Big Ten vs. SEC: Which conference had most picks in 2026 NFL Draft?

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Was the demise of the Southeastern Conference overstated?

Despite seeing the Big Ten outpace the normally dominant conference in football in first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the SEC reestablished itself the rest of the draft by finishing with the most draft selections of any Power Four conference.

REQUIRED READING: 2026 NFL Draft Day 3 live grades, picks: Every selection in Rounds 4-7

While the Big Ten has won three straight national titles in football — denying the SEC since Georgia finished off back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023 — the conference proved it can still send players to the next level at a great rate.

The SEC had 88 total draft selections, 20 picks ahead of the 68 total for the Big Ten.

Meanwhile, Ohio State sent the most players to the NFL this year, including four in the top 11 picks. The Buckeyes had seven draftees through the first two days (and three rounds) and finished with 11 players sent to the NFL this season. They edged out Alabama and Texas A&M (10 each).

Here's a breakdown of the 2026 NFL Draft first round by conference:

Which conference had most draft picks in 2026 NFL Draft?​

Here's a look at how many first-round picks came from each conference in the 2026 NFL Draft:

• SEC: 88
• Big Ten: 68
• ACC: 39
• Big 12: 35
• Independents: 8
• FCS: 4
• MAC: 4
• American: 3
• Mountain West: 3
• Sun Belt: 2
• Conference USA: 1
• International: 1

Which team had most draft picks in 2026 NFL Draft?​

Here's a look at the schools with the most selections in the seven-round NFL Draft:

• 1. Ohio State: 11
• T-2. Alabama: 10
• T-2. Texas A&M: 10
• T-4. Clemson: 9
• T-4. Texas Tech: 9
• T-4. Miami: 9
• T-7. Georgia: 8
• T-7. Indiana: 8
• T-10. Florida: 7
• T-10. Penn State: 7
• T-10. Oregon: 7
• T-10. Iowa: 7
• T-10. Washington: 7
• T-10. Oklahoma: 7
• T-10. LSU: 7

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Draft 2026: Big 10 or SEC? Which conference had most picks?

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