At last year’s NFL Draft, six of the first 12 picks were quarterbacks. On Thursday, the first round of the 90th NFL Draft included only two quarterbacks, with the Tennessee Titans taking Miami (Fla.)’s Cam Ward at No. 1 and the New York Giants trading back into the first round to pick Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart.

When the Giants’ trade with the Houston Texans to pick at No. 25 was announced, the assumption might have been that New York had Shedeur Sanders in its sights, as many projections had the Colorado QB as the Giants’ likely pick at No. 3.

Instead, New York picked Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter at No. 3 and came back up to secure Dart.

Sanders didn’t get selected in the remaining seven choices in the first round, leaving him among the players available on Friday, when the NFL will make its second- and third-round picks.

The NFL Draft continues at 6 p.m. CDT Friday. NFL teams will make 32 second-round picks, then select 38 more players in the third round. ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will televise Friday’s event.

Another quarterback who mimicked Sanders’ experience — received some first-round buzz and didn’t get picked – was Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, who attended the first round of the draft on Thursday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Other players who had been considered first-round possibilities but will be available on Friday night include Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, Marshall outside linebacker Mike Green, Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, Boston College outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku, South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori and Texas A&M defensive end Nic Scourton.

Milroe’s Alabama teammates, guard Tyler Booker and linebacker Jihaad Campbell, were chosen in the first round. The Dallas Cowboys took Booker with the 12th pick, and the Philadelphia Eagles acquired Campbell with the 31st selection.

In addition to Milroe, Friday-night’s top prospects with Alabama football roots include:

• Ole Miss cornerback Trey Amos (Alabama)
• Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond (Alabama)
• Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins (Pike Road)
• Ole Miss defensive tackle JJ Pegues (Auburn)

The SEC led all conferences with 15 players picked in the first round. The SEC pipeline to the NFL should continue on Friday. The probable picks from the conference in the second and third rounds include:

• Alabama: Quarterback Jalen Milroe
• Arkansas: Defensive end Landon Jackson
• Florida: Defensive tackle Cam Jackson
• Georgia: Linebacker Smael Monday Jr., guard Tate Ratledge, wide receiver Dominic Lovett
• LSU: Tight end Mason Taylor, defensive end Sai’vion Jones, defensive end Brady Swinson, guard Emery Jones Jr.
• Missouri: Wide receiver Luther Burden III
• Oklahoma: Safety Billy Bowman Jr., linebacker Danny Stutsman
• Ole Miss: Cornerback Trey Amos, wide receiver Tre Harris, defensive end Princely Umanmielen, defensive tackle JJ Pegues
• South Carolina: Safety Nick Emmanwori, linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., defensive tackle T.J. Sanders
• Tennessee: Running back Dylan Sampson
• Texas: Wide receiver Isaiah Bond, defensive tackle Alfred Collins, outside linebacker Barryn Sorrell, safety Andrew Mukuba
• Texas A&M: Defensive end Nic Scourton, defensive tackle Shemar Turner

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.