Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft features 12 SEC standouts in Round 1
By Adam Spencer
Published:
We’re about a month away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and pieces are starting to fall into place. Now that free agency is well underway, mock draft experts have more information about what teams need in Round 1.
On Tuesday morning, ESPN expert Mel Kiper Jr. released his latest Round 1 mock draft, and he had 12 SEC standouts going in the first 32 picks.
Interestingly, Kiper only has 2 SEC guys going in the top 10, but the back of the round is absolutely loaded with SEC talent.
Georgia leads the way with 3 players going in Round 1, starting with the No. 6 overall pick. Here are all the SEC guys mentioned in Mel Kiper Jr.’s draft:
- No. 6 — Monroe Freeling, OL, Georgia — Cleveland Browns
- No. 10 — Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU — Cincinnati Bengals
- No. 12 — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee — Dallas Cowboys
- No. 16 — Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama — New York Jets
- No. 17 — Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama — Detroit Lions
- No. 20 — CJ Allen, LB, Georgia — Dallas Cowboys
- No. 25 — Zion Young, DL, Mizzou — Chicago Bears
- No. 28 — Christen Miller, DL, Georgia — Houston Texans
- No. 29 — Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina — Kansas City Chiefs
- No. 30 — Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn — Miami Dolphins
- No. 31 — KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M — New England Patriots
- No. 32 — Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee — Seattle Seahawks
Who will be chosen in the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft? Here’s what the latest Kalshi market predicts:
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
