ESPN College Football

ESPN Insider's "20 teams that can win it all" series is previewing each of the top 20 teams in Brian Fremeau's five-year program metric (for a full explanation, and links to all of the previews as they are published, click here), with the help of ESPN's Stats & Information group.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Travis Haney took a look at South Carolina. Haney discussed three reasons why South Carolina can win it all and three reasons why the Gamecocks won't.

Here's a little of what Haney said about the Gamecocks' chances of winning it all this year:

"Spurrier has a quarterback at South Carolina. There are no question marks, with respects to performance -- or off-field behavior -- any longer. Connor Shaw became a long-awaited answer last season, taking over for the much-maligned Stephen Garcia.

The Gamecocks went 7-1 with Shaw at quarterback, losing only at then-No. 7 Arkansas. It's difficult to argue with those results."

My thoughts: Shaw's development is big for South Carolina's offense. There's no doubt that Shaw can make plays with his feet, but Spurrier wants a passer. He was a passer and his quarterbacks at Florida were passers. Shaw showed more of a pass-first mentality during the second half of the season and it sounds like it carried over into the spring. Now, he'll have to continue that this fall. Old habits do die hard, but what would really help him is if Marcus Lattimore is healthy.

Speaking of Lattimore, Haney threw out some pretty interesting facts about Lattimore's running habits when he was healthy. One that I was really impressed with was: "Lattimore was not touched until he was five yards past the line of scrimmage on 94 of his 412 rushes (22.8 percent) in his first two seasons (according to ESPN Stats & Info). Seventy-two of those runs were between the tackles." He also added that it continues to sound like Lattimore is ahead of schedule.

My thoughts: A healthy Lattimore would certainly add some confidence to the thought of saying South Carolina is an SEC title contender and beyond. When he's on top of his game he's one of the best running backs in the country. But no one really knows how he'll respond this season and how healthy he'll actually be. We won't really know until he takes real contact in a real game. Until we know where Lattimore's health stands there will still be speculation surrounding this offense.

Haney also talks about the defensive line, which I think will be very good this fall. Ends Jadeveon Clowney and Devin Taylor should be pretty annoying to guard and tackles Kelcy Quarles and Byron Jerideau showed a lot of improvement this spring. This line will be pretty darn good this fall, which should help the entire defense.

As for three reasons why the Gamecocks falter, Haney talks the lack of proven receivers, the loss of defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and having to play LSU and Arkansas.

My thoughts: I agree with all three and I still feel most of the concern is in the secondary. Starting corners Stephon Gilmore and C.C. Whitlock are gone and DeVonte Holloman is moving back to the Spur, leaving an opening at strong safety. That leaves three spots that need to be filled. Two will be filled by rising sophomores, while veteran Akeem Auguste will take a corner spot. The problem is that he hasn't played since 2010 and hasn't played corner since 2009.

Fremeau's projection:

Most likely result: 8-4 (30 percent likelihood)
Projection window: 7-5 to 10-2 (86 percent likelihood)

2011 record: 11-2
2011 conference record: 6-2

Returning starters: Offense: 7; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 0

Top returners:
WR Ace Sanders, OG A.J. Cann, QB Connor Shaw, RB Marcus Lattimore, CB Akeem Auguste, DE Jadeveon Clowney, DE Devin Taylor, DT Kelcy Quarles, LB Shaq Wilson, Spur DeVonte Holloman, S D.J. Swearinger

Key losses:
WR Alshon Jeffery, OT Rokevious Watkins, OG Terrence Campbell, Spur Antonio Allen, DE Melvin Ingram, CB Stephon Gilmore, DT Travian Robertson

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Marcus Lattimore* (818 yards)
Passing: Connor Shaw* (1,448 yards)
Receiving: Alshon Jeffery (762 yards)
Tackles: Antonio Allen (88)
Sacks: Melvin Ingram (10)
Interceptions: Stephon Gilmore (4)

Spring answers

1. Shaw's development: The goal for quarterback Connor Shaw this spring was to work on the passing part of the position. The run-first quarterback showed flashes of transformation in his mindset toward the end of last season and it bled over to this year. He seems to be more confident in his passing and that will go a long way for the Gamecocks offense, as the downfield passing game was missing for most of South Carolina's season in 2011.

