The SEC began dominating the NFL draft precisely at the same time the conference began ruling college football.

You have to go all the way back to 2006 to find the last time the SEC didn’t lead all other conferences in sending players to the NFL. The league is currently on a nine-year streak that dates back to the draft that immediately followed Florida’s resounding 41-14 win over Ohio State for the 2006 national title.

Of course, that began the SEC’s run of seven straight national championships and eight of the last 10 titles.

There have been some truly head-turning feats along the way for the SEC during that span, especially in 2013, and we’re going to take a look at the incredible history that was made over that stretch.

MOST PLAYERS DRAFTED OVERALL

The 2013 draft was nothing like we’ve ever seen. The SEC had 63 players selected, a new record for a conference in a single year. That total was more than double that of any other league. The next-closest was the ACC with 31.

If that didn’t make your head spin, this will. Both the SEC East and West Divisions each had as many selections as any other conference. The East’s 32 was more than the aforementioned ACC’s number and more than any other entire conference.

It’s not like the SEC has been slacking since. Last year, the league sent 54 players, which is second only to that unprecedented 2013 as the most players the SEC has ever sent.

MOST FIRST-ROUNDERS DRAFTED

That 2013 NFL draft also saw the SEC take a spot alongside the ACC in the record books. The SEC tied the all-time record with 12 first-round selections, matching the ACC’s total in 2006.

Half of the league, or seven of the 14 SEC schools, were represented in that first round alone. Alabama led the way with three, Florida, Georgia and LSU each had a pair and Missouri, Tennessee and Texas A&M each sent one.

Since 2010, the SEC has had 57 first-round picks, significantly more than any other conference. In fact, it’s almost as much as the next two leagues combined. The ACC is second with 30 and the Big 12 is third with 29.

MOST PLAYERS DRAFTED IN FIRST THREE ROUNDS

The SEC flavor that year didn’t water down as the draft continued. Think of it this way: Through the third round, the equivalent of an entire round was devoted to former SEC players. The SEC sent exactly 32 players through the completion of the third round, a conference record.

That means 32.9 percent of the players taken (32 of the 97) were from the best conference in college football.

Also consider that the league sent three straight players at No. 9, No. 10 and No. 11 overall … from the same school. Former Alabama players Dee Milliner, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker all went back-to-back-to-back in those spots.

There were seven other instances in which two SEC players were taken consecutively, including another run of three to conclude the third round (LSU’s Sam Montgomery, Arkansas’ Knile Davis and Missouri’s Zaviar Gooden).

FIRST TWO OVERALL PICKS

A year after the SEC showed off its depth, the SEC showed it could also be top heavy, claiming the first two picks of the 2014 NFL draft (South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney and Auburn’s Greg Robinson).

That marked the only time since the first draft following the AFL-NFL merger (the 1970 draft) that a conference had both the No. 1 and No. 2 overall selections.

The SEC eventually fell one selection shy of matching the record for first-round picks (12) that the league tied just one year prior.

FLOODING THE TOP 10

Let’s take a look back at the 2011 NFL draft for a second.

Now, we know Missouri and Texas A&M didn’t join the SEC until the next year, but let’s examine the first seven picks. Amazingly, all those players were from current SEC schools. You might have heard of the first two from Super Bowl 50. Anyways, here they are:

  • No. 1: QB Cam Newton (Auburn)
  • No. 2: LB Von Miller (Texas A&M)
  • No. 3: DT Marcell Dareus (Alabama)
  • No. 4: WR A.J. Green (Georgia)
  • No. 5: CB Patrick Peterson (LSU)
  • No. 6: WR Julio Jones (Alabama)
  • No. 7: DE Aldon Smith (Missouri)

If you expand it to the top 10, another Missouri player was taken at No. 10 (QB Blaine Gabbert), meaning an incredible eight of the top 10 picks were from current SEC schools.

Nonetheless, the SEC didn’t need the help of those former Big 12 players to be impressive. Even if you take Missouri and Texas A&M out of the picture, the SEC still had five of the first six picks. That’s incredible in its own right.

Of course, there’s a good chance the SEC will stun us again with the 2016 NFL draft approaching on April 28.

Assuming former Ole Miss OT Laremy Tunsil goes No. 1 overall, that would mark the 10th time in the post-merger era that the SEC will have the top overall pick.

Half of those instances will have come since the SEC officially took the throne atop college football.