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 chosen in the first 32 picks.

Of the 17 SEC players who entered the NFL as the 26th pick in the draft, seven had careers that lasted at least 10 seasons.

The one who played the longest also had the most decorated career. In 13 seasons as a left guard in the NFL, Alan Faneca was a first-team All-Pro selection six times and received nine Pro Bowl invitations.

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Faneca missed two games in his career and started 201 regular-season contests. He also started 11 postseason games, including the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006.

The 12 SEC players drafted in the first round with the No. 26 pick include:

· Alabama linebacker Les Kelly, New Orleans Saints, 1967

· Kentucky wide receiver Randy Burke, Baltimore Colts, 1977

· Mississippi State defensive end Glen Collins, Cincinnati Bengals, 1982

· Auburn wide receiver Alexander Wright, Dallas Cowboys, 1990

· Arkansas defensive end Henry Ford, Houston Oilers, 1994

· LSU guard Alan Faneca, Pittsburgh Steelers, 1998

· Alabama cornerback Fernando Bryant, Jacksonville Jaguars, 1999

· Florida defensive back Lito Sheppard, Philadelphia Eagles, 2002

· Ole Miss center Chris Spencer, Seattle Seahawks, 2005

· Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams, Arizona Cardinals, 2010

· Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons, 2018

· Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat, Washington Redskins, 2019

The NFL Draft has included at least 26 selections annually since 1967. The five SEC players drafted with the No. 26 pick who were not first-rounders include:

· Vanderbilt end Bucky Curtis, Cleveland Browns, 1951

· Florida fullback Mal Hammack, Chicago Cardinals, 1955

· Florida tackle Frank Lasky, New York Giants, 1963

· LSU tight end Billy Truax, Cleveland Browns, 1964

· Kentucky tight end Bob Windsor, San Francisco 49ers, 1966

Hammack played in 12 NFL seasons, working as a fullback, tight end and linebacker. Truax, Ford, Bryant, Sheppard and Spencer had 10-year careers. Sheppard’s career included two Pro Bowl seasons and one first-team All-Pro selection.

RELATED:

· THE SEC’S BEST NO. 27 PICK

· THE SEC’S BEST NO. 28 PICK

· THE SEC’S BEST NO. 29 PICK

· THE SEC’S BEST NO. 30 PICK

· THE SEC’S BEST NO. 31 PICK

· THE SEC’S BEST NO. 32 PICK

(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.)

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE SEC, GO TO OUR SEC PAGE

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