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Mel Kiper Jr. releases latest mock draft, projects 10 SEC players in first round

Keith Farner

By Keith Farner

Published:

Mel Kiper Jr. is out with his latest mock draft at ESPN, and the long-time NFL Draft analyst has a new No. 1 overall selection. Kiper also projects 4 QBs to go in order to start the draft, something that’s never happened.

Kiper has Alabama’s Bryce Young over Ohio State’s CJ Stroud for the top spot, both from “rumblings” he’s heard, and reporting by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen. Kiper has Young as his top signal caller, just ahead of Kentucky’s Will Levis, who he has going No. 4 to the Colts.

After Kiper has Stroud to the Texans, he continues the run on quarterbacks by suggesting a trade as the Titans move up to select Florida’s Anthony Richardson at No. 3. Kiper wrote that Richardson “might have the highest ceiling of any prospect in this class.” It’s a big if, but Kiper wrote that if Richardson isn’t rushed into being a star, he could flourish with the Titans.

For Levis, Kiper explained that he likes the Kentucky QB over Stroud and Richardson in his overall rankings because of his ability in and out of the pocket.

As he shifted to defensive players, Kiper said Georgia’s Jalen Carter is a better fit with Seattle than Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. But in Detroit, Kiper loves the potential pairing of Aidan Hutchinson with Anderson as a “scary edge rushing duo.”

For Nolan Smith of Georgia, Kiper sees Atlanta’s defensive coordinator figuring out ways to get him on the field to rush the passer.

To round out the top 10 for the SEC, according to Kiper, he plugs in an “instant starter” at No. 9 in Tennessee’s Darnell Wright at No. 9 to the Bears. Kiper calls Wright the best right tackle in this class, and his tape against Anderson is “phenomenal.”

Here are the first-round SEC projections from Kiper:

1. Bryce Young, Alabama, QB, Carolina Panthers
3. Anthony Richardson, Florida, QB, Tennessee Titans
4. Will Levis, Kentucky, QB, Indianapolis Colts
5. Jalen Carter, Georgia, DT, Seattle Seahawks
6. Will Anderson, Alabama, OLB, Detroit Lions
8. Nolan Smith, Georgia, OLB, Atlanta Falcons
9. Darnell Wright, Tennessee, OT, Chicago Bears
13. Broderick Jones, Georgia, OT, New York Jets
23. Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State, CB, Minnesota Vikings
30. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.

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