2022 NFL Draft: SEC nuggets to know as the conference continued its 1st Round domination

The SEC didn’t quite reset its record of 1st Round draft picks on Thursday, but the conference still dominated Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft, as the reigning national champion Georgia Bulldogs stole most headlines with a stunning haul of defensive draftees.

For the 11th time in 12 years, the SEC led the nation in 1st Round picks, with a dozen players hearing their names called starting with versatile defensive lineman Travon Walker who went No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The conference looks well on its way to having the most total picks for the 15th straight year. 

Walker’s selection kickstarted a run on UGA defensive studs that saw an NFL-record five defensive players from the same school selected in Round 1.

Walker and safety Lewis Cine, who went No. 32 overall to the Minnesota Vikings, bookended the 1st Round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and in between, Bulldogs defensive tackle Jordan Davis (No. 13 overall), linebacker Quay Walker (No. 23 overall) and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (No. 28 overall) also came off the board. The Bulldogs set a school-record with their five 1st Round picks.

LSU’s cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. went No. 3 overall to the Houston Texans, giving the SEC a pair of Top 3 picks for the first time since 2014 when Jadeveon Clowney (Houston Texans) and Greg Robinson (St. Louis Rams) went 1-2. 

The rest:

No. 7 overall – Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal to the New York Giants

No. 9 overall – Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross to the Seattle Seahawks 

No. 12 overall – Alabama wideout Jameson Williams to the Detroit Lions 

No. 15 overall – Texas A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green to the Houston Texans

No. 18 overall – Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks to the Tennessee Titans 

No. 23 overall – Florida corner Kaiir Elam to the Buffalo Bills

In all, seven SEC programs were represented Thursday.

Here’s some other 2022 NFL Draft SEC nuggets and notes to know…

3X IN A ROW

The conference’s four picks inside the Top 10 this year — Walker (No. 1), Stingley Jr. (No. 3), Neal (No. 7) and Cross (No. 9) — continued the SEC’s recent streak with at least four picks in the Top 10 for the third straight season (six in 2021, 2020).

TIDE TIE RECORD 

Alabama will set an NFL record a year from now when Will Anderson and Bryce Young come off the board on Day 1 in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Thursday, the Tide simply tied Miami by having at least one 1st Round selection in 14 consecutive drafts — a record among all college football programs. 

BUSTING STREAKS

By going No. 9 overall to the Seattle Seahawks, Cross became the highest-drafted Mississippi State player in 39 years. The offensive tackle is MSU’s first Top-10 pick since tailback Michael Haddix in 1983, who when No. 8 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Meanwhile, before Burks went No. 18 to Tennessee, Arkansas hadn’t had a 1st Round receiver selected since converted quarterback Matt Jones went No. 21 overall to Jacksonville in 2005.

ALABAMA’S WRU REPUTATION CONTINUES

The Detroit Lions went all-in on acquiring Crimson Tide receiver Jameson Williams, trading multiple picks to move back up into the early portion of the first round to select the speedy playmaker. Williams is the fifth Alabama receiver drafted on Day 1 in just the last three years, and eighth 1st Round wideout since 1996 — most among any program in college football.

Williams set an Alabama single-season record with four touchdowns over 70-plus yards, the best among all Division 1 receivers. He’s recovering from an ACL injury but is expected to be ready to play sometime during the 2022 season. 

2022 NFL DRAFT FIRST ROUND FINAL NOTES

Gators cornerback Kaiir Elam went No. 23 overall to the Buffalo Bills, the fourth Florida corner drafted in the first round since 2010.

Overall, Georgia had more players drafted Thursday than the entire ACC (4) or Pac-12 (4). Crazier, the Bulldogs had more Walker’s drafted (Travon Walker, Quay Walker) than the entire Big 12, which saw zero players come off the board.