Which Colleges Will Produce the Most Pro Talent for 2013?

Which college team will have the most players drafted in the 2013 NFL draft?

Is there a certain conference that provides more NFL talent than others? It is a point of pride for college teams and their fans to be the team with the most draft picks, as it proves how much talent was on their roster. Players take it personal when the conference they play in provides more talent, and they love to talk about it.

In 2012, the Alabama Crimson Tide led all teams with eight players selected. The SEC was represented three times in the Top Five, with Georgia finishing tied with Oklahoma with seven picks each and South Carolina finishing with six players selected, tied with Boise State and a slew of other teams.

The trend will continue in the 2013 NFL draft as the SEC will be even more dominant this year. There will be seven SEC teams in the Top 10 this year.

Let’s look at the college teams that will put the most talent into the pros via the NFL draft in 2013.

Florida State

The Florida State Seminoles are going to provide a lot of talent for NFL teams through the draft. They finished the 2012 season with a 12-2 record, and it is no surprise how many of their players are going to be drafted. The talent is spread all over the field, and losing this amount of high quality college players will be difficult for their program in next season.

These are 12 players who will likely get drafted in the 2013 NFL draft:

• Bjoern Werner, DE, 6”4”, 256 lbs. 

• Xavier Rhodes, CB, 6’1”, 217 lbs. 

• EJ Manuel, QB, 6’4”, 237 lbs. 

• Brandon Jenkins, OLB, 6’3”, 260 lbs. 

• Cornerllius Carradine, DE, 6’4”, 265 lbs. 

• Menelik Watson, OT, 6’5”, 320 lbs. 

• Everrett Dawkins, DT, 6’2”, 288 lbs. 

• Lonnie Pryor, FB, 6’0”, 230 lbs. 

• Rodney Smith, WR, 6’5”, 219 lbs. 

• Vince Williams, ILB, 6’1”, 247 lbs. 

• Anthony McCLoud, DT, 6’2”, 309 lbs. 

• Dustin Hopkins, K, 6’2”, 189 lbs.

LSU

The LSU program always sends premium defensive talent to the NFL. This year is no different as the Tigers send multiple first-round talents from the defensive side of the ball to make plays on Sundays for NFL teams. LSU finished the 2012 season with a 10-3 record and will stock the NFL with plenty of power going forward.

Here are the 11 players from the LSU team that will likely get drafted:

• Barkevious Mingo, OLB/DE, 6’4”, 240 lbs.

• Sam Montgomery, DE, 6’4”, 260 lbs.

• Kevin Minter, ILB, 6’1“, 245 lbs.

• Eric Reid, FS, 6’2”, 212 lbs.

• Chris Faulk, OT, 6’5”, 323 lbs.

• Tharold Simon, CB, 6’2”, 193 lbs.

• Lavar Edwards, DE, 6’3”, 272 lbs.

• Bennie Logan, DT, 6’3”, 295 lbs.

• Brad Wing, P, 6’2”, 195 lbs.

• Tyrann Mathieu, CB, 5’9”, 178 lbs.

• P.J. Lonergan, OC, 6’4”, 302 lbs.

Florida

The SEC is as powerful a college football conference as you are going to find, and they continue to be the measuring stick for college football success in terms of sending talent to the NFL. The Florida Gators tallied an 11-2 record in 2012 and finished a fantastic season with a loss to Louisville in the Sugar Bowl. It is another stacked class for the Gators, and a lot of talent heading to play on Sundays.

There are 10 players who are likely NFL draft picks coming from the Florida program.

Here is the list of 10:

• Sharrif Floyd, DT, 6’3”, 303 lbs.

• Matt Elam, SS, 5’10”, 202 lbs.

• Jordan Reed, TE, 6’3”, 243 lbs.

• Jon Bostic, ILB, 6’0”, 246 lbs.

• Jelani Jenkins, OLB, 6’0”, 237 lbs.

• Mike Gillislee, RB, 5’11”, 207 lbs.

• Josh Evans, FS, 6’1”, 205 lbs.

• Xavier Nixon, OT, 6’6”, 311 lbs.

• Lerentree McCray, OLB, 6’2”, 249 lbs.

• Caleb Sturgis, K, 5’10”, 186 lbs.

Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs defense was highly ranked coming into the 2012 college football season. Their defensive unit instantaneously put them team into contention for a national championship. The defense did that and more, as they played against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 1. They lost the lead late in the fourth quarter and ultimately came up on the short end of a 32-28 score.

Georgia finished with a 12-2 record, and the defense carried it the entire way. It is no surprise that of 10 potential picks coming from the Georgia team, nine are from the defensive side of the ball.

Here are the 10 players who are potential draft picks in 2013:

• Jarvis Jones, OLB, 6’2”, 240 lbs.

• Alec Ogletree, LB, 6’3”, 234 lbs.

• John Jenkins, DT, 6’4”, 359 lbs.

• Bacarri Rambo, FS, 6’1”, 215 lbs.

• Shawn Williams, SS, 6’0”, 211 lbs.

• Tavarres King, WR, 6’0”, 192 lbs.

• Kwame Geathers, DT, 6’5”, 355 lbs.

• Sanders Cummings, CB, 6’0”, 223 lbs.

• Cornelius Washington, DE, 6’4”, 264 lbs.

• Branden Smith, CB, 5’10”, 168 lbs.

