A Look At How The Top Five Drafted SEC Players Will Perform In The NFL In 2019

There were nine players from the SEC drafted in the opening round of the 2019 NFL Draft back in April, more than any other conference. All eyes will be on all the young players who have come out of the SEC as they embark on their rookie campaigns in the NFL.

Here is a look at the top five players in that draft and how they may perform for their respected teams this year.

Quinnen Williams (DT) - New York Jets

Many college football experts felt as though Quinnen Williams was the best player on the board in the 2019 NFL Draft, something which will delight New York Jets fans. The defensive tackle has explosive speed, something which is going to cause major problems for quarterbacks in the league this season. He had 20 tackles and eight sacks in 2018 where he was awarded the Outland Trophy for being the best interior lineman. Williams should have an immediate impact from day one in his rookie campaign.

Devin White (LB) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There were some eyebrows raised when the Buccaneers picked Devin White ahead of defensive end Josh Allen. However, they are really keen on the former Louisiana State player. New Bucs head coach Bruce Arians is set to move Lavonte David inside to feature alongside the rookie. That pairing could have a lot of success through the middle. In White, the Bucs have a player who is a real leader on the defense and one who can use his speed to good effect in the NFL.

Josh Allen (DE) - Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the best defenses in the NFL going into the NFL Draft but they did not bypass the opportunity to add top edge rusher Josh Allen, who had fallen down to as low as seven overall. Allen's numbers last season in his senior year for the Kentucky Wildcats were so impressive as he recorded 17 sacks in the team, something which helped him to win the Chuck Bednarik Award which goes to the best defensive player. Allen should help the Jags to wake up again on defense and become one of the top NFL picks where they are +3300 in the Super Bowl betting.

Jonah Williams (OT) – Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals went into the 2019 NFL Draft with the priority of improving their offensive line and they have done that with the addition of Jonah Williams from Alabama. Williams was a unanimous All-American in 2018 and was awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for being the best blocker in his conference. The Bengals will unfortunately need to wait until 2020 to see their player on the field as he underwent surgary back in June which rules him out for the season.

Jeffrey Simmons (DT) – Tennessee Titans

Mississippi State's Jeffrey Simmons was drafted number 19 overall by the Tennessee Titans, a position which could have been higher had he not tore his ACL in February. Titans fans may have to wait a while to see their new rookie but, once he does come back fit again, they will see a talented player who has a huge future in the NFL.

With so many more young talented players in the SEC, expect the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft to feature lots of players from the conference once again.

A Look At How The Top Five Drafted SEC Players Will Perform In The NFL In 2019 to SEC Football

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