Citizens of Oxford, Miss., may notice plenty of middle-aged men in NFL team gear around town this fall.
NFL scouts — perhaps even a general manager or two — should practically wear a path to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in 2015. According to ESPN.com, the Rebels return more 2016 NFL talent than every team in the country outside of Ohio State.
Robert Nkemdiche, Laremy Tunsil and Laquon Treadwell is only the beginning, but all three have potential to get selected in the first round, perhaps even in the Top 10. Tony Conner also could propel himself into first-round contention.
Alabama (No. 3) and Auburn (honorable mention) should showcase plenty of NFL talent as well. Here’s the full list according to Travis Haney:
1. Ohio State
2. Ole Miss
3. Alabama
4. TCU
5. USC
Others: Michigan State, Auburn, Baylor
If you can find a stock market that’s based on sports figures, now’s a good time to buy low on Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. ESPN has pegged three members of the Tide’s front seven as first-round picks for 2016: A’Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed and Reggie Ragland.
Alabama running back Derrick Henry could be a first-round selection next year as well.
The Tide will have some in-state rivals not only with the Iron Bowl, but also during the pre-draft evaluation process next year. It’s conceivable that Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson could turn to the NFL after just one good season at Auburn.
If he and Duke Williams act as one of the best pass-catching combinations in college football in ’15, expect Johnson to rocket up draft boards, while many already have called Williams the top wideout in the class.
SEC underclassmen who entered the 2015 draft fared pretty well, accounting for 71.4 percent of the conference’s first-round picks.
It will be interesting to see which third-year SEC players position themselves for enter-or-return decisions after this coming season. Many of the top options, players like Tunsil, Treadwell, Auburn pass rusher Carl Lawson and Alabama versatile back Kenyan Drake still are recovering from gruesome injuries.
The list does give credence to the fact that ESPN recently ranked Ole Miss at No. 3, ahead of Alabama, in its post-spring power rankings, as the network believes only Ohio State has a better selection of 2016 NFL talent on hand entering this fall.
Overall, I agree with ESPN’s list. Ohio State won a national title and somehow didn’t lose a single underclassmen to the draft. The other non-SEC teams on this list are loaded with NFL potential, especially at quarterback and receiver.
There are a few other SEC programs to consider, though, the first of which should’ve made the list. Here they are, along with a few potential high-round picks for 2016:
- LSU (Jalen Mills, Vadal Alexander, Travin Dural and Tre’Davious White)
- Georgia (Jordan Jenkins, Leonard Floyd)
- Arkansas (Jonathan Williams, Alex Collins)
- Mississippi State (Chris Jones, Dak Prescott)
Overall, 21 different SEC players have been mentioned as first-round possibilities in major 2016 mock drafts, representing 10 different SEC programs. The four that are not expected to produce any first-round type NFL talent in 2015 all play in the SEC East: Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
If the East wants to continue to overcome its perception as the weaker division, it’ll have to continue its hot streak during bowl season last year, because it doesn’t look like the 2016 NFL draft will offer it much help in the argument.
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.