Alabama

If any college football team could be considered a prototype for the rest of the country, it is the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama had eight players drafted into the NFL in 2012, and only two played on offense. This time around Alabama will put nine players onto the NFL from the draft, but the offense takes center stage with some very polished offensive line prospects and a very good running back.

Here are the nine players that are potential picks in the 2013 NFL draft:

• Chance Warmack, OG, 6’2”, 322 lbs.

• Dee Milliner, CB, 6’1”, 198 lbs.

• Jesse Williams, DT, 6’3”, 320 lbs.

• D.J. Fluker, OT, 6’5”, 355 lbs.

• Eddie Lacy, RB, 5’10”, 220 lbs.

• Barrett Jones, OC/OG, 6’4”, 305 lbs.

• Nico Johnson, ILB, 6’2”, 249 lbs.

• Robert Lester, SS, 6’1”, 212 lbs.

• Michael Williams, TE, 6’6”, 269 lbs.

North Carolina

The North Carolina football program is an intriguing one, as it produces high quality talent, but there are always questions surrounding the program and the character of the kids coming into the draft. There is no debate they supply the NFL with very athletic players, and this year is no different. Last year only two players from North Carolina were drafted, and both were defensive players.

There are nine players who are potential picks in 2013, seven coming from the offensive side of the ball.

Here is the list of the players who have the potential to get drafted from North Carolina:

• Jonathan Cooper, OG, 6'3", 310 pounds

• Giovani Bernard, RB, 5’10”, 205 lbs.

• Sylvester Williams, DT, 6’3”, 313 lbs.

• Brennan Williams, OT, 6’7”, 315 lbs.

• Kevin Reddick, ILB, 6’2”, 246 lbs.

• Erik Highsmith, WR, 6’1”, 190 lbs.

• Travis Bond, OG, 6’6”, 336 lbs.

• Devon Ramsay, FB, 6’2”, 250 lbs.

• Jheranie Boyd, WR, 6’2”, 190 lbs.

Notre Dame

The Notre Dame football program took a hiatus from stocking NFL teams for several years, but it is back. Head coach Brian Kelly is building a dominant program in South Bend, and it is going to be a powerhouse going forward.

Notre Dame had five players taken in the last year's draft, and that number will go up in 2013. If the program stays on the course it is on, it will challenge SEC teams as to who puts the most talent in the NFL.

There are seven players from the Notre Dame program who will be drafted in the 2013 NFL draft. 

Here they are:

• Manti Te’o, ILB, 6’2”, 255 lbs.

• Tyler Eifert, TE, 6’5”, 252 lbs.

• Zeke Motta, FS, 6’2”, 215 lbs.

• Theo Riddick, RB, 5'11”, 200 lbs.

• Braxston Cave, OC, 6’3”, 304 lbs.

• Cierre Wood, RB, 6’0”, 215 lbs.

• Jamoris Slaughter, SS, 6'0”, 200 lbs.

Tennessee

Like the Notre Dame program, Tennessee went away for a few years and wasn't able to put talent in the NFL. Last year the Volunteers had one player drafted in the fifth round (Malik Jackson), but now there is plenty of top-notch talent coming from Tennessee.

Here are the seven players from the Tennessee program who should get drafted in 2013:

• Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, 6’3”, 205 lbs.

• Dallas Thomas, OG/OT, 6’5”, 308 lbs.

• Justin Hunter, WR, 6’4”, 200 lbs.

• Tyler Bray, QB, 6’5”, 215 lbs.

• Herman Lathers, OLB, 6’0”, 224 lbs.

• Mychal Rivera, TE, 6’3”, 237 lbs.

• Zach Rogers, WR, 6’0”, 179 lbs.

Texas A&M

Texas A&M moved to the SEC for the 2012 college football season, finishing with an 11-2 record while losing to Florida and LSU. The Aggies are loaded with talent, and could be represented twice in the first round with offensive tackle Luke Joeckel and defensive end Damontre Moore.

The following players should all be selected in the 2013 NFL draft:

• Luke Joeckel, OT, 6’6”, 310 lbs.

• Damontre Moore, DE, 6’4”, 250 lbs.

• Sean Porter, OLB, 6’1”, 231 lbs.

• Christine Michael, RB, 5’10”, 221 lbs.

• Ryan Swope, WR, 6’0”, 204 lbs.

• Uzoma Nwachukwu, WR, 5’11”, 198 lbs.

• Dustin Harris, CB, 5’11”, 173 lbs.

UCLA

The UCLA football program is in the middle of a resurrection led by head coach Jim Mora. The Bruins had a great 2012 season, appearing in the PAC-12 Championship game.

They played at Stanford in the PAC-12 title game and lost, but it is clear UCLA football has returned. It will start putting a lot of talent into the NFL again quickly. In 2012, there were no players from UCLA who were drafted into the NFL. That is changing, and it starts with these six players who will be drafted from the UCLA program in the 2013 NFL draft.

Here they are:

• Datone Jones, DE, 6'4", 280 lbs.

• Jonathan Franklin, RB, 5’10”, 201 lbs.

• Jeff Baca, OG, 6’3”, 305 lbs.

• Joseph Fauria, TE, 6’7”, 257 lbs.

• Aaron Hester, CB, 6’1”, 203 lbs.

• Sheldon Price, CB, 6’2”, 178 lbs.