First look at possible 2014 SEC first rounders

Thirty Southeastern Conference football players were selected in the first round of the last three NFL drafts.

It doesn’t take a Vanderbilt degree to determine that’s an average of 10 a year.

Of course, the SEC is the premier league in college football. It has produced seven consecutive national champions. It had twice as many players selected in the 2013 NFL Draft than any other conference. As many as five SEC teams could be ranked in the preseason top 10.

Therefore, it stands to reason NFL teams will select about 10 SEC players in the first round of the 2014 draft. The conference could even exceed the dozen that was selected this year. But just to maintain the average, here’s one man’s guess at 10 SEC football players who will be first round draft choices next year.

1. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina, DE: This 6-6, 272-pound mound of intimidation would have been the first selection in this year’s draft had he been eligible. Pass rushers are extremely valuable in the NFL and Clowney is the best in a long time. He’s this generation’s Deacon Jones or Reggie White. He’s posted 21 sacks in two seasons. The team that picks first in 2014 will select Clowney.

2. Jake Matthews, Texas A&M, OT: Five offensive tackles were taken in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. Had Matthews chose to enter, there would have been six. A&M gave up only nine sacks in 13 games last season. Matthews was one of the big reasons why. By staying at A&M another year and moving to left tackle, he’ll make himself even more attractive to teams in need of linemen.

3. Aaron Murray, Georgia, QB: Productive quarterbacks are always in need in the NFL and Murray certainly qualifies. He’s already started three seasons for the Bulldogs and passed for more than 3,000 yards in each of them. He’s thrown for more than 10,000 yards and 95 touchdowns. Also, he plays in a pro-style offense. Although NFL coaches are finally opening their minds to spreads and zone reads, most still employ pro-style offenses and will look for QBs that have excelled in that system.

4. C.J. Mosley, Alabama, LB: He’s started on two national championship teams with dominant defenses. Want more? OK. He led Alabama with 107 tackles last season. That’s 48 more than anyone else had. He can rush the passer (four sacks) and he can also cover (two interceptions). Alabama has had at least three players selected in the first round in each of the past three drafts. Mosley figures to help the Tide keep that streak intact.

5. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, QB: Of course, he’s only a sophomore, so might he opt to shun the NFL in 2014? Keep dreaming. Manziel is a better pocket passer than some realize and he’s as elusive as a fly at a picnic. Similar quarterbacks like Russell Wilson have proved they can be successful in the NFL, so more and more coaches are becoming receptive to offense systems that will better utilize Manziel’s unique skills. Some may be scared off by his size, but his awesome talent will surely be too much for all teams to ignore.

6. A.J. McCarron Alabama, QB: Stats are nice, but winning is all that really matters. McCarron has already been a part of two national championship teams and some think he will make it three this season. He doesn’t post jaw-dropping stats, but he’s not asked to do so.

On second thought, how’s this for a jaw-dropping stat: 49 career touchdown passes and eight career interceptions. He’s also 25-2 as a starting quarterback.

7. Antonio Richardson, Tennessee, OT: A junior, Richardson has great size (6-6, 332) and good feet. He's so good that last season the Vols moved senior Dallas Thomas (a third round selection this year) to guard so Richardson could start at left tackle. He earned some all-SEC acclaim along the way.

Perhaps most impressive, he neutralized Clowney for most of the game in the Volunteers’ 38-35 loss to South Carolina. Richardson did give up a pivotal late sack to Clowney, but until then he’d held the SEC’s best defensive player in check.

8. Anthony Johnson, LSU, DT: He’s posted 42 tackles in two seasons at LSU, which isn’t that overwhelming. Except, he’s done that has a backup. He’ll move into the starting lineup this year and figures to be yet another dominant LSU defensive linemen. If his stats and performance don’t wow NFL scouts (and they will), then his workouts will. Though 6-3, 304 pounds, he’s reportedly run a 4.7 40-yard dash. Big, strong, fast defensive tackles aren’t easily overlooked by NFL scouts.

9. Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama, OT: He figures to be the third first-round draft choice that started on the Tide’s 2012 offensive line. A first-year starter as a sophomore last season, Kouandjio graded out 90 percent or better six times and allowed just 3.5 sacks. He was also credited with 21 “pancake blocks.” He was virtually overlooked last season because of Alabama’s other star offensive linemen, but if the 6-6, 310-pounder continues to improve — and Nick Saban’s players typically do — he could be as good as any of them.

10. Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt, WR: Matthews has good speed, great size and better hands. As a junior he caught 94 passes for 1,323 yards and eight touchdowns in a pro-style offense and without an elite quarterback. If he has a similarly productive senior season, he will have a strong chance to be taken in the first round of the 2014 draft. He would’ve been a high pick had he entered the 2013 draft.