NFL Draft: The SEC’s No. 1 No. 20
The 2023 NFL Draft starts on April 27 with the first-round picks at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. The SEC has produced 395 first-round selections and another 108 choices among the top 32 picks who were not first-rounders. AL.com is counting down to the draft by highlighting the SEC players
After the Rams drafted Jack Youngblood with the 20th pick in 1971, he spent the next 14 seasons with Los Angeles.
Youngblood made the Pro Bowl every season from 1973 through 1979 and was a first-team All-Pro selection in five of those campaigns on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Class of 2001.
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That gives him the edge on former Bessemer prep star Maxie Baughan and Eddie Price as the top No. 20 pick from the SEC.
Baughan went to the Pro Bowl after nine of his first 10 NFL seasons, and he was a first-team All-Pro in 1964. In his rookie season, Baughan was a Pro Bowler for the NFL championship team.
Price led the NFL in rushing in 1951 and repeated as the first-team All-Pro running back in 1952.
The 15 SEC players drafted in the first round with the No. 20 pick include:
· Alabama wide receiver Dennis Homan, Dallas Cowboys, 1968
· Florida defensive back Steve Tannen, New York Jets, 1970
· Florida defensive end Jack Youngblood, Los Angeles Rams, 1971
· Vanderbilt tackle Will Wolford, Buffalo Bills, 1986
· Ole Miss defensive tackle Kelvin Pritchett, Dallas Cowboys, 1991
· Tennessee defensive back Dale Carter, Kansas City Chiefs, 1992
· Ole Miss defensive tackle Tim Bowens, Miami Dolphins, 1994
· Alabama linebacker Dwayne Rudd, Minnesota Vikings, 1997
· Tennessee defensive back Terry Fair, Detroit Lions, 1998
· Georgia tackle George Foster, Denver Broncos, 2003
· LSU defensive end Marcus Spears, Dallas Cowboys, 2005
· Alabama cornerback Kareem Jackson, Houston Texans, 2010
· Arkansas center Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions Lions, 2018
· LSU outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2020
· Florida wide receiver Kadarius Toney, New York Giants, 2021
Every NFL Draft since 1967 has included at least 20 picks in the first round. The four SEC players drafted with the No. 20 pick who were not first-rounders include:
· Tulane fullback Eddie Price, New York Giants, 1950
· LSU guard Sid Fournet, Los Angeles Rams, 1955
· Georgia Tech linebacker Maxie Baughan, Philadelphia Eagles, 1960
· Georgia tackle Ray Rissmiller, Philadelphia Eagles, 1965
Tannen had the distinction of being the first SEC player picked in the 1970 draft, the latest that the conference’s first selection had come off the board.
Wolford was a Pro Bowler three times during his 13-year career.
Like Youngblood, Pritchett played in 14 seasons, and Jackson plans to play for a 14th season in 2023.
Carter made the Pro Bowl annually from 1994 through 1997.
Bowens was a Pro Bowler in 1998.
Ragnow has been a Pro Bowler in two of the past three seasons.
Toney helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII to cap the 2022 NFL season.
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(The list includes only players selected in the regular NFL draft. The drafts from other leagues are not included nor are any supplemental drafts that have been held by the NFL.)
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.