The Top 2015 NFL Draft Prospect from Every SEC School
The SEC is the premier feeder conference for the NFL. Not only does the SEC send more players to the NFL than does any other conference, but some of the top players in the entire NFL come from the SEC.
Some SEC schools produce more NFL players than others, but every SEC school has at least one player on its roster that will draw the attention of NFL scouts this spring. Today, I'm going to prove that to you.
Which player in the 2015 draft class will make the biggest impact in the NFL from his SEC school? In this slideshow, I predict the answers to this question.
This list contains a wide range of talent, where some players will be top-10 picks in the 2015 NFL draft, while others will hope to latch onto NFL rosters this offseason as undrafted free agents. The high quality of the SEC, as well as its players, suggests most of the guys on this list will be drafted within the first four rounds at the worst.
To decide on which players to include, I used prospect rankings from prominent services such as CBS Sports and NFL Draft Scout. I also considered how well these players rank among their peers across the nation at their respective positions (the top player at many positions comes from the SEC). The players' performances at the NFL Scouting Combine were considered, but they weren't weighted as heavily.
With that, here's the list.
Alabama: Amari Cooper
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Amari Cooper was the best player in the SEC in 2014, and he might be the first from the conference to be selected in the 2015 NFL draft.
Cooper is battling Kevin White of West Virginia to be the first wide receiver taken in the draft, but the former Alabama standout will be a top-10 selection regardless.
Matt Miller of B/R has Cooper going No. 9 overall to the New York Giants.
Arkansas: Trey Flowers
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Trey Flowers, who is labeled as a "tweener" outside linebacker/defensive end prospect from Arkansas, has a second-round ceiling in the 2015 NFL draft.
Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot said Flowers met with the Steelers during the NFL Scouting Combine. Bryan believes Flowers would provide the most value to a 3-4 defense.
Look for Flowers to have a home in the NFL by the end of the fourth round at the latest.
Auburn: Reese Dismukes
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Reese Dismukes was the best center in college football in 2014, and he hopes that will allow him to be the first center selected in the 2015 NFL draft.
Dismukes isn't an elite athlete at center, but that doesn't matter, says Joel A. Erickson of AL.com:
"Although he checked in as the lightest offensive lineman [at the NFL Scouting Combine], his size isn't a problem at center, and he's among the best players in a center class that is long on smart, intelligent technicians but not freakishly athletic...
"
The 2014 Outland Trophy finalist and Rimington Trophy winner will go in the second round of the draft, according to NFL Draft Scout and CBS Sports.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Florida: Dante Fowler Jr.
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At the NFL Scouting Combine, Dante Fowler Jr. showed why he could be a top-five selection in the 2015 NFL draft. Most notably, Fowler ran a 4.60 40-yard dash at 6'3" and 261 pounds while wearing a gold wristwatch.
Fowler, the largest of the elite edge-rushers in this year's draft, lined up all over the defense for the Florida Gators.
Matt Miller of B/R has Fowler going No. 5 overall to the Washington Redskins.
Georgia: Todd Gurley
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Despite injury and possible character concerns, Todd Gurley could be the first running back prospect taken in the 2015 NFL draft.
Gurley didn't participate on the field at the NFL Scouting Combine because he hasn't fully healed from the ACL injury he suffered against Auburn on November 15.
On the character front, Gurley refused to allow NFL doctors to examine his knee during the combine. The potential first-round pick also was suspended four games during the 2014 season, after the NCAA ruled he collected money for signing autographs.
However, Gurley did apologize for the cause of the suspension at the combine, and Dr. James Andrews supported Gurley's decision to keep his knee off-limits during the event.
So, the only people who should be worried about Gurley are those on the 31 NFL teams that won't draft him. Prior to his time out of the game, Gurley was playing his way to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
Matt Miller of B/R has Gurley going No. 26 overall to the Baltimore Ravens.
Kentucky: Alvin Dupree
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Kentucky doesn't produce a lot of elite NFL prospects (don't tell Randall Cobb), but edge-rusher Alvin "Bud" Dupree is one of the few.
Dupree, Mike Mayock's fifth-best edge-rusher in the 2015 NFL draft, impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine with his athleticism. The former Wildcat ran a 4.56 40 with a groin injury; it was the second-fastest time among prospects invited to the combine as linebackers.
Many scouts don't believe Dupree is as polished as other potential first-round selections, but football is a lot easier to teach to someone than size and speed.
Matt Miller of B/R has Dupree going No. 16 overall to the Houston Texans.
