Ask Farrell: Will LSU pass Alabama as SEC's top producer of NFL talent?

There is perceived SEC bias when it comes to recruiting rankings, but here are the facts: Every single conference team has multiple players going to the NFL Scouting Combine and the SEC dominates every other league when it comes to invites. Ninety SEC players were invited. The average of the other four Power Five conferences is 42.8.

The national champion LSU Tigers blow away every other team in the conference with 15 combine invites, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, who could be the No. 1 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Defensive backs Kristian Fulton and Grant Delpit along with four linebackers in Jacob Phillips, Patrick Queen, Michael Divinity and K’Lavon Chaisson, who’s listed as a linebacker but could also play defensive end are on the list.

Across the board, LSU will be well-represented in Indianapolis and it certainly cannot hurt the Tigers’ recruiting efforts.

Second on the SEC list of invites is Alabama with 10 with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, receivers Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs and offensive lineman Jedrick Wills leading the way. The Crimson Tide defense is also well-represented, especially at linebacker and defensive back.

Nine Georgia players were invited to the combine, including quarterback Jake Fromm, running back D’Andre Swift and offensive lineman Andrew Thomas, who all have first-round potential.

Auburn has eight players invited to the combine with the defense best represented by defensive linemen Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and three defensive backs in Javaris Davis, Daniel Thomas and Noah Igbinogene.

Florida and Mississippi State have seven invites each as the Gators have three receivers and two defensive linemen in Jonathan Greenard and Jabari Zuniga and the Bulldogs have two defensive backs and two offensive linemen expected to work out.

Missouri (six) and Tennessee (five) are next on the list followed by South Carolina, Ole Miss and Arkansas with four players each invited. Texas A&M only has three with receivers Kendrick Rogers and Quartney Davis along with defensive lineman Justin Madubuike invited.

Vanderbilt also has three invitees and Kentucky rounds out the list with two in do-everything receiver Lynn Bowden and offensive lineman Logan Stenberg expected in Indianapolis.

When it comes to the SEC, we ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell three questions: Is LSU taking a giant leap forward not only on the field but in recruiting and in producing future NFL players over Alabama, Georgia and others; and is Texas A&M the most surprising with only three players to the combine? Will Jimbo Fisher get the Aggies into the elite status among SEC teams?

“LSU always produces NFL talent, but it is about to take the next step. I’m not saying it will be above Alabama, but I can see it being the No 2 team in the SEC for producing high-level NFL prospects over the next few years.

"As for A&M, this is a surprise because it produces NFL talent at a surprising level compared to how it wins on the field. However, Fisher is the best recruiter the Aggies had there in forever and the elite talent will increase. The big question is — will the wins increase?”