We’re now well past the halfway point of the 2018 college football season, meaning we’re ever so slowly coming up on draft season. As usual, the SEC is absolutely loaded with prospects, and it should retain its place on top of the mantle as the conference with the most players drafted.

After previously taking a look at three of the top 2019 NFL Draft prospects from each SEC West team, we’ll now turn to the East.

Florida

Jachai Polite, edge

Projected round: Second

The 6-2, 242-pound Polite doesn’t possess ideal length for an edge rusher, but his speed, quickness, burst and flexibility have turned him into one of the premier pass rushers in the ’19 draft class. He has absolutely thrived in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s scheme, racking up 7 sacks and forcing 4 fumbles while becoming a catalyst for the opportunistic Gators defense. He needs to continue getting stronger against the run, but his pass rushing potential is outstanding.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, nickelback

Projected round: Second

He projects nicely as a nickelback or slot corner at the next level, where his man cover skills and ability to blitz off the edge can be taken advantage of. He battles inconsistency when tackling in the open field, but he’s a very good athlete with natural playmaking ability and a nose for the ball. On the season, Gardner-Johnson has 43 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and an interception.

Jawaan Taylor, offensive tackle

Projected round: Third

The 6-5, 340-pound Taylor has been up and down this year for the Gators but is still the most promising prospect along the offensive line. He’s a good athlete with above-average feet but would be best served by continuing to drop some weight to improve his lateral quickness. He’s a powerful drive blocker who does a nice job generating a push up front and can maul in the run game.

Georgia

Deandre Baker, cornerback

Projected round: First

Baker will likely compete with LSU’s Greedy Williams to be the first cornerback off the board next spring, and while Williams has more length at 6-2, the 5-11 Baker is a bit more polished in man coverage and is just as physical. He’s sticky in man coverage, locking to the receiver’s inside hip, and has shown swift feet and fluid hips. He regularly dances the line between physical coverage and pass interference, but he’s brutally tough to throw on.

D’Andre Walker, edge

Projected round: Third

Walker (6-3, 240) is again having a very productive season rushing the passer and currently has 5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles after racking up 5.5 sacks last year. He’s a twitchy and explosive edge rusher who can win with his quickness and flexibility off the edge, but he still needs to improve his hands and repertoire of rush moves.

Lamont Gaillard, center

Projected round: Third

Gaillard has quietly enjoyed a stellar career in Athens despite not being the biggest or strongest guy up front. Instead, he thrives with smart play and sound technique, and he is adept with combo blocks and getting to the second level. He’s an efficient run blocker who plays with good leverage and takes good angles, and he has shown improvement in pass protection.

Kentucky

Josh Allen, edge

Projected round: First

Allen has been a consistently productive pass rusher the past 2½ years, racking up 33 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks and 9 forced fumbles over the last 33 games, including 8 sacks in the last 7. Allen has the size (6-4, 250), speed, strength and athleticism to play multiple positions in multiple schemes, so he provides excellent flexibility to a defense. He does a fantastic job of converting speed to power and can bully OTs who stop their feet.

Benny Snell, running back

Projected round: Third

You certainly can’t argue with the production Snell has piled up in his time in Lexington, accumulating 3,317 yards and 41 TDs since the beginning of 2016 and showing fantastic balance, power and vision as a ball carrier. The major concern for Snell is the enormous workload he has been given, with a whopping 608 carries in not even three full years. Scouts will undoubtedly be concerned about how much tread is still left on the tires after such a high usage rate week in and week out against brutal SEC defenses.

C.J. Conrad, tight end

Projected round: Fourth

It’s a shame Conrad never had a chance to play with a high-level QB and was mired in a run-heavy offense, but despite modest receiving numbers (16 receptions, 114 yards, 0 TDs in ’18), Conrad is still considered one of the better senior tight ends of the ’19 draft class. His skill as an in-line blocker is arguably his greatest strength, but he has also proven to be a reliable safety valve in the short and intermediate passing game.

Missouri

Drew Lock, quarterback

Projected round: First

Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The 6-4, 225-pound senior is a terrific athlete but has continued to struggle with consistent ball placement and poor performances in big games. Despite this, there’s arguably not a more physically talented passer in the ’19 draft class, which is already considered a very poor year for QBs. His game tape won’t necessarily warrant it, but I expect him still to be taken in the first round considering his potential and natural skill set.