2. Running back depth: With Lattimore sitting out the spring, South Carolina turned to reserves Brandon Wilds and Kenny Miles. Both performed well, but Miles was named the offensive player of the spring. He wrestled with returning to the Gamecocks, and still seems to be creating some drama about his return this fall, but if he comes back he'll be the No. 2 back. Miles made major strides in his game and his return would mean South Carolina has some insurance at running back if Lattimore struggles. Even if he returns at full health, having Miles there will give the Gamecocks a solid option to keep Lattimore fresh.

3. Shell's development: South Carolina's coaches were anxious to see what redshirt freshman Brandon Shell could do and he didn't disappoint. He ended spring as the starter at left tackle -- the same position that Rokevious Watkins manned last season. The Gamecocks lost two starters along the offensive line, but Shell provided a nice spark at the most important position along the line.

Fall questions

1. Lattimore's health: While word out of South Carolina's camp is that Lattimore was ahead of schedule with his knee rehab, it's still unknown if he will be back to his old self. It's hard to believe that anyone could come back from an ACL injury in this amount of time and be as effective and as good as Lattimore was, but his coaches think he can do just that. Until we see him play, there will still be some uncertainty. A healthy Lattimore makes this an SEC contender and maybe more.

2. Secondary: South Carolina has veterans Akeem Auguste and D.J. Swearinger returning in its defensive backfield, but both dealt with injuries in the spring and the Gamecocks must replace three of its top four cornerbacks from last season. The injuries gave young guys the opportunity to get more reps, but questions still remain. Victor Hampton, listed as a starter, might be South Carolina's most athletic returning corner, but he has limited experience and a history of off-field issues. Brison Williams should enter the fall as a starter at strong safety, but has just one career start. He's one of two players at strong safety with game experience. Jimmy Legree and Cadarious Sanders are the only other corners with game experience. Expect redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian to compete for time as well.

3. Wide receiver: The Gamecocks will start the summer still wondering about the wide receiver position. Ace Sanders returns as the team's most productive receiver, but after that there isn't a lot of production. The good news was that Bruce Ellington returned to football this spring, but the bad news is that even with him back, Sanders is still the only receiver returning with 20 or more catches (29). Speedster Damiere Byrd showed progress and the coaches expect to get more from D.L. Moore, but the position is still a mystery. Incoming freshman Shaq Roland will be relied on a lot when he reports in the summer.

Now that you've seen some SEC West notes delivered by the SEC office, here are some SEC East notes for your viewing pleasure:

FLORIDA

• Florida returns 10 starters on defense where the Gators ranked eighth nationally in total defense (299.5 yards per game) in 2011. The Gators ranked second in the nation in third-down defense in 2011, holding opponents to 48-for-176 (.273).
• Florida returns 14 of its top 15 tacklers for the 2012 season, including leading tackler senior linebacker Jon Bostic, who tallied 94 total tackles, 10 tackles for a loss and three sacks. Also returning for the Gators are their second and third leading tacklers, junior safety Matt Elam who recorded 78 tackles, a team-leading 11 tackles for a loss and a team-high-tying two interceptions, and junior linebacker Jelani Jenkins who totaled 75 tackles and a team-best six pass break-ups.
• Last year marked Florida’s FBS-leading 32nd-straight season with a winning percentage of .500 or higher. With the win over Ohio State in the Gator Bowl, the Gators have had 24 consecutive winning seasons, the longest active streak in the country. Additionally, with the trip to the Gator Bowl, Florida made its 21st straight bowl appearance, which ranks first in the SEC and second nationally.

GEORGIA

• Sophomore outside linebacker/defensive end Ray Drew and redshirt freshman receiver Justin Scott-Wesley are splitting time between track and football. Drew has competed in three discus competitions during the outdoor season, taking second and third in separate competitions. Scott-Wesley competed indoors and already ranks in the top 10 on the school’s 60-meter dash list.
• The Bulldog defense returns nine starters and 12 of the 14 leading tacklers after posting a No. 5 national ranking in 2011. All-American junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and All-American senior free safety Bacarri Rambo headline the unit.

