Four local linemen selected in first round of 2026 NFL Draft

Four linemen from ACC and SEC programs were selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller was picked 17th by the Detroit Lions, while Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling was selected 19th by the Carolina Panthers. Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge was chosen 26th by the Houston Texans via trade, and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods was picked 29th by the Kansas City Chiefs. Miller, a 6-foot-6¾ senior from Strongsville, Ohio, started all 54 games of his career and earned First-Team All-ACC honors. Freeling, a 6-foot-7⅜ junior from Charleston, South Carolina, started 18 games at left tackle for Georgia. Rutledge, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, started more than 35 games at Georgia Tech and earned First-Team All-ACC honors in his final two seasons. Woods, a 6-foot-2½ junior from Alabaster, Alabama, recorded 99 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles throughout his collegiate career.