Despite coming up short in the title hunt a couple years in a row, the SEC remains the strongest conference in college football, and the NFL Draft proves it. Pick after pick from the SEC has been called in the first three rounds, and will be called on Saturday. But here are five underrated SEC stars who were drafted on Friday, but could well have been drafted on Thursday instead (in the first round).
Top 5 underrated SEC players from day 2 of NFL Draft 2025
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Luther Burden III, WR (Bears, Pick 39)
An electric wide receiver who was seemingly made for the NFL, Burden probably would have been a first-round guy had his 2024 production matched 2023. As a sophomore at Missouri, he snagged 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. All of those totals dropped in a disappointing 2024.
Still, Burden has 4.41 speed in the 40-yard dash and at 6-foot and 206 pounds, should be strong enough to make plays all over the field in the NFL. The Bears made a great pick.
TJ Sanders, DT (Bills, Pick 41)
In a draft that seems full of lane-clogging defensive tackles who lack any particular explosiveness, that’s not Sanders. Yes, he’s still over 6-foot-3 and weighs around 300 pounds. But he can and will get into backfields. He amassed 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in his two years as a college starter.
South Carolina’s defense was loaded, but Sanders stood out to a Bills team that knows something about defense. Maybe his sub-five second 40-yard dash time at 300 pounds tells the tale.
Mason Taylor, TE (Jets, Pick 42)
A steady three-year starter at LSU who is the son of NFL standout Jason Taylor, Mason Taylor could be an NFL star at tight end. He caught 129 passes for 1,308 yards in three seasons at LSU. Particularly impressive was a junior year that included 55 catches and just one dropped pass.
Taylor is over 6-foot-5 and weighs around 250 pounds, but can still run a sub-4.7 second 40 yard dash. The Jets may have found a franchise tight end.
Tre Harris, WR (Chargers, Pick 55)
Despite missing almost half of his senior season with a groin injury, Harris posted a third straight 900+ yard season. A star at both Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss, Harris had 220 college catches for 3,532 yards and 29 touchdowns. He’s over 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, but still runs a 4.5 second 40-yard dash.
As long as he’s healthy, Harris is one of the most consistent and productive receivers entering the league. The Chargers may look back on this pick as a steal.
Jalen Milroe, QB (Seahawks, Pick 92)
Sure, he’s controversial, but one thing Milroe has been is a winner. The passing stats aren’t brilliant, the NFL doesn’t foster running quarterbacks, but in a draft that seems like a QB crap shoot, it’s not hard to see why the Seahawks found Milroe worth a third-round gamble. QBs tend to be boom or bust picks, but Milroe was certainly worth a gamble.
What did you think of the NFL’s day two stars? Share your take in our comment section below!
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Edited by Joe Cox