KENTUCKY

• The line should be a strength of the UK defense in 2012. All three regular starters return, senior end Collins Ukwu and junior tackles Mister Cobble and Donte Rumph. Senior end Taylor Wyndham, a starter when Kentucky goes to a four-man line, also will be back.
• Junior linebacker Avery Williamson continued his improvement in the spring and is expected to anchor the defense at middle linebacker. He led all players in the spring game with eight tackles, featuring two tackles for loss and a sack. He made 49 tackles last season as a reserve and is ready to step into a leadership role.
• The Wildcats did not appear to have any major new injuries in the spring. Six players sat out the contact portions of spring drills, including quarterback Morgan Newton, tailback Josh Clemons, wide receiver Gene McCaskill, offensive lineman Tyler Davenport, Ukwu and linebacker Jabari Johnson. All six are expected to be ready to go in time for preseason practice.

MISSOURI

• Mizzou comes to the SEC after seven consecutive winning seasons under coach Gary Pinkel, who will be in his 12th year on the Tiger sideline. Mizzou has won 48 games in the past five seasons, which ranks as ninth-most in the nation from 2007-11 among BCS-AQ conferences. Mizzou is one of only six schools from BCS-AQ leagues to have won a minimum of eight games in each of the last six seasons (2006-11).
• Pinkel enters the 2012 as the eighth-winningest active coach in the FBS ranks, with his 158 wins. In 21 years as a head coach (1991-2000 at Toledo, 2001-present at Mizzou), Pinkel has a 158-91-3 overall record (.633). With an 85-54 mark in 11 seasons at Mizzou (.612), Pinkel stands 3rd alltime in wins, trailing only College Football Hall of Famers Don Faurot (101 wins from 1935-42, 1946-56) and Dan Devine (93 wins from 1958-70).

SOUTH CAROLINA

• The Gamecocks will open the 2012 season on a four-game winning streak. They had not finished a season with four consecutive wins since 1958 prior to last season’s finish, which included wins over Florida, The Citadel, Clemson and Nebraska.
• Connor Shaw is the first Gamecock quarterback in the last 40 years to win eight of his first nine starts.
• The Gamecocks have signed the last four “Mr. Football” winners in the state of South Carolina -- Stephon Gilmore (2009), Marcus Lattimore (2010), Jadeveon Clowney (2011) and Shaq Roland (2012).
• The Gamecocks are a perfect 8-0 over the last two seasons over their top four rivals -- division foes Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, and in-state rival Clemson.

TENNESSEE

• Tennessee is slated to open a new training center this summer. The 145,000-square foot building includes an amphitheater-style team room, coaches offices, position meeting rooms, a dining hall, players' lounge, a 7,000-square foot locker room, a 22,000-square foot, multi-level weight room as well as a new training room and hydrotherapy area.
• For just the fourth time in school history, Tennessee will enter October with five games under its belt (2006, 1995, 1990). In the previous three campaigns, the Vols won at least nine games, highlighted by a 1990 SEC Championship.
• Eight of Tennessee’s opponents earned a bid to play in a bowl game last season: NC State (Belk), Florida (Gator), Georgia (Outback), Mississippi State (Music City), Alabama (National Championship), South Carolina (Capital One), Missouri (Independence) and Vanderbilt (Liberty). All but Georgia and Vanderbilt were victorious.
• For the second consecutive year, Tennessee’s opponents compiled an overall record of 81-71 the previous season. Seven of Tennessee’s opponents had winning records in 2011: NC State (8-5), Florida (7-6), Georgia (10-4), Mississippi State (7-6), Alabama (12-1), South Carolina (11-2) and Missouri (8-5).

VANDERBILT

• Among the most impressive offensive players during spring practice for the Commodores were redshirt freshmen Josh Grady and Kris Kentera, both recruited out of high school as possible quarterbacks. Grady, from Tampa, Fla., impressed as a wide receiver and wildcat quarterback during the Black & Gold Spring Game. Kentera, from Colorado Springs, Colo., has athleticism and excellent hands and made a strong case for playing time this fall at H-back.
• For the second straight spring, the Commodores were limited with potential offensive linemen. During the spring game, only eight linemen participated. The limited numbers allowed three young prospects to showcase their talents to the staff: sophomore center/guard Spencer Pulley and Joe Townsend, and redshirt freshman guard Jake Bernstein.
• The Commodores introduced a "rover" position on defense during spring drills. Junior Karl Butler was one of Vanderbilt's defensive standouts during the spring working exclusively in the hybrid linebacker-safety role.

