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ESPN predicts nine SEC first-round selections in 2025

Nine first-round selections out of the SEC by ESPN for the 2025 NFL Draft are explored.

By Peter Bartell

Dec 2, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) during the second quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) during the second quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports / Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports
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While some names like Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell are obvious first rounders, speculation around others was far from concrete with the NFL Draft an entire college football season away.

Sure a lot can and will change, but ESPN’s Matt Miller released his early first-round predictions to include nine in total from the SEC, with five players inside the top 10. For a league that had what many called a “down year” in 2024, this is quite impressive.

Which SEC players are projected to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft?

Luther Burden III (WR, Missouri)

Burden III will be the primary option for Missouri quarterback Brady Cook in 2024, just as he was in 2023. In 2023, Burden caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns.

The difference for Burden this year to remain in the top 10 however may be complimentary wide receivers Theo Wease Jr., Marquis Johnson and Mookie Cooper. If at least one of these three can emerge as a threat, this could take the ability to double team Burden III off the table, boosting not only Burden’s numbers but the offense as a whole.

Carson Beck (QB, Georgia)

Based on positional need at quarterback as always, this could boost Beck all the way up to being the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Beck returns to Athens in his second year as the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback.

Beck completed 72% of his passes in 2023, throwing for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns. He took good care of the ball as well throwing only six interceptions. Beck should build on these numbers in 2024, making him a very attractive draft selection for a team in need of a quarterback.

Will Campbell (OT, LSU)

Campbell was an immediate starter and anchor on the offensive line for the LSU Tigers as a true freshman, and has not looked back since. Expected to be a leader alongside Emory Jones Jr. on the offensive line for the Tigers in 2024, Campbell could be the top offensive lineman taken overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, and not just the SEC.

Kelvin Banks Jr. (OT, Texas)

Banks Jr. is a mammoth six foot four inch 324 pound offensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns. Banks Jr. has started 27 games for the Longhorns during his first two seasons in Austin and like his fellow SEC lineman Will Campbell projects to go very high in the draft.

Campbell and Banks Jr. are ranked so closely right now, it could simply be a teams preference as to which one gets drafted before the other as the top offensive tackle in the draft.

James Pearce Jr. (DL, Tennessee)

10.5 sacks. This is how many Pearce Jr. accumulated for the Tennessee Volunteers as a sophomore in 2023. Pearce Jr. came out of nowhere after only being ranked 137th in the country and the 16th best edge rusher of the 2022 class according to On3. His production so far in Knoxville has easily exceeded expectations and he looks to build on it in 2025 which could further solidify him as a top 10 pick.

These are the players projected to be drafted inside the top 10. The other four are Quinn Ewers, Emery Jones Jr., Harold Perkins and Malaki Starks.

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