Alabama and LSU have continued to power the SEC’s strong showing in this year’s NFL draft. Through the first three rounds of the draft, the Tigers and Crimson Tide combined for 19 total picks, and the SEC dominated the third round with a total of 15 picks Friday night. And that was after already seeing 10 players from SEC schools go to NFL teams in the second round and a night after setting a new record for the most first-round picks from one conference.
LSU tied the NFL Draft record for the most draft picks through the first three rounds by having 10 players picked by NFL teams. The draft started with quarterback Joe Burrow going first overall to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night. K’Lavon Chaisson was drafted 20th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, followed two picks later by receiver Justin Jefferson going to the Minnesota Vikings. The Baltimore Ravens locked up linebacker Patrick Queen with the 28th overall pick, and running back Clyde Edwards-Hellaire rounded out the first round as LSU’s fifth drafted player. That set the school record for most first-round draft picks and set the tone for Friday night.
Grant Delpit was taken 44th overall by the Cleveland Browns. Kristian Fulton went 61st to the Tennessee Titans. Damien Lewis headed to the Seattle Seahawks with the 69th overall pick. Lloyd Cushenberry was picked 83rd by the Denver Broncos. Jacob Phillips tied the record mark by being the 97th overall pick of the Browns.
The. Best. Ever.
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) April 25, 2020
Most @NFL draft picks in school history!#GeauxTigers | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/8fDvQJ5SSr
What a 24 Hours pic.twitter.com/IVV6mypA2I
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) April 25, 2020
Ohio State set the record with 10 players selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Alabama just behind their SEC West rivals with nine players through the first three rounds of the draft (although some will probably try to claim Jalen Hurts too).
18 of the 23 draft-eligible players that were in the starting lineup in the @LSUfootball vs. Alabama game in 2019, have been picked in the first 3 rounds of the #NFLDraft. #LSU beat the Tide, 46-41, on its way to a 15-0 national championship season.
— Michael Bonnette (@LSUBonnette) April 25, 2020
2020 NFL Draft Third-Round Picks By Conference
(includes NFL compensatory draft picks)
- SEC - 15
- Pac-12 - 6
- Big Ten - 5
- American - 5
- Big 12 - 4
- ACC - 2
- Conference USA - 1
- Pioneer Football League (FCS) - 1
- Sun Belt - 1
- Independents - 1
With three rounds now officially in the books, the SEC is now in a position to make a run for a new record for most draft picks in a single draft. The current record is 64, and it was set by the SEC last year. The SEC needs just 24 more players in the last four rounds to tie the record.
2020 NFL Draft Picks By Conference Through Rounds 1-3
- SEC - 40
- Big Ten - 17
- Big 12 - 12
- Pac-12 - 12
- ACC - 8
- American - 4
- Mountain West - 3
- Sun Belt - 2
- Conference USA - 1
- Missouri Valley (FCS) - 1
- Pioneer Football League (FCS) - 1
- South Atlantic (D2) - 1- 3 FBS independent draft picks
Maybe Saturday will be kinder to the MAC.
The MAC is the only FBS conference with no players selected in the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. #NonMACtion
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) April 25, 2020