Leaders of the SEC pack

Since the mid-2000's, the Southeastern Conference has become the premier league in college football.

From Alabama to Auburn to LSU and Florida, the BCS national champions have come from the SEC over the past few seasons.

From week to week, no conference plays defense or produces as many NFL caliber players like the SEC.

Over the past five seasons, the University of Southern California has produced the most NFL players drafted into the league.

Despite suffering the sting of an NCAA investigation, mainly centered around former USC and New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush, and the strict penalties following the investigation, the Trojans have produced 34 draft choices to the NFL over the past five seasons. Six of those players were first round selections.

The Trojans have produced seven players over the past two drafts.

Alabama, LSU and Georgia each had more than seven players picked in this year's NFL draft.

But with a reduction of scholarships and a poor selection of a head coach in Lane Kiffin, the Trojans will soon be passed by the SEC's top programs.

Over the past five seasons, Nick Saban and Alabama have produced 33 players drafted into the NFL, including 14 first-round picks in that frame.

Those first-round selections from Alabama are cornerback Dee Milliner, offensive guard Chance Warmack, offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, halfback Trent Richardson, safety Mark Barron, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, linebacker Dont'a Hightower, defensive lineman Marcell Dareus, wide receiver Julio Jones, offensive guard James Carpenter, halfback Mark Ingram, linebacker Rolando McClain, cornerback Kareem Jackson and offensive tackle Andre Smith.

Before Saban landed in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide's last first-round picks were in 2000 with offensive tackle Chris Samuels and halfback Shaun Alexander.

And it would take 24 years of previous drafts (1985-2008) for Alabama to tie Saban's mark of 14 first round draft choices in five years.

Over the past five seasons, Les Miles and LSU have produced 32 draft choices to the NFL and six of them were first-round picks.

Outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo, safety Eric Reid, cornerback Morris Claiborne, defensive tackle Michael Brockers, cornerback Patrick Peterson and defensive end Tyson Jackson were all selected in the opening round of the draft. All six of LSU's first-round picks were defensive players.

There are various opinions on Miles' coaching expertise, but you can't argue that he has done a very good job filling in the huge moccasins left over by Saban at LSU and the Tigers have emerged, like Alabama, as one of the college football's marquee name schools.

It is never easy to walk in someone's shadow and follow a program-builder like Saban was at LSU, but say what you will, Miles has done a very good job attracting talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball. His staff has done a very good job developing that talent defensively.

But Saban also left his mark at LSU from 2004-2008. During his tenure in Baton Rouge, the Tigers had 29 players drafted and eight first-round selections.

Last month, LSU set a new record by having nine players drafted and an additional seven other players signed free agent contracts, but Miles and his staff could again be a huge talent vein to the NFL in 2014.

Seven senior players — halfback Alfred Blue, quarterback Zach Mettenberger, fullback J.C. Copeland, offensive guard Josh Williford, outside linebacker Tahj Jones, outside/middle linebacker Lamin Barrow and safety Craig Loston — all have the potential to get selected in the 2014 NFL draft.

And if you throw in highly-rated junior eligible players like defensive tackles Anthony Johnson and Ego Ferguson, offensive tackle La'el Collins, halfbacks Jeremy Hill and Kenny Hilliard and wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, the Tigers could break this year's mark of the most draft choices in one season.

Georgia has tied LSU with 32 players that were drafted by the NFL in that five-year frame, and the Bulldogs have produced five first-round pick selections. While Saban and Miles have battled it out for the SEC championships and for the best recruits in the Deep South over the last few seasons, they both have had to defeat Georgia to get to the national championship game. Georgia coach Mark Richt has become college football's version of Marty Schottenheimer. Richt has posted a 46-21 record the past five seasons at Georgia, but he hasn't been able to get his team to college football's championship game.

But Richt and his staff have done a very good job recruiting the football talent rich state of Georgia.

From 2009-2013, the three SEC juggernaut schools have produced 97 players to the NFL.

In a conference that is loaded with great coaches and a tremendous amount of football talent, Alabama, LSU and Georgia have been the kings of producing NFL talent, but with Texas A&M, Florida, South Carolina and an emerging Ole Miss following close behind, the pressure to win and recruit the best talent in the land will again lay in the hands of Saban, Miles and Richt.