Which Conference Had the Most NFL Draft Picks in the First Round?
Apr 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Dante Fowler Jr. (Florida) poses for a photo with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected as the number third overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Okay, obviously, this is an overstatement. It’s just the first round of one year. It’s not a measure of NFL success, nor is it the entire draft. Anyway, the conference did put out some monster talent this year.
Amari Cooper out of Alabama was the obvious one, but before him came Dante Folwer, a linebacker out of Florida. Despite their struggles, the Gators managed to put out Fowler and D.J. Humphries, two very good players, and the SEC had a strong showing outside of those two as well.
Todd Gurley out of Georgia was a surprise as a Top 10 pick by the St. Louis Rams due to his injury questions, and then came a string of consecutive SEC picks in the 20s. Those included linebacker Bud Dupree, who was not even supposed to be the top pick out of Kentucky, offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi out of Texas A&M, linebacker Shane Ray out of Missouri, and then Humphries.
In typical SEC fashion, the picks were primarily linemen and linebackers outside of Cooper and Gurley.
But if the SEC had only seven and is only at No. 3, who on Earth could be higher?
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3
SEC
Players Drafted: 7, Average Per Team: 0.583
Hey SEC, you’re slipping.
Dominating the NFL Draft in every aspect is supposed to be your thing, particularly the first round. Perhaps the gap between that conference and all the other conferences has been narrowed.
Okay, obviously, this is an overstatement. It’s just the first round of one year. It’s not a measure of NFL success, nor is it the entire draft. Anyway, the conference did put out some monster talent this year.
Amari Cooper out of Alabama was the obvious one, but before him came Dante Folwer, a linebacker out of Florida. Despite their struggles, the Gators managed to put out Fowler and D.J. Humphries, two very good players, and the SEC had a strong showing outside of those two as well.
Todd Gurley out of Georgia was a surprise as a Top 10 pick by the St. Louis Rams due to his injury questions, and then came a string of consecutive SEC picks in the 20s. Those included linebacker Bud Dupree, who was not even supposed to be the top pick out of Kentucky, offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi out of Texas A&M, linebacker Shane Ray out of Missouri, and then Humphries.
In typical SEC fashion, the picks were primarily linemen and linebackers outside of Cooper and Gurley.
But if the SEC had only seven and is only at No. 3, who on Earth could be higher?
Next: #2: ACC