The 2023 NFL Draft is officially in the books, so now NFL scouting departments will turn their attention to the 2024 class of collegiate prospects.

Though the Big Ten tied the SEC with 9 players picked in Round 1 this year, the SEC still had the most players picked overall in the 7-round event.

Next year, however, the SEC’s streak of first-round dominance could be in serious jeopardy. Ohio State alone could potentially account for 8 first-round selections, so we’ll see if the SEC can keep pace.

When the 2024 NFL Draft officially kicks off next April in Detroit, keep an eye on these 10 SEC standouts as potential Round 1 selections:

1. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Bowers is the biggest no-brainer on this list. He likely would have been a first-round pick if he’d been eligible to enter the draft after his freshman season in 2021. Instead, he’ll have to play one more season in Athens in 2023 before he’ll almost certainly head off to the pro ranks. Teams will be lining up to draft the versatile tight end who can run routes, carry the ball out of the backfield and block equally well.

2. Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Turner didn’t have quite the impact in 2022 that he did as a freshman in 2021. In his freshman campaign, he finished with 30 tackles (10 for a loss) and 8.5 sacks. In 2022, he had 37 tackles (8 for a loss) and 4.0 sacks. This fall, he’ll be the focus of Alabama’s defense, as Will Anderson Jr. is off to the NFL. Can Turner go No. 3 overall (or better) in the 2024 NFL Draft to match or best his former teammate? We’ll find out this time next year!

3. Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

McKinstry could potentially be the first cornerback off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a solid freshman season in 2021, he took a major step forward last fall. In 2022, McKinstry amassed 35 total tackles (2 for a loss), 1 sack, 1 interception and an impressive 15 pass breakups. If he takes another step forward this season in Tuscaloosa, he could become a top-10 pick in next year’s draft.

4. JC Latham, OL, Alabama

Alabama consistently produces NFL talent along its offensive line. Just 2 years ago, Evan Neal went No. 7 overall to the New York Giants. The year before that, Alex Leatherwood was taken No. 17 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders. Listed at 6-6 and 335 pounds, Latham certainly projects to be that sort of physical presence along the Alabama line this year. Expect a team to take a flier on him early in the 2024 NFL Draft.

5. Maason Smith, DL, LSU

If Smith can avoid injuries and stay on the field this year, he’ll likely skyrocket up draft boards. He tore his ACL in a freak way while celebrating during LSU’s 2022 season opener against Florida State. He should be back and ready to roll this fall, and that’s a scary thing for opposing offensive linemen. In 2021, he recorded 19 tackles (5 for a loss) and 4.0 sacks in only 7 games. If he can improve upon that production over the course of a whole season in 2023, the 6-6, 300-pound lineman will be a first-round pick.

6. Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Mizzou

Abrams-Draine was getting some sneaky Round 1 buzz ahead of the 2022 season, but he decided to return to school for 1 more year. Though he didn’t record an interception for the Tigers last year, he finished with a whopping 14 pass breakups. He also was sixth on the Mizzou defense with 48 tackles. If he can snag a pick or 2 in 2023, he’ll catch the eye of a few NFL teams.

7. Javon Bullard, S, Georgia

Bullard is a safety who can make plays behind the line of scrimmage, at the line and deep down the field in pass coverage. He recorded 46 tackles (7 for a loss) in 2022, good for fifth on Georgia’s star-studded defense. He also had 3.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups and a fumble recovery. If he can step even more into the spotlight this fall, NFL scouts will notice.

8. Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia

Lassiter is a good, solid cornerback. He only has 1 interception and 6 pass breakups in 2 years at Georgia, but he usually finds himself in great position and does a good job of locking his man down. Fellow Georgia CB Malaki Starks (who won’t be draft-eligible until 2025) will make the splashy plays and get a lot of attention, but Lassiter has a chance to work his way into the Round 1 discussion by simply continuing to be a guy who opposing quarterbacks don’t like to throw toward.

9. Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee

Milton has an absolute cannon for an arm. That much we know. No one is questioning arm strength when it comes to Tennessee’s new QB1. However, he has to improve his accuracy and touch in 2023 or he has no chance of going in the first round. But it seems like every year we have a quarterback come from nowhere to draw major first-round buzz (Joe Burrow in 2020, Trey Lance in 2021, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis in 2023, even Hendon Hooker from Tennessee in 2023), so it’s not crazy to think Milton can slide into that role for the 2024 draft class with a big year for the Vols.

10. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

This is where I might be a bigger fan of a player than many NFL teams. I think Daniels is not only a dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate this year, but also a potential first-round pick. Yes, he needs to refine his passing skills, but we just saw Anthony Richardson go No. 4 overall despite a very inconsistent passing ability. Daniels may not be the physical freak Richardson is, but he’s a great runner and a little bit further along as a thrower than Richardson.