It's Friday, and we've got your links:

• The NCAA is set to reveal South Carolina's penalties.
• Alabama dominates from national signing day to NFL draft day, writes Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News.
• The Philadelphia Eagles make their move to get former Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.
• Georgia coach Mark Richt isn't bothered by the carping at the Bulldogs' schedule.
• Tennessee coach Derek Dooley says the team's GPA, which fell to a 2.08 in the fall, is under control.
• South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore and Melvin Ingram give the Gamecocks a first-round splash.
• Former LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne is stunned by the Dallas Cowboys moving up and getting him.
• Five bold predictions for Texas A&M in 2012 through the magic of pictures.
• John L. Smith's goal with his Arkansas assistants is to make sure he doesn't "goof them up."

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.

Michael Brockers, Quinton Coples, Stephon Gilmore, Stephen Hill, Luke Kuechly, Ryan Tannehill, Courtney Upshaw, Russell Wilson and Jerel Worthy talk about their playing days before NCAA football.

It’s always a lot of fun to see how the top NFL draft picks were rated coming out of high school.

Of the 12 SEC players pegged to go in the first round Thursday night, eight were unranked nationally in the ESPN 150 when they were going through the recruiting process in high school.

The highest-ranked player was Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who was the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2009 class and the No. 1 cornerback prospect.

That same year, Alabama running back Trent Richardson was the No. 6 overall prospect and the No. 1 running back.

The lowest rated of the SEC’s prospective first-round draft picks was Georgia offensive tackle Cordy Glenn. He was the No. 74 offensive tackle prospect nationally in the 2008 class.

Here’s a breakdown of all 12 players, including where they’re projected to go in the first round by Mel Kiper, their national rank by ESPN coming out of high school, their position rank, their grade and where they’re from.

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (No. 5 to the Bucs): No. 6 overall in class of 2009, No. 1 running back, No. 2 in Florida behind defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel, who signed with FSU. Grade 91. Pensacola, Fla.

Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU (No. 6 to the Rams): Unranked nationally in ESPN 150 in 2008, No. 26 athlete. Grade 80. Shreveport, La.

Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State (No. 7 to the Jaguars): Unranked nationally in class of 2009. No. 36 defensive end. Grade 78. Yazoo City, Miss.

Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina (No. 10 to the Bills): No. 18 overall in class of 2009, No. 2 safety. Grade 85. Rock Hill, S.C.

Mark Barron, S, Alabama (No. 11 to the Chiefs): Unranked nationally in ESPN 150 in 2008, No. 19 athlete. Grade 80. Mobile, Ala.

Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina (No. 12 to the Seahawks): Unranked nationally in ESPN 150 in 2007, No. 12 inside linebacker. Grade 78. Rockingham, N.C.

Michael Brockers, DT, LSU (No. 15 to the Eagles): Unranked nationally in class of 2009. No. 24 defensive end. Grade 79. Houston, Texas

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama (No. 17 to the Bengals): No. 4 overall in class of 2009, No. 1 cornerback. Grade 92. Gadsden, Ala.

Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia (No. 21 to Bengals): Unranked nationally in class of 2008, No. 74 offensive tackle. Grade 74. Riverdale, Ga.

Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama (No. 27 to the Patriots): No. 29 overall in class of 2008, No. 4 defensive end. Grade 83. Eufaula, Ala.

Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama (No. 29 to the Ravens): Unranked nationally in class of 2008. No. 26 defensive end. Grade 79. Lewisburg, Tenn.

Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss (No. 32 to the Giants): Unranked nationally in class of 2008, No. 34 offensive tackle. Grade 78. Lynchburg, Va.

With this year's NFL draft only a few hours away, it's time to see when and where the experts have last year's top college football players going.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper's final mock draft only covers the first round, while Todd McShay's mock draft takes us through all seven rounds. Kiper has 12 SEC players (13 if you count Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill) going in the first round. If 12 SEC players are drafted in Thursday's first round, it will set a conference record. The current record is 11, set in 2007.

McShay has 11 SEC players going in the first round. The only player difference between the two is that Kiper has Ole Miss offensive tackle Bobby Massie going No. 32 to the New York Giants. McShay doesn't have Massie getting drafted until the second round.

McShay predicts that more than 40 SEC players will be drafted this year.

