Respected NFL Draft analyst and NFL Network commentator Mike Mayock who spends more hours in the film room and on the practice field than most revealed his initial thoughts on several SEC players Monday including Alabama All-American Landon Collins, who he considers this year’s top safety prospect.

Feared pass rushers from the SEC expected to flex their athleticism at the combine include Mizzou’s Shane Ray and Florida’s Dante Fowler, both early exits from their respective programs. Fowler led the Gators with 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks this season while Ray ran away with the league’s top defender award, piling up SEC-best TFL (22.5) and sack (13.0) totals.

LSU’s La’el Collins, a former consensus five-star recruit out of Baton Rouge who started his final 38 games at LSU, has the biggest upside of perhaps any right tackle in this year’s draft and is the most talented option at his position, according to Mayock.

Collins was a dominant, two-time All-SEC blocker for the Tigers and has more game experience than most draft hopefuls up front.

Heisman finalist Amari Cooper, a potential lottery pick, is a sure thing among wide receivers in his same talent class. Cooper set several school records at Alabama this season

Fringe first-rounder Benardrick McKinney, an All-SEC tackling machine at Mississippi State and one of several Bulldogs who entered the draft a year early, has ideal inside linebacker size at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds.

Mayock also mentioned that Auburn’s Sammie Coates is one of three receivers at the combine capable of challenging Chris Johnson’s record 4.24 time in the 40-yard dash. If Coates eclipses that mark, he’s a first-round lock.

Headlining Mayock’s individual position rankings are Collins, Fowler and Georgia running back Todd Gurley, who the draft analyst has rated the second-best option in the backfield behind Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon.

Other SEC running backs including Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne and Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon have second-day projections.