The grip held by the SEC and Big Ten on college football has grown more powerful in recent years, and now their collective reign of dominance also extends to the NFL Draft. Nearly 60 percent of the NFL’s 257 selections in seven rounds belonged to either the SEC (79) or Big Ten (71).

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft was dominated by power conference schools, as the SEC and Big Ten were ubiquitous during Thursday night's action with 26 of the first 32 picks coming from the two most powerful conferences in the sport.

Talent is the lifeblood of any college football program and the ability to recruit the best players, develop their potential, and ship them off to the NFL Draft