Here's a look at Kiper's first round, and a little analysis of each SEC pick:

• No. 3 to the Minnesota Vikings -- Morris Claiborne, S, LSU: "The Vikings could target the offensive line, as we've had them pegged throughout this process, or they could trade down. But my hunch for now says they'll go with Claiborne, the gifted corner out of LSU. It's a need spot, and if they can't get a deal done to move down (I believe that's their preferred route), he fits."
• No. 4 to the Cleveland Browns -- Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: "The Browns are in serious need of help on offense, and given that they have some talent along the offensive line, Richardson can be successful early and take a lot of pressure off the quarterback."
• No. 7 to the Philadelphia Eages (from Jacksonville) -- Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: "In this scenario, the Eagles move up to get a defensive tackle they covet, and Jacksonville gets to move down, because it can't maximize value for a top need here."
• No. 8 to the Miami Dolphins -- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M: "This really is the best setting for Tannehill, too. We know Miami lacks a long-range plan at quarterback, and while Tannehill isn't an immediate starter, you take him for the promise."
• No. 13 to the Arizona Cardinals -- Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina: "Arizona won't pass on a guy many consider the best sack artist in the draft."
• No. 14 to the Dallas Cowboys -- Mark Barron, S, Alabama: "Dallas has been aggressive in targeting the secondary in free agency, and Barron is another big upgrade to what was a really weak unit in 2011."
• No. 15 to the Jacksonville Jaguars (from Philadelphia) -- Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina: "Gilmore is capable of coming in and starting right away, and the Jags were simply decimated in the secondary last season."
• No. 17 to the Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland) -- Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia: "A huge body, he'll knock people back in the run game, and he has the feet to pull and line up linebackers on the second level."
• No. 20 to the Tennessee Titans -- Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: "The Titans lost their top cover corner in free agency, and Kirkpatrick has the talent and experience to contribute right away."
• No. 25 to the Denver Broncos -- Michael Brockers, DT, LSU: "Denver needs to strengthen the inside to complement a solid group of pass-rushers."
• No. 27 to the New England Patriots (from New Orleans) -- Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama: "What he can do is immediately help a defense with his skills as a pass-rusher and his willingness to use leverage and vision to do damage against the run."
• No. 29 to the Baltimore Ravens -- Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama: "He is a potentially dominant interior linebacker and has been well-schooled."
• No. 32 to the New York Giants -- Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss: "Massie could actually go much higher, perhaps as high as Detroit at No. 23, so he's a solid value here."

McShay's first round:

• No. 3 to the Vikings: Claiborne
• No. 4 to the Brown: Richardson
• No. 8 to the Dolphins: Tannehill
• No. 9 to the Carolina Panthers: Gilmore
• No. 14 to the Cowboys: Barron
• No. 15 to the Eagles: Cox
• No. 16 to the New York Jets: Ingram
• No. 17 to the Bengals: Brockers
• No. 20 to the Titans: Kirkpatrick
• No. 22 to the Browns: Glenn
• No. 24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers: Hightower
• No. 29 to the Ravens: Upshaw

It could be a record haul tonight in the NFL draft for the SEC.

As many as 12 players from the SEC are being projected to go in the first round, which will be carried live tonight on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. ET. Rounds 2 and 3 will be on Friday, also on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. Rounds 4-7 will be on Saturday with ESPN coverage beginning at noon.

The most first-round selections the SEC has produced in one draft was 11 in 2007.

So if 12 go tonight, that would break the record.

Here's a look at the 12 SEC players being pegged to go in the first round. They're listed in order of their rank on Mel Kiper's Big Board :

• RB Trent Richardson, Alabama
• CB Morris Claiborne, LSU
• DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
• S Mark Barron, Alabama
• CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
• OT Cordy Glenn, Georgia
• DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
• OT Bobby Massie, Ole Miss
• DT Michael Brockers, LSU
• CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
• LB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
• LB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama

It's the eve of this year's NFL draft, so it's time to take a couple of final looks at what could happen on such a special extended weekend.

Today, we'll take a look at ESPN NFL draft gurus Mel Kiper's and Todd McShay's final big boards. Naturally, both are loaded with SEC talent, but both have a couple of differences.

Both boards have 11 SEC players on them (12 if you count Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill), and four of those players are in each one's top 10.

One big difference between the two is that Kiper's Big Board has only four Alabama players and has Ole Miss offensive tackle Bobby Massie at No. 21. McShay has five Alabama players in his top 32, but doesn't have Massie. In fact, McShay doesn't have Massie being drafted until the second round. We'll get to all that fun Thursday.

Kiper left Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower off of his list.

