SEC Dominates First Round Of NFL Draft

The Southeastern Conference broke its own record on Thursday night when the conference had 15 players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

To say the SEC dominated the first round of Thursday's NFL Draft is an understatement as the league saw 15 of the 32 selections come from member institutions. 

Joe Burrow got things rolling as the No.1 overall pick. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner from LSU was the consensus choice to be selected first, and that projection held to form as the Cincinnati Bengals chose the Ohio native. 

Fellow quarterback Tua Tagovailoa or Alabama went four picks later to the Miami Dolphins at No.5 overall, one pick behind Georgia Bulldog offensive tackle Andrew Thomas. He is headed to New York to join the Giants after hearing his name called as the fourth selection. 

Auburn's Derrick Brown went two spots behind Tagovailoa at No.7 to the Carolina Panthers while Florida Gator cornerback CJ Henderson went next at No.9 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Alabama's offensive tackle Jedrick Wills followed Henderson at No.10 to the Cleveland Browns while his former teammate Henry Ruggs III followed at No.12 to the Las Vegas Raiders. 

South Carolina's Javon Kinlaw kept the SEC theme going two picks behind Ruggs as Tampa Bay captured the former Gamecocks defensive tackle at No.14 before Alabama receiver Jerry Jeudy was taken next by the Denver Broncos with the No. 15 pick.

The first drought of the night came for the conference when four consecutive players from other conferences were taken before LSU pass rusher K'Lavon Chaisson was tabbed at No.20 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. At the same time, his former Tigers teammate Justing Jefferson went two picks later at No. 22 to the Minnesota Vikings. 

The conference would wait through five picks before the next player selected as LSU linebacker Patrick Queen ended the wait, being taken at No. 24 by the Baltimore Ravens, while former Georgia Bulldogs massive offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson went next at  No. 29 to the Tennessee Titans. 

The final three picks of the opening round saw two more SEC talents in Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene going at No, 30 to Miami, joining Tagovailoa before LSU running back Clyde Edwards Helaire ended the night at No.32 to the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

The SEC's dominance was so much that the second closest conference, the Big-12, had just five selections while the Big-10 finished with four, just ahead of the ACC with three, all from Clemson and the Pac-12 with two players taken on opening day. 

If there were any doubt as to which conference produces the best football talent in the nation, this should settle it in record-setting fashion. 

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