The past few years of college football have been dominated by the Big Ten, with the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Indiana Hoosiers winning the most recent National Championships.
The NFL Drafts have been dominated by the Big Ten, ACC, or Big 12, with players like Miami quarterback Cam Ward and USC quarterback Caleb Williams being the No. 1 overall picks.
What's missing? The SEC. This year is expected to be more of the same, as top draft prospects like Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey lead the charge.
Mansoor Delane could save the SEC from complete embarrassment this year.
Mansoor Delane projected as a top-10 pick in recent mock draft
According to Saturday Blitz's Nicholas Rome, Mendoza will go first, followed by Bailey as the second pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. After that pair, there are two Buckeyes projected as the third and fourth picks.
Then, Delane is Rome's fifth pick, and is the only former player in the SEC who is a top-10 pick in his most recent NFL mock draft.
Beyond the top 10, there are a handful of other SEC players, including Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, and Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell.
However, for only one player from the SEC to be a top-10 pick is embarrassing at best. Delane breaking into the top 10, much less the top five, is the conference's saving grace this year.
The 2026 NFL Draft will start on Thursday, April 23, and the second and third rounds will be held on Friday, April 24. The final four rounds are set to unfold on Saturday, April 25. This year's draft will be held in Pittsburgh and will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, the NFL Network, and ESPN Deportes.