SEC Football by the Numbers is looking at the 2023 NFL Draft in four parts. Monday’s initial installment examined the first round. Today, it’s a breakdown by positions. On Wednesday, NFL teams will be the focus. And on Thursday, some stats and streaks about the conference and the draft will lead into this year’s first round of picks that night.

0 Times during the common-draft era (since 1967, when the NFL and AFL teams drafted together for the first time) has Ole Miss had a running back and a wide receiver picked in the same draft, which should happen this year with Rebels RB Zach Evans and WR Jonathan Mingo considered solid prospects. Since 1967, 21 wide receivers and 12 running backs have been drafted from Ole Miss.

5 SEC quarterbacks are considered draft possibilities this week – Alabama’s Bryce Young, Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker. The most SEC QBs selected in a single draft is five in 1971 – Ole Miss’ Archie Manning (No. 2, New Orleans Saints), Alabama’s Scott Hunter (No. 160, Green Bay Packers), LSU’s Buddy Lee (No. 167, Chicago Bears), Mississippi State’s Joe Reed (No. 283, San Francisco 49ers) and Tennessee’s Bobby Scott (No. 340, New Orleans Saints).

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11 Consecutive NFL drafts have included at least one Alabama defensive back. That’s the longest current draft streak for one position from one school in the SEC. Crimson Tide defensive backs Brian Branch, Eli Ricks and Jordan Battle are expected to be picked in the first three rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft to extend the streak, and DeMarcco Hellams might join them before the draft is completed. The defensive backs drafted in the streak include Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie, Dee Milliner, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Vinnie Sunseri, Landon Collins, Cyrus Jones, Marlon Humphrey, Eddie Jackson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett, Deionte Thompson, Xavier McKinney, Trevon Diggs, Patrick Surtain II and Jalyn Armour-Davis.

13 Alabama running backs have been drafted since Nick Saban became the Crimson Tide’s coach, the most in the SEC since the 2008 NFL Draft. Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to add his name to Saban’s list this week. Three other SEC running backs are considered solid draft possibilities – Auburn’s Tank Bigsby, Ole Miss’ Zach Evans and Texas A&M’s Devon Achane – after nine SEC running backs were drafted last year. Since the 2008 draft, Auburn and Texas A&M have had six running backs drafted apiece and Ole Miss has had two. Georgia’s Kenny McIntosh and Kentucky’s Chris Rodriguez Jr. are considered more marginal as draft possibilities among running backs this week. Since 2008, Georgia has had 10 running backs drafted and Kentucky has had two.

14 SEC players have been the first quarterback selected in an NFL Draft, an honor that could go to Alabama’s Bryce Young or Florida’s Anthony Richardson in 2023. The past seven SEC players who have been the first quarterback selected were the No. 1 pick. The SEC players who have been the first quarterback selected in a draft are:

· LSU’s Joe Burrow (No. 1, Cincinnati Bengals, 2020)

· Auburn’s Cam Newton (No. 1, Carolina Panthers, 2011)

· Georgia’s Matthew Stafford (No. 1, Detroit Lions, 2009)

· LSU’s JaMarcus Russell (No. 1, Oakland Raiders, 2007)

· Ole Miss’ Eli Manning (No. 1, San Diego Chargers, 2004)

· Kentucky’s Tim Couch (No. 1, Cleveland Browns, 1999)

· Tennessee’s Peyton Manning (No. 1, Indianapolis Colts, 1998)

· Tennessee’s Heath Shuler (No. 3, Washington Redskins, 1994)

· Alabama’s Richard Todd (No. 6, New York Jets, 1976)

· LSU’s Bert Jones (No. 2, Indianapolis Colts, 1973)

· Florida’s Steve Spurrier (No. 3, San Francisco 49ers, 1967)

· Vanderbilt’s Bill Wade (No. 1, Los Angeles Rams, 1952)

· Georgia’s John Rauch (No. 2, Detroit Lions, 1949)

· Alabama’s Harry Gilmer (No. 1, Washington Redskins, 1948)

15 SEC players have been the first defensive lineman selected in an NFL Draft. Georgia’s Jalen Carter is expected to be the first defensive lineman selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Georgia’s Travon Walker was the first defensive lineman chosen in last year’s draft. The SEC players who have been the first defensive linemen selected in a draft are:

· Georgia’s Travon Walker (No. 1, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2022)

· Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett (No. 1, Cleveland Browns, 2017)

· South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney (No. 1, Houston Texans, 2014)

· Alabama’s Marcell Dareus (No. 3, Buffalo Bills, 2011)

· LSU’s Tyson Jackson (No. 3, Kansas City Chief, 2009)

· Kentucky’s Dewayne Robertson (No. 4, New York Jets, 2003)

· Florida’s Gerard Warren (No. 3, Cleveland Browns, 2001)

· LSU’s Anthony McFarland (No. 15, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1999)

· Florida’s Kevin Carter (No. 6, St. Louis Rams, 1995)

· Alabama’s John Copeland (No. 5, Cincinnati Bengals, 1993)

· Alabama’s Mike Pitts (No. 16, Atlanta Falcons, 1983)

· Kentucky’s Art Still (No. 2, Kansas City Chiefs, 1978)

· LSU’s Earl Leggett (No. 13, Chicago Bears, 1957)

· Tennessee’s Doug Atkins (No. 11, Cleveland Browns, 1953)

· Kentucky’s Bob Gain (No. 5, Green Bay Packers, 1951)

The list contains only players designated as DL, DT or DE by their drafting teams. Three more SEC players can safely be added to the first-defensive-lineman-to-be-drafted list even though they were designated only with a T for tackle on draft day — Kentucky’s Lou Michaels (No. 4, Los Angeles Rams, 1958), Ole Miss’ Jim Dunaway (No. 3, Minnesota Vikings, 1963) and Tennessee’s Steve DeLong (No. 6, Chicago Bears, 1965). All three were defensive linemen in the pros after playing on both sides of the ball in college.