LSU: La'el Collins
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La'el Collins will be the first offensive lineman from the SEC to hear his name called at the 2015 NFL draft.
Collins showed great athleticism and skills for his size at the NFL Scouting Combine. The former Tigers star has seen time at four positions along the offensive line, and that does wonders for his draft stock.
Matt Miller of B/R has Collins going No. 17 overall to the San Diego Chargers.
Ole Miss: Cody Prewitt
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Cody Prewitt didn't impress at the NFL Scouting Combine, but his body of work speaks to why he's considered the top free safety prospect in the 2015 NFL draft.
In 2014, Prewitt helped the Ole Miss Rebels have the best scoring defense in the nation, along with cornerback prospect Senquez Golson.
Prewitt will have been drafted by the third round (and possibly the second).
Mississippi State: Preston Smith
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Preston Smith had an outstanding NFL Scouting Combine performance, and that could make him the highest draft pick this year among former Mississippi State players.
Smith, a defensive end prospect, solidified himself as, at worst, a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Former Bulldogs teammate and inside linebacker prospect Benardrick McKinney won't be drafted too far away from Smith, but Smith has risen up draft boards while McKinney has fallen somewhat.
Matt Miller of B/R has Smith going No. 40 overall to the New York Giants, just six spots after McKinney.
Missouri: Shane Ray
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Along with fellow SEC guys Dante Fowler Jr. and Alvin "Bud" Dupree, Shane Ray is an elite edge-rusher prospect in the 2015 NFL draft class. Unfortunately, due to a toe injury, Ray couldn't do anything on the field at the NFL Scouting Combine to separate himself from the pack.
The huge knock on Ray is his size and athleticism, but the former Missouri Tiger did enough on the field to warrant a first-round selection. The 2014 SEC Defensive Player of the Year led the conference in sacks and tackles for loss.
Even with the doubters and the limited information from the combine, expect Ray to be drafted somewhere in the top half of the first round.
Matt Miller of B/R has Ray going No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons.
South Carolina: A.J. Cann
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A.J. Cann didn't do everything at the NFL Scouting Combine, but no matter: He's still considered the top offensive guard prospect in the 2015 NFL draft.
The most interesting thing that separates Cann from the other top offensive linemen in the draft is that he's a natural guard. Cann started all four years at South Carolina at left guard. Other top prospects might get moved from tackle to guard, like fellow SEC product La'el Collins. As a natural guard, Cann already has the size and skill coveted in NFL guards, and this could give him an advantage on draft day and once he enters the NFL.
It's likely Cann comes off the board somewhere in the first or second round, but Matt Miller of B/R suggests the former Gamecock won't be drafted that early; Cann isn't to be found in the first two rounds of Miller's most recent mock draft.
Tennessee: A.J. Johnson
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If Tennessee inside linebacker prospect A.J. Johnson plays in the NFL, then he'll be the best player from his university entering the league this season. Yes, if.
Johnson surrendered to authorities on Feb. 17 due to a rape charge. The NFL rescinded Johnson's invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine due to his involvement in the case.
Based solely on the tape, Mel Kiper Jr. believes Johnson is worth a second- or third-round pick. Now, Johnson will be lucky to get drafted.
Texas A&M: Cedric Ogbuehi
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If not for an ACL injury suffered during the Liberty Bowl, Cedric Ogbuehi would be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Ogbuehi would have been a first-rounder in the 2014 NFL draft as well, but he decided to stay at Texas A&M. Now, Ogbuehi could fall out of the first round.
Scouts have questions about his durability and play. During the 2014 season, Texas A&M moved Ogbuehi from left tackle to right tackle, possibly because he wasn't playing well enough.
Prior to the 2014 season, many thought Ogbuehi was as good a left tackle as those who preceded him at the position for the Aggies: Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. Both were top-ten picks in the 2013 and 2014 NFL drafts, respectively. The thought of Ogbuehi being just as good, however, is no more.
Even though Ogbuehi didn't have the kind of 2014 he needed to really impress the NFL, he's still the best prospect coming out of Texas A&M in this class.
Matt Miller of B/R has Ogbuehi going No. 49 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Vanderbilt: Andrew East
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Remember when I said the SEC has some players who are considered the best at their positions for the entire 2015 NFL draft class? Andrew East is one such player very few people know about.
That's because he's a long snapper.
East might get drafted, but he's more likely to get a look from an NFL team as an undrafted free agent. Either way, East has the most potential of Vanderbilt's draft prospects.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
