NFL Draft Conference Odds: The SEC and Big Ten Are Destined to Dominate First Round Again
Alabama Stars Among Top-Rated Available Prospects in 2023 NFL Draft

How High Will Quarterbacks Richardson and Levis Go In the NFL Draft?
Not all conferences are created equal when it comes to generating NFL Draft prospects.
The SEC and Big Ten combined to have 19 of their players taken in the first round in the 2022 NFL Draft. The SEC had 65 players selected and the Big Ten had 48. That is well ahead of the other Power-5 Conferences. When looking at the NFL Draft Odds By Conference, it should be more of the same this year.
There are 17 players set to be in attendance at this year’s draft, six hail from the SEC and five are from the Big Ten.
Here’s a look at how conference breakdown could look on the first night of the draft.
SEC Could Dominate Again
NFL scouts love going to work in the SEC. Just the talent pool from Alabama and Georgia would be enough to keep them busy and there are plenty of first-day picks coming out of the two SEC superpowers.
Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah lists Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and edge rusher Will Anderson as the top two players in the draft. It seems unlikely that Anderson will be taken second overall as there are some mock drafts that have four quarterbacks in the top five. Still, before long both Young and Anderson could emerge into two of the NFL’s best players.
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter is the No. 5 prospect according to Jeremiah. On pure talent, he probably would be higher. However, his involvement in an automobile accident that caused the death of a former teammate and Georgia staff member has him off of some team’s boards.
Three Georgia Players in Jeremiah’s Top 20.
Jeremiah lists 11 players from the SEC among the top 31 prospects. Quarterbacks Will Richardson out of Florida and Will Levis from Kentucky figure to go higher than their rankings just based on the position they play.
The price is set at +195 for more than 11.5 SEC players to be selected and -250 to go under by the NFL Draft Odds By Conference.
A player to watch when it comes to the SEC potentially having 12 players go in the first round is former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. He has been showing up as a possible first-round pick even if an injury might keep him out of action for all of the 2023 NFL season.
Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, Louisiana State defensive end BJ Ojulari, Florida offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence and Georgia cornerback Kelee Ringo are worth keeping an eye on as well.
Big Dreams for Big Ten Products
It is interesting that Jeremiah has Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon one spot ahead of Ohio State quarterback in his prospect rankings.
Stroud is almost certain to be the first Big Ten player selected as he could go in the first two or three picks despite what the NFL Draft Odds By Conference might say.
Northwestern offensive lineman Peter Skoronski could be another top-10 pick out of the Big Ten. Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness seems to be a player whose stock continues to rise.
Stroud is far from the lone Ohio State on the radar as possible first-day picks.
Paris Johnson should be one of the first offensive linemen selected. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the leader in receptions and receiving yards in 2021 when Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, the top most productive rookie pass catchers in the NFL, played for the Buckeyes.
Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks, Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Tippmann, Michigan defensive tackle and Iowa tight end are candidates to go in the opening round.
It is no wonder that the price is set at -260 for more than 8.5 players from the Big Ten to go in the first round according to the NFL Draft odds.
Who’s Number 3?
There seems to be little doubt that the SEC and Big Ten will lead the conferences when it comes to the number of first-round selections.
It could be interesting to see whether the ACC, Big 12 or Pac-12 have more players go on the opening night of the draft.
Boston College‘s Zay Flowers is an elite route runner who could be the first ACC player taken. Perhaps defensive linemen Myles Murphy of Clemson, Calijah Kancey of Pittsburgh or Georgia Tech’s Keion White will earn that honor. The odds are set at -140 to have at least four ACC products taken during the first round.
While the first ACC player might not go until the second half of the first round, that is not the case in the Big 12.
The days of a running back potentially going into the top five were thought to be over. However, Bijan Robinson doesn’t figure to have to wait long to make his way to the stage and the same is said of Tyree Wilson, an edge rusher from Texas Tech.
Iowa State defensive end Will McDonald and TCU receiver Quentin Johnson have seen their stock fall a bit. Still, they could go in the first round. After that, it could be a while and that is why the price is set at -200 to have fewer than 45 Big 12 players being taken in the first round.
What the Pac-12 might lack in quantity it makes up in quality with Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez and USC receiver Jordan Addison making a claim to be the best available player at their position in the draft.
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