Is the Big 12 Gaining Ground vs. the SEC, Big Ten and ACC in NFL Draft Picks?

The 2026 NFL Draft is over, and while the Big 12 Conference set a record with 38 draft picks, how does that compare to the other conferences in college football? The Big 12 Conference trailed the SEC and Big Ten by wide margins, but was tied with the 38 for third amongst all the college football conferences.

Here’s the breakdown by conference.

2026 NFL Draft Picks By Conference

SEC: 87
Big Ten: 68
Big 12: 38
ACC: 38
Notre Dame/FBS Independent: 7
FCS: 4
American: 4
MAC: 3
MWC: 2
Sun Belt: 1
C-USA: 1
International: 1

Two years ago, in 2024, the Big 12 had 31 selections, while the SEC led with 59. That was the last year of Texas and Oklahoma in the Big 12 Conference. Last year, in 2025, the Big 12 had 31 NFL Draft picks, which trailed the SEC at 79, the Big Ten at 72 and the ACC at 41.

The Big 12 is Gaining Ground?

The Big 12 definitely had a much-improved NFL Draft. The NFL Draft began with the Big 12 racking up three of the Top 10 picks in the draft, with Texas Tech’s David Bailey (2^nd to New York Jets), Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson (8^th to New Orleans Saints), and Utah’s Spencer Fano (9^th to Cleveland Browns). It was the first time the Big 12 had three players taken in the Top 10 since 2012.

The league finished with six first round picks, as the three aforementioned players were joined by Max Iheanachor from Arizona State (21^st overall to Pittsburgh), Malachi Lawrence from UCF (23^rd overall to Dallas) and Utah’s Caleb Lomu (28^th overall to New England).

If the Big 12 Conference can continue to rack up top-end talent inside the Top 10 and the first round, it’s a great sign for the league. It may not have the depth across the board of the SEC and the Big Ten, but what the league needs right now is a team or two to rise to the top and become consistent National contenders. Texas Tech led all Big 12 schools with a school record of nine selections in this year’s draft, while Arizona, Arizona State and Cincinnati each tallied four draft picks.

So while the SEC has grown its stranglehold over NFL Draft picks by conference, the Big 12 is doing its part, especially at the top of the draft, in trying to bring in, and retain, top talent, who can help the league continue to grow and compete atop college football.