Recapping the first round for the SEC
By Chris Low | ESPN.com
The SEC had nine players selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft on Thursday night, which led all conferences. The Big 12 was second with five first-rounders.
It was the sixth year in a row and eighth in the past 10 years that the SEC has had multiple selections in the top seven picks of the draft. It was the second year in a row that the SEC has had six of the top 14 selections in the draft. Eight of the nine selections from the SEC were defensive players.
Alabama had four players taken in the first round, giving the Crimson Tide 11 first-rounders in the past four years.
Even more remarkably, that gives Alabama coach Nick Saban 19 players that he has recruited and signed in his 10 seasons as an SEC head coach who’ve gone on to become first-round NFL draft choices. Saban was responsible for signing all nine of LSU’s first-round selections from 2004-09, and he signed 10 of Alabama’s 11 first-rounders over the past three years.
South Carolina had two players go in the first round -- cornerback Stephon Gilmore and defensive end Melvin Ingram -- for the first time in more than 30 years. In the 1981 draft, running back George Rogers went No. 1 overall and tight end Willie Scott No. 14 overall.
Mississippi State produced a first-rounder -- defensive tackle Fletcher Cox -- for the second year in a row. Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod also went in the first round last year. The Bulldogs had gone 14 years without a first-rounder until Sherrod was taken with the 32nd pick overall last year.
Here's a quick review from Thursday's first round:
No. 3: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama to the Cleveland Browns
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 6: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU to the Dallas Cowboys
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 7: Mark Barron, S, Alabama to the Tampa Bay Bucs
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 10: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina to the Buffalo Bills
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 12: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State to the Philadelphia Eagles
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 14: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU to the St. Louis Rams
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 17: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama to the Cincinnati Bengals
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 18: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina to the San Diego Chargers
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 25: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama to the New England Patriots
Todd McShay video analysis here
link: http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/42715/recapping-the-the-first-round-for-the-sec
By Chris Low | ESPN.com
The SEC had nine players selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft on Thursday night, which led all conferences. The Big 12 was second with five first-rounders.
It was the sixth year in a row and eighth in the past 10 years that the SEC has had multiple selections in the top seven picks of the draft. It was the second year in a row that the SEC has had six of the top 14 selections in the draft. Eight of the nine selections from the SEC were defensive players.
Alabama had four players taken in the first round, giving the Crimson Tide 11 first-rounders in the past four years.
Even more remarkably, that gives Alabama coach Nick Saban 19 players that he has recruited and signed in his 10 seasons as an SEC head coach who’ve gone on to become first-round NFL draft choices. Saban was responsible for signing all nine of LSU’s first-round selections from 2004-09, and he signed 10 of Alabama’s 11 first-rounders over the past three years.
South Carolina had two players go in the first round -- cornerback Stephon Gilmore and defensive end Melvin Ingram -- for the first time in more than 30 years. In the 1981 draft, running back George Rogers went No. 1 overall and tight end Willie Scott No. 14 overall.
Mississippi State produced a first-rounder -- defensive tackle Fletcher Cox -- for the second year in a row. Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod also went in the first round last year. The Bulldogs had gone 14 years without a first-rounder until Sherrod was taken with the 32nd pick overall last year.
Here's a quick review from Thursday's first round:
No. 3: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama to the Cleveland Browns
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 6: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU to the Dallas Cowboys
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 7: Mark Barron, S, Alabama to the Tampa Bay Bucs
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 10: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina to the Buffalo Bills
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 12: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State to the Philadelphia Eagles
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 14: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU to the St. Louis Rams
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 17: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama to the Cincinnati Bengals
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 18: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina to the San Diego Chargers
Todd McShay video analysis here.
No. 25: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama to the New England Patriots
Todd McShay video analysis here
link: http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/42715/recapping-the-the-first-round-for-the-sec