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2025 NFL Draft: Rounds 1-3 picks by conference

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko04/26/25nickkosko59
USATSI_26003697 (1)
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL Draft continued Friday night with rounds two and three and the conference representation was all over. Going into Friday, the SEC led the way with 15 selections within the first 32 picks.

Coming in the runner up slot was the Big Ten with 11 players in the first round. Overall, the two conferences accounted for 26 of 32 picks (81.3%) in the first round.

Now that the second and third rounds are over, let’s take a look at the breakdown of the conferences by player selection. The numbers are not final until the final four rounds are completed Saturday.

  • SEC: 37
  • Big Ten: 29
  • Big 12: 13
  • ACC: 11
  • Mid-American: 2
  • AAC: 2
  • Independent: 2
  • CAA: 1
  • Conference USA: 1
  • Pac-12: 1
  • Mountain West: 1
  • Missouri Valley: 1
  • Sun Belt: 1

For reference, here are the numbers following the first round. You can see the big differences across the board.

  • SEC: 15
  • Big Ten: 11
  • ACC: 2
  • Big 12: 2
  • Mountain West: 1
  • Missouri Valley: 1

Rounds four through seven begin Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET. The 2025 NFL Draft has taken place in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Shedeur Sanders falls in NFL Draft

The biggest story of the NFL Draft through three rounds was, arguably, Shedeur Sanders falling out of the first three rounds. The Colorado QB was once projected to be a top 10, or so, pick.

While some experts aren’t entirely surprised by Sanders’ slide in the draft, others believe teams are making a serious mistake. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., who ranked Sanders as the best quarterback in the draft this year, is particularly appalled.

“The guy that I’m going to be watching all night is obviously Shedeur,” Kiper said ahead of the draft on Friday. “We have had sliding quarterbacks that have done really well and have gone in the second round. Of course, Joe Montana was drafted in the third round back in 1979, when Jack Thompson went before him and Steve Fuller went before him.

“But, I think the second round or the third round. If he gets into the third round — it’s non-sensical right now — that’s ridiculous.”