2014 Mock NFL Draft: SEC at the Top, Less Throughout

The latest SBNation mock draft is out, and the SEC does well early but not so much the rest of the way in the first round. Here are the projected slots for the conference's players:

1. Jadeveon Clowney, Houston

2. Jake Matthews, St. Louis

4. Greg Robinson, Cleveland (R.I.P. Greg Robinson)

6. Johnny Manziel, Jacksonville

7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay

8. Odell Beckham, Jr., San Francisco

14. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Chicago

21. C.J. Mosley, Green Bay

27. Dee Ford, New Orleans

This projection shows a decline for the conference, which has nine players here but had 12 taken in last year's first round. There are plenty of guys at the top with six in the top ten, compared to four last year, but there are just three in the remainder of the round.

Nine first rounders would match the 2012 draft and come just shy of the ten in 2011, but keep in mind, those drafts had two fewer SEC teams to choose from. New addition Texas A&M is supplying three of these guys. Six players from the old core of 12 teams would be the lowest since seven went in the 2010 draft.

This year's draft finally begins on Thursday evening.