The SEC just had a record 15 players taken in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft. Heading into the 2021 draft cycle, it doesn’t seem the conference is in a position to match that.

However, there is still plenty of Round 1 buzz surrounding a number of players, and there is still the entire 2020 season for guys to make names for themselves.

In CBS Sports analyst R.J. White’s latest 2021 mock draft, he has 11 SEC stars projected to go in Round 1, led by 5 Alabama standouts:

  • No. 4 — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU — Miami Dolphins
  • No. 10 — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama — Arizona Cardinals
  • No. 15 — Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama — New England Patriots
  • No. 16 — Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia — Chicago Bears
  • No. 17 — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama — Green Bay Packers
  • No. 21 — Alex Leatherwood, OL, Alabama — Denver Broncos
  • No. 23 — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • No. 26 — Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU — Seattle Seahawks
  • No. 27 — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida — Buffalo Bills
  • No. 31 — Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina — San Francisco 49ers
  • No. 32 — Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia — Kansas City Chiefs

See White’s full Round 1 projections here.