with twice as many offensive linemen drafted in the first round as any other decade in history.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
