Breakdown of SEC Players Declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft
Posted by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
At different points in time and with various programs across the country, fans have hoped and wondered “what if” when viewing the possibilities of a senior playing yet another college football season and the glory that may bring said school in the form of a national championship. In an odd thanks to the COVID-19 virus, different fanbases will get to experience that with the NCAA granting a waiver for the 2020 season giving seniors the opportunity to return for another year in 2021. But all the hoping and daydreaming can’t keep college football players with a legitimate shot at achieving their dreams from testing the financial waters of professional football. In the unusual year that was, not only are draft eligible underclassmen declaring for the upcoming NFL Draft but so are seniors that have an extra year of eligibility.
When the 2019 college football season wrapped, 36 players suiting up for SEC teams declared a year ahead for the 2020 NFL Draft. At current count, 45 seniors have declared for the upcoming NFL Draft with 29 juniors following along out of the SEC.
From the mindset of bringing them all back for a run at a natty, Georgia has been hit the hardest with 12 departing, but losing just four juniors. Florida, Texas A&M, and Kentucky have some heavy attrition losing seven each. Each year the NFL Draft clear cuts the LSU roster striking again with eight taking off to the professional level.
The entirety of the list has yet to be completed, with Alabama sure to have more than the current five declaring going forward. Add Heisman winning receiver DeVonta Smith and All-American linemen Alex Leatherwood, Deonte Brown, and Landon Dickerson off the offense. And on defense, senior linebacker Dylan Moses.
Worth noting, because of the option to opt-out ahead of the season, many of those listed, like LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase never played during the 2020 schedule.
SEC Players Declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft
SEC East
Georgia (12 total, 8 seniors)
CB Tyson Campbell – junior
CB D.J. Daniel – senior
CB Eric Stokes – junior
CB Mark Webb – senior
DB Richard LeCounte – senior
DT Jordan Davis – junior
DE Malik Herring – senior
DE Monty Rice – senior
OL Trey Hill – junior
OL Ben Cleveland – senior
TE Tre McKitty – senior
QB Jamie Newman – senior
Florida (7 total, 5 seniors)
DT Kyree Campbell – senior
DB Shawn Davis – senior
CB Marco Wilson – redshirt junior
WR Trevon Grimes – senior
WR Kadarius Toney – senior
TE Kyle Pitts – junior
QB Kyle Trask – redshirt senior
Kentucky (7 total, 5 seniors)
NG Quinton Bohanna – senior
LB Jamin Davis – junior
CB Brandin Echols – senior
DB Kelvin Joseph – sophomore
OC Drake Jackson – senior
OT Landon Young – senior
RB Asim Rose – senior
Missouri (3 total, 1 senior)
DB Joshuah Bledsoe – senior
LB Nick Bolton – junior
OL Larry Borom – redshirt junior
South Carolina (5 total, 2 seniors)
CB Jaycee Horn – junior
CB Israel Mukuamu – junior
LB Ernest Jones – junior
OL Sadarius Hutcherson – senior
WR Shi Smith – senior
Tennessee
CB Bryce Thompson – junior
Vanderbilt
LB Andre Mintze – redshirt senior
DE Dayo Odeyingbo – senior
SEC West
Alabama (5 total)
DT Christian Barmore – redshirt sophomore
DB Josh Jobe – junior
CB Patrick Surtain II – junior
WR Jaylen Waddle – junior
QB Mac Jones – redshirt junior
Arkansas (5 seniors)
RB Rakeem Boyd – senior
QB Feleipe Franks – senior
CB Jerry Jacobs – senior
DL Xavier Kelly – senior
DL Jonathan Marshall – senior
Auburn (6 total, 3 seniors)
LB K.J. Britt – senior
DB Jordyn Peters – senior
CB Christian Tutt – junior
WR Anthony Schwartz – junior
WR Eli Stove – senior
WR Seth Williams – junior
LSU (8 total, 5 seniors)
FB Tory Carter – senior
WR Ja’Marr Chase – junior
WR Terrace Marshall Jr. – junior
WR Racy McMath – senior
LB Jabril Cox – senior
LB JaCoby Stevens – senior
DL Tyler Shelvin – junior
CB Kary Vincent Jr. – senior
Ole Miss (4 total, 1 senior)
OT Ben Brown – junior
OL Royce Newman – senior
WR Elijah Moore – junior
TE Kenny Yeboah – senior
Mississippi State (4 total, 3 seniors)
RB Kylin Hill – senior
DB Marcus Murphy – junior
DT Marquiss Spencer – senior
LB Erroll Thompson – senior
Texas A&M (7 total, 5 seniors)
DL Bobby Brown III – junior
LB Anthony Hines – junior
LB Buddy Johnson – senior
OL Ryan McCollum – senior
OL Dan Moore – senior
OL Jared Hocker – senior
WR Jhamon Ausbon – senior
Photo credit: Death Valley Voice; No. 6 Terrace Marshall Jr.