SEC Expected To Dominate In NFL Draft Selection Once Again
Multiple SEC Players Among the Top Available Players Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft
USC’s Caleb Williams The Top Prospect in a Quarterback-Heavy NFL Draft Prospect List
Just in case you hadn’t noticed, the SEC is a pretty good football conference. The SEC led all conferences with 62 players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft with the nine first-round picks being tied with the Big Ten for the most in 2023.
When looking at the best players available NFL draft, SEC players are mentioned rather prominently. The NFL Draft odds actually believe there will be more SEC products picked in the first round in 2024 than were selected in 2023.
A quick peek at the 2023 NFL stat leaders will show how important it is to deliver when making top-10 selections in the NFL Draft.
Here’s a look at what to expect from the Power-5 conferences as the NFL Draft is just over two weeks away from getting started.
ACC
It was not a season to remember for the ACC with no team from the conference earning a spot in the College Football Playoffs and that is carrying over when looking at the best players available NFL draft.
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye should be the first ACC player selected with some NFL mock drafts having Maye going as high as No. 2 in the draft. Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah has Maye listed as the fifth-best player in his list of the best available players.
The next player from the ACC on the list is Florida State defensive end Jared Verse.
The odds are set at -285 for fewer than 4.5 ACC players to go in the first round as there aren’t many ACC players drawing interest in the top half of the first round.
Big Ten
Any conference with Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State will have plenty of players generating interest when it comes to the best players available NFL draft.
There are -180 odds for more than 5.5 players from the Big Ten to go in the first round and it might be smart to jump all over that number.
The list of Big Ten prospects begins with Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison as he may be the first non-quarterback picked in the draft.
Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu and edge rusher Chop Robinson should go in the first round while quarterback J.J. McCarthy figures to be the first player selected from national champion Michigan.
Big 12
The pool of available prospects in the Big 12 could take a hit after this season with Oklahoma and Texas headed to the SEC.
The first Big 12 player listed in Jeremiah’s ranking of the top 50 prospects in the NFL Draft is Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy as he comes in at No. 19. Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton is next at No. 23. In other words, this is not going to be a great year for Big 12 products to walk across the stage on the first night of the NFL Draft. The odds are currently at -140 for more than 3.5 Big 12 players to be selected in the first round.
Pac-12
Let’s have a moment of silence for the Pac-12, please.
After a tremendous run that saw so many Pac-12 products thrive in the NFL, the 2024 NFL Draft will be the curtain call for the Pac-12 as only Oregon State and Washington State are being left behind in the latest shift in the college football landscape due to conference realignment.
They will be going out with a bang as USC quarterback Caleb Williams has -10000 odds to be the first pick. The seven players with the best odds to be the top pick include three Pac-12 quarterbacks and another (LSU’s Jayden Daniels) who used to play in the Pac-12.
Washington receiver Rome Odunze shouldn’t have to wait long to hear his name called.
Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Washington’s Troy Fautanu are 10th and 11th in Jeremiah’s list of the top 2024 NFL prospects. UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu is another player to keep an eye on.
When looking at the other potential first-round players from the conference, it is easy to understand why there are -210 odds for less than 7.5 Pac-12 players to be picked in the opening round.
SEC
We are saving the best for last as the SEC once again will dominate the NFL news cycle during the NFL Draft.
LSU receiver Malik Nabers is viewed by many as the top SEC player available in this draft. He has the second-best odds to be picked fifth overall. LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels might be the first SEC player selected, however.
Daniels has been landing in the No. 2 spot in various NFL mock drafts. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers is a possible top-10 pick with Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold and edge rusher Dallas Turner also drawing plenty of interest.
LSU receiver Brian Thomas, Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham, and Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims can’t be overlooked as there are -275 odds for more than 9.5 SEC players to be picked in the first round.