Here's a look at the SEC players on the final draft boards:

TRENT RICHARDSON, RB, ALABAMA

McShay: No. 3 -- "The most complete running back prospect to come along since Adrian Peterson."
Kiper: No. 3

MORRIS CLAIBORNE, CB, LSU

McShay: No. 4 -- "Claiborne's size, speed, fluid hips and impressive ball skills make him the clear-cut choice as the top cover corner on the board."
Kiper: No. 4

FLETCHER COX, DT, MISSISSIPPI STATE

McShay: No. 7 -- "Speed, quickness and agility, along with solid versatility, have vaulted Cox to the top of the defensive tackle class."
Kiper: No. 17

MELVIN INGRAM, DE, SOUTH CAROLINA

Kiper: No. 7 -- "A very good pass-rusher, Ingram has the ability to convert to a 3-4 OLB in the right system, but DE is probably the best spot."
McShay: No. 21

MARK BARRON, S, ALABAMA

Kiper: No. 8 -- "The top safety in the draft, he has ideal size, range and instincts for the position."
McShay: No. 8

STEPHON GILMORE, S, SOUTH CAROLINA

Kiper: No. 11 -- "Up-and-down season, but the draft process has pushed his stock back up."
McShay: No. 14

RYAN TANNEHILL, QB, TEXAS A&M

McShay: No. 12 -- "Tannehill needs time to develop, but his arm talent and overall tools and athleticism are impressive."
Kiper: No. 19

MICHAEL BROCKERS, DT, LSU

McShay: No. 13 -- "Brockers has the size and power to dominate the point of attack; he also has upside as a pass-rusher and plenty of overall potential."
Kiper: No. 22

CORDY GLENN, OL, GEORGIA

Kiper: No. 14 -- "He's played all over and could be on most boards as a tackle, but can also dominate at guard."
McShay: No. 25

DRE KIRKPATRICK, CB, ALABAMA

McShay: No. 20 -- "You'd like to see better ball skills from Kirkpatrick, and he has short arms, but he's very good in zone coverage and shows a physical edge in run support."
Kiper: No. 23

BOBBY MASSIE, OT, OLE MISS

Kiper: No. 21 -- "Really rising on a lot of boards because perception is he can come in and start as a right tackle early, with ceiling of a solid left tackle."

DONT'A HIGHTOWER, LB, ALABAMA

McShay: No. 23 -- "Hightower has versatility and an impressive combination of size, power and mobility."

COURTNEY UPSHAW, LB, ALABAMA

Kiper: No. 25 -- "Dipped a bit, as he's carrying the "tweener" label for some teams, but that could also imply versatility, and I buy in to that."
McShay: No. 28

It's that time again as we make our rounds in the SEC:

• Georgia kicker Blair Walsh and punter Drew Butler both hope to hear their names called at the NFL draft.
• Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen likes his team's attitude coming out of the spring.
• Former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton has a little fun while campaigning for the cover of "Madden 13."
• Alabama coach Nick Saban talks up his players heading into the NFL draft.
• Plan B has worked out just fine for former Vanderbilt receiver Earl Bennett.
• South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore's draft stock is soaring.
• Arkansas' players welcome John L. Smith's return.
• Joel Erickson of The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer has a Q&A with Auburn offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.
• Missouri looks ahead to its SEC football debut.

A record 26 players are expected to be in attendance at the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Twelve are from the SEC, including five from Alabama.

Todd McShay's most recent mock draft had 11 SEC players going in the first round (not counting Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill). That number would tie a conference record set in 2007. Last year, the SEC had 10 players drafted in the first round.

Here are the 12 SEC players who have invites to this year's draft:

• Mark Barron, Alabama
• Michael Brockers, LSU
• Morris Claiborne, LSU
• Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
• Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
• Cordy Glenn, Georgia
• Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
• Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
• Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
• Rueben Randle, LSU
• Trent Richardson, Alabama
• Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

This year's NFL draft is just around the corner and ESPN's draft gurus are hard at work, getting tons of information about past college stars and their NFL futures.

Mel Kiper's two-round mock draft is out and it shouldn't come as a surprise that the SEC is well represented. Kiper has 12 SEC players going in the first around and 15 total getting drafted in the first two rounds.

Four SEC members -- running back Trent Richardson, cornerback Morris Claiborne, defensive end Melvin Ingram and quarterback Ryan Tannehill (sorry Big 12, but the SEC claims him now) -- are all slotted to go in the top 10.