Emanuel Hall, wide receiver

Projected round: Third

Hall has been battling a nagging groin injury for much of the year and hasn’t played since the Week 3 tilt with Purdue. Despite this, he still leads the team in receiving yards with 430 on just 18 receptions (23.9 yards per reception), giving you an idea of what kind of playmaker he is, especially as a deep threat. At 6-2, 200, Hall has good length and terrific speed and has continually proven capable of taking the top off a secondary.

Albert Okwuegbunam, tight end

Projected round: Third

You’d be hard-pressed to find many more productive tight ends nationally the past year and a half, as the 6-5, 260-pound redshirt sophomore has hauled in 66 receptions for 815 yards and 16 TDs in the last 16 games. He’s a good athlete who can stretch the seams and provide a dangerous threat across the middle, and he has been particularly effective in the red zone.

South Carolina

Deebo Samuel, wide receiver

Projected round: Second

After a sluggish start to the season, Samuel has begun to show the game-breaking speed and burst that made him famous before he broke his leg in early 2017, and he will likely continue to improve. He has continued to show improvement as a route runner and in getting separation against man coverage. He’s not the biggest or strongest guy at 6-0, 205, but he is physical before and after the catch and does a nice job tracking deep balls.

Bryan Edwards, wide receiver

Projected round: Fourth

Edwards has terrific size at 6-3, 220, with a big catch radius and soft hands. He’s not a burner and struggles at times getting release against press coverage, but he has proven to be a reliable weapon on the outside for the Gamecocks, catching 92 passes for 1,144 yards and 10 TDs over the past 19 games. His film from Georgia this year and Michigan last year are impressive.

Zack Bailey, guard

Projected round: Sixth

The 6-6, 310-pound senior moved back inside to his more natural position of left guard after seeing some time at tackle last year, and the results have been positive. He’s a powerful drive blocker who can maul in the ground game and has made improvement moving his feet more in pass protection, though he’ll always tend to be somewhat stiff.

Tennessee

Jauan Jennings, wide receiver

Projected round: Fourth

Jennings (6-3, 220) was briefly dismissed from the team last year due to a public tirade about the previous coaching staff, but that won’t hurt his draft stock. After missing most of last year with an injury, he has come on strong the past two weeks, hauling in a combined 11 passes for 173 yards and a TD against two very talented defenses from Alabama and Auburn.

Kyle Phillips, defensive lineman

Projected round: Seventh-UDFA

Phillips has largely been playing 5-tech in the Vols’ 3-4 front, but he could be a candidate to move inside to 3-tech in a 4-3 at the next level. He’s an above-average athlete who likely doesn’t have enough pass rushing prowess to play outside in the NFL, but he has the ability to shoot gaps and penetrate the pocket when playing inside.

Darrell Taylor, edge

Projected round: Seventh-UDFA

The redshirt junior has been the Vols’ most consistent pass rusher this year and leads the team with 3 sacks. At 6-4, 250 pounds, Taylor is a good athlete who is powerful at the point of attack and generally does a good job against the run, but he is still somewhat raw as a pass rusher and doesn’t appear to possess a great deal of flexibility or bend. He could be a candidate to move to inside linebacker in a 3-4 at the next level.

Vanderbilt

Joejuan Williams, cornerback

Projected round: Fifth

Williams has been Vandy’s best cover corner for two years straight now and is again quietly enjoying a strong season, accumulating 37 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 2 INTs. He has terrific size and length at 6-3, 205, and is very physical in man coverage, particularly in press. He doesn’t appear to have elite recovery speed or lateral quickness, so his future may ultimately be at safety, but he’s a ball hawk who does a nice job of jumping routes and closing passing windows.

Kalija Lipscomb, wide receiver

Projected round: Sixth

Lipscomb (6-1, 200) has been the go-to receiver all year long for the ‘Dores and is currently second in the SEC in receptions with 54 and third in receiving yards with 588. He’s very strong on third downs, consistently finding ways to get separation and making contested catches in traffic and against man coverage. His playmaking ability has been terrific considering opposing defenses are keying on him.

Kyle Shurmur, quarterback

Projected round: Seventh–UDFA

The son of longtime NFL offensive coordinator and head coach Pat Shurmur, Kyle has set a number of passing records for the ‘Dores the past few years despite not being surrounded by elite weapons. The 6-4, 225-pound senior has struggled with consistent accuracy (career 55.6 percent completion) but can drive the ball when he has a clean pocket and can set his feet. He likely won’t ever be a starter at the next level but should be a high-IQ backup.