15 SEC players have been the first linebacker selected in an NFL Draft. Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. is expected to be the first linebacker chosen in the 2023 NFL Draft. If he is, then the SEC will have produced the first linebacker in back-to-back drafts and six of the past nine drafts. The SEC players who have been the first LB selected include:

· Georgia’s Quay Walker (No. 22, Green Bay Packers, 2022)

· LSU’s Devin White (No. 5, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2019)

· Georgia’s Roquan Smith (No. 8, Chicago Bears, 2018)

· Georgia’s Leonard Floyd (No. 9, Chicago Bears, 2016)

· Florida’s Dante Fowler (No. 3, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2015)

· Georgia’s Jarvis Jones (No. 17, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013)

· Alabama’s Rolando McClain (No. 8, Oakland Raiders, 2010)

· Ole Miss’ Patrick Willis (No. 11, San Francisco 49ers, 2007)

· Alabama’s Keith McCants (No. 4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1990)

· Alabama’s Derrick Thomas (No. 4, Kansas City Chiefs, 1989)

· Auburn’s Aundray Bruce (No. 1, Atlanta Falcons,1988)

· Alabama’s Cornelius Bennett (No. 2, Indianapolis Colts, 1987)

· Mississippi State’s Johnie Cooks (No. 2, Indianapolis Colts, 1982)

· Alabama’s Lee Roy Jordan (No. 6, Dallas Cowboys, 1963)

· Georgia’s Dave Lloyd (No. 47, Cleveland Browns, 1959)

16 LSU defensive backs, 15 Alabama defensive backs and 15 Florida defensive backs were chosen in the previous 10 NFL drafts. The other 11 SEC members have combined to produce 56 drafted defensive backs during that span. The Crimson Tide is expected to have at least three defensive backs selected in this week’s draft, and two LSU defensive backs are considered solid 2023 draft prospects. But Florida might not keep pace in this year’s draft. Gators S Rashad Torrence II is considered the best draft possibility from the Florida secondary this year, and it might come down to seventh round or undrafted free agent for him.

20 Years since Texas A&M had two defensive backs chosen in the same draft, which should occur again this week with S Antonio Johnson and CB Jaylon Jones considered prospects for the first four rounds. In 2003, the Aggies had defensive backs Sammy Davis and Terrence Kiel selected – both by the San Diego Chargers, who took Davis at No. 30 and Kiel at No. 62.

27 NFL drafts have passed since a Mississippi State wide receiver has been picked. The most recent wide receiver picked from MSU is Eric Moulds, who went to the Buffalo Bills as the 24th selection in the 1996 draft. Mississippi State is not expected to have a wide receiver drafted this week. Every other SEC program has had at least one wide receiver selected since 2014, and 151 SEC wide receivers have been drafted since Moulds.

36 NFL drafts have passed since a Vanderbilt tight end has been picked. That’s the longest position drought for one program in the SEC when the players are divided into quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. The most recent Vanderbilt tight end to enter the NFL via the draft is Jim Popp, who went to the San Francisco 49ers in the eighth round in 1986. Seventy-five SEC tight ends have been drafted since Popp. Vanderbilt is not expected to have a tight end drafted week.

54 SEC quarterbacks have been drafted since South Carolina most recently had a QB picked by an NFL team. The most recent Gamecocks quarterback selected in the NFL Draft is Todd Ellis, who went to the Cleveland Broncos with 247th pick in 1990. Every SEC team has had a quarterback drafted since then, with LSU producing 10 in that span. No player who has been South Carolina’s QB in an SEC game has been drafted, because the Gamecocks joined the conference in 1992. South Carolina will not have a quarterback in this week’s draft either.

87 NFL Drafts – every one of them – has included at least one SEC offensive lineman and one SEC running back. The last time there was an NFL Draft without an SEC defensive back was 1947, without an SEC linebacker was 1953, without an SEC wide receiver was 1970, without an SEC defensive lineman was 1980, without an SEC tight end was 2005 and without an SEC quarterback was 2015.

This look at the SEC’s draft numbers includes only players picked in the regular NFL Draft — no special supplemental, expansion, non-NFL or separate dispersal drafts are included in the tabulations. For Arkansas and South Carolina, which joined the league in 1992, the numbers include players drafted since 1993, unless noted. For former member Georgia Tech, players drafted from 1936 to 1964 are included. For former member Tulane, it’s through the 1966 draft. Missouri and Texas A&M have provided SEC players for the past 10 drafts. Former SEC member Sewanee has had one player drafted — RB William Johnson by the Falcons in 1966, long after the school left the conference following the 1940 season.

The NFL Draft starts on Thursday with the first round. The second and third rounds are set for Friday, with the remaining four rounds on Saturday. ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will televise the draft, starting at 7 p.m. CDT Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.

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