Alabama leads the SEC with five players in Kiper's mock draft (all in the first round), while LSU is second with four.

Here's a list of all 15 SEC members and some analysis from Kiper:

4. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (Cleveland Browns)

"At his pro day, Richardson confirmed that his knee is just fine, and while we know a running back is always a risk this high, here is a player gifted enough, and with such a remarkable physical profile and skill-set that you're comfortable making him an exception to the trend."

5. Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

"What's not to like? Claiborne is hands down the best cover corner available in the draft, and the Bucs still need plenty of help with age and uncertainty dotting their secondary."

7. Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina (Jacksonville Jaguars)

"As versatile a defender as there is in the draft, Ingram provides immediate pass rush help to a Jacksonville defense that sorely needs it, and he offers great flexibility to any coaching staff that wants to mix up their looks, which is pretty much all of them."

8. Ryan Tannehill QB, Texas A&M (Miami Dolphins)

"We know Miami lacks a long-range plan at quarterback, and while Tannehill isn't a guy I'd endorse as an immediate starter, his ceiling is so high you can take him here with a plan in place because his rate of growth."

14. Mark Barron, S, Alabama (Dallas Cowboys)

"I don't think another corner is out of the question at this spot, but Barron is the best safety in the draft, and the Cowboys can't go wrong if he's available."

15. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State (Philadelphia Eagles)

"Disruptive and explosive from the interior, Cox is another player you can take without worries about a scheme fit. He has a chance to become a Pro Bowl player regardless of where you line him up inside."

16. Courtney Upshaw, LB, Alabama (New York Jets)

"Rex Ryan should see Upshaw as a great fit for what he's trying to do on defense. Upshaw has size to hold up against the run even as a pass-rusher in a 3-4, making him an ideal fit here."

20. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama (Tennessee Titans)

"Really tall for the position, people see his size and assume he'd become a safety, but he does everything a shorter corner can do, and will utilize his length to become a guy who can be left on an island against big targets, even in the red zone."

21. Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina (Cincinnati Bengals)

"A starter since the day he stepped on campus at South Carolina, Gilmore is a smart, mature player who has good instincts, can be effective in press and will pick up concepts quickly."

22. Cordy Glenn, OL, Georgia (Cleveland Browns)

"Glenn is versatile and can be moved around, but he has the chance to dominate on the inside."

24. Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama (Pittsburgh Steelers)

"He's recovered, and could become a star for the Steelers, with the size to hold up anywhere, and the athleticism to take on whatever role the Steelers need."

25. Michael Brockers, DT, LSU (Denver Broncos)

"So many guys made so many plays, you have to go back and look at where it started. In many instances, it was with the disruptive Brockers, who can create havoc from the inside, blowing up the run and penetrating against the pass."

47. Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss (New York Jets)
50. Rueben Randle, WR, LSU (Chicago Bears)
53. Brandon Taylor, S, LSU (Cincinnati Bengals)

From the looks of things, plenty of SEC players could hear their names called in the first round of April's NFL draft.

ESPN draft gurus Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both have a slew of SEC players in their recent pre-draft player rankings. Kiper currently has 11 in his top 25, while McShay has 12 in his top 32.

(McShay has former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins a part of his board as well, so that would have made 13).

Kiper's top SEC player is Alabama running back Trent Richardson, who is fourth on Kiper's Big Board. Here's what Kiper wrote about Richardson:

"Richardson missed his pro day but will work out for scouts in the coming weeks. That'll be key, given his surgery. He's powerful and fast; he showed improved vision and pass-catching skills; he runs with good pad level and breaks tackles with ease."

McShay has LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne as his top SEC player, coming in at No. 4 on his list. Here's what McShay wrote about Claiborne:

"Hands-down the top cover corner in the nation. Claiborne's size, speed, fluid hips and impressive ball skills were on display at the combine and further cemented his place among the top 10 picks."

Kiper and McShay also have five Alabama players on their lists -- Richardson, safety Mark Barron, linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw, and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick.

Hightower, Kirkpatrick and Upshaw all moved up on Kiper's board.

Kirkpatrick is up from No. 19 to No. 17:

"Should be the No. 2 corner off the board on draft day. Has advantage of elite size for the position, and he doesn't give up much quickness for it. Still has top-10 potential, but pro day will be key."

Upshaw is up to No. 18 from No. 20:

"Came into Indy heavier than I suspected he'd be, and I think some teams now question how he fits in a 3-4. Has improved his pass-rush skills, but size makes him a tweener. Great pad level, uses hands well and violently and battles against the run."

Hightower is up to No. 21 from No. 23:

"At one time, I saw Hightower as a better prospect than current Raider Rolando McClain. Now fully back from a knee injury, Hightower looks the part again and could be used inside or outside. He is a fiery, rangy, powerful linebacker."

South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore was previously unranked on McShay's list last week, but came in at No. 28 this time:

"Gilmore is rising thanks to good size and speed, the ability to track the ball well, and his strength in run support."

Players took a dip on McShay's list, as six SEC players' rankings fell this week. The player who fell the most was Georgia offensive lineman Cordy Glenn, who slipped to No. 30 from No. 21:

"Glenn's size, power and athleticism make him a first-round guard prospect, and also give him the potential to develop into a right tackle in the NFL."

The postseason top 25 countdown is done and it's time for us to discuss our reasons for how we sorted our list and why we left some players off.

Anytime you do this sort of thing you always second-guess yourself. There are always players you wish you had put higher, slid down lower, left off or put on the list. The only thing that's for sure is that you'll never be perfect and you'll never please everyone, but that's the way it goes.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was the obvious choice to be first on our list. He was named the nation's top running back and was a unanimous first team All-American and All-SEC member. He accounted for more than 36 percent of Alabama's offense last year and became just the third player in SEC history to rush for 20 or more touchdowns.

Richardson is a track star built like a tank.

While Richardson was spot on, there was another player who we felt should have been higher. At second glance, Chris and I felt that Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones was too low. He ended up sixth, but we now feel like we should have had him above both Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw.

When you finish the year with an SEC-best 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks after a a year away from the field you deserve to be higher.

Our bad.

We took some heat from the College GameDay crew during the season for having only one LSU player — cornerback Morris Claiborne — on our preseason list. (We didn't even have Tyrann Mathieu on the preseason list! We sure look boneheaded now.) Well, we certainly deserved that and had four Tigers on the postseason list, including No. 2 (Claiborne) and No. 3 (Mathieu). Defensive end Sam Montgomery and guard Will Blackwell just missed the cut, too.

We've also received word from some readers that we missed on Tennessee wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers, who was passed by LSU's Rueben Randle and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

When we created this list we took into consideration stats and total impact on a team — good and bad. Yes, Rogers led the SEC in receiving, but his impact wasn't as positive as the others. Randle was LSU's top receiving target all season, was a true leader and finished the year third in the SEC in receiving. Jeffery was South Carolina's only real dependable receiver all season and of his eight touchdowns, five came in conference games. Jeffery also spent the first eight games on a team that didn't have much of a passing game and was still sixth in the league in receiving.

Also, Jeffery had a monster outing in South Carolina's bowl win, while when Tennessee needed a win over Kentucky to become bowl eligible, Rogers caught just two passes in the loss and was openly complaining and being divisive on the sideline.

Rogers had a solid season, but more was taken into consideration than just his play.

Five players — Richardson, Upshaw, Dont'a Hightower, Barrett Jones and Mark Barron — from our preseason top 10 remained there in our postseason countdown, so that made us look good.

We missed on two South Carolina players in the preseason in Devin Taylor (No. 6) and Stephon Gilmore (No. 12) and didn't see Ingram (postseason No. 5) coming. But we did have 14 of 25 from our preseason list back on our postseason list. It probably would have been more if not for injuries to South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Arkansas running back Knile Davis and defensive end Jake Bequette, or the dismissal of former Tennessee safety Janzen Jackson.

Here's a breakdown of the list by team, position, side of the field, year and division:

TEAM

• Alabama (7)
• Georgia (5)
• LSU (4)
• Arkansas (3)
• South Carolina (2)
• Auburn (1)
• Kentucky (1)
• Mississippi State (1)
• Vanderbilt (1)

POSITION

• DB (7)
• LB (4)
• WR/TE (4)
• DL (3)
• QB (2)
• RB (2)
• OL (3)

SIDE OF THE FIELD

• Defense (14)
• Offense (11)

YEAR

• Senior (11)
• Junior (9)
• Sophomore (5)

DIVISION

• West (16)
• East (9)

Check in tomorrow to see players who just missed the cut for the postseason top 25.