NEW ORLEANS – Nine NFL first-round draft picks have Allstate Sugar Bowl connections, including seven that played in actual Allstate Sugar Bowl games, one that played in the Allstate Louisiana Kickoff in 2022, and the Manning Award winner from 2024. Fifty-three players who were on Allstate Sugar Bowl rosters or who participated in the Allstate Louisiana Kickoff were selected in the Draft overall including 44 from Sugar Bowl games and an additional nine from the Kickoff.
 
Cameron Ward, the winner of the Sugar Bowl's Manning Award as the top collegiate quarterback in the country, was selected No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans. He is the 13th Manning Award winner (out of 20) to be selected in the top three of the NFL Draft, and the eighth to be taken with the top selection in the draft.
 
The highest pick that played in an Allstate Sugar Bowl game was Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who played in the 2024 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He will return to New Orleans as he was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the ninth overall pick.
 
Over the last 10 years, 371 Sugar Bowlers (only includes players on Sugar Bowl rosters, not Manning Award winners or participants in other Sugar Bowl events) have been selected in the NFL Draft. Those selections include 82 first-rounders (seven this year, eight last year, 10 in 2023, nine in 2022, eight in 2021, nine in 2020, eight in 2019, five in 2018, eight in 2017 and 10 in 2016). Prior to the 44 picks in this year's Draft, the Sugar Bowl saw 40 picks last year, 36 picks in 2023, 40 picks in 2022, 34 picks in 2021, and 36 in 2020, as well as 40 alums selected in 2019, 35 in 2018, 32 in 2017 and 34 in 2016.
 
In the 2025 Draft, 19 players from last season's Sugar Bowl were selected – 13 from Georgia and six from Notre Dame.
 
Allstate Sugar Bowlers in the 2025 NFL Draft

Name	School	Sugar Bowl(s)	NFL Team	Round (Overall)
Kelvin Banks Jr.	Texas	2024	New Orleans Saints	1 (9)
Mykel Williams	Georgia	2025	San Francisco 49ers	1 (11)
Tyler Booker	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	Dallas Cowboys	1 (12)
Jalon Walker	Georgia	2025	Atlanta Falcons	1 (15)
Jahdae Barron	Texas	2024	Denver Broncos	1 (20)
Malaki Starks	Georgia	2025	Baltimore Ravens	1 (27)
Jihaad Campbell	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	Philadelphia Eagles	1 (31)
Alfred Collins	Texas	2024	San Francisco 49ers	2 (43)
Benjamin Morrison	Notre Dame#	2025	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2 (53)
Tate Ratledge	Georgia	2025	Detroit Lions	2 (57)
Vernon Broughton	Texas	2024	New Orleans Saints	3 (71)
Dylan Fairchild	Georgia	2025	Cincinnati Bengals	3 (81)
Jacob Parrish	K-State	2022 (12/31)	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	3 (84)
Jalen Milroe	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	Seattle Seahawks	3 (92)
Jared Wilson	Georgia	2025	New England Patriots	3 (95)
Xavier Watts	Notre Dame	2025	Atlanta Falcons	3 (96)
Jack Kiser	Notre Dame	2025	Jacksonville Jaguars	4 (107)
Arian Smith	Georgia	2025	New York Jets	4 (110)
Trevor Etienne	Georgia	2025	Carolina Panthers	4 (114)
Cody Simon	Ohio State	2021#	Arizona Cardinals	4 (115)
Gunner Helm	Texas	2024	Tennessee Titans	4 (120)
Lathan Ransom	Ohio State	2021#	Carolina Panthers	4 (122)
Barryn Sorrell	Texas	2024	Green Bay Packers	4 (124)
Malachi Moore	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	New York Jets	4 (130)
Que Robinson	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	Denver Broncos	4 (134)
Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins	Georgia	2025	Minnesota Vikings	5 (139)
Rylie Mills#	Notre Dame	2025	Seattle Seahawks	5 (142)
Ty Hamilton	Ohio State#	2021	Los Angeles Rams	5 (148)
Jaydon Blue	Texas	2024	Dallas Cowboys	5 (149)
D.J. Giddens	K-State	2022 (12/31)	Indianapolis Colts	5 (151)
Smael Mondon Jr.	Georgia	2025	Philadelphia Eagles	5 (161)
Mitchell Evans	Notre Dame	2025	Carolina Panthers	5 (163)
Robbie Ouzts	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	Seattle Seahawks	5 (175)
Will Howard	K-State%	2022 (12/31)	Pittsburgh Steelers	6 (185)
Riley Leonard	Notre Dame	2025	Indianapolis Colts	6 (189)
Tim Smith	Alabama	2022 (12/31)	Indianapolis Colts	6 (190)
Warren Brinson	Georgia	2025	Green Bay Packers	6 (198)
Cameron Williams	Texas#	2024	Philadelphia Eagles	6 (207)
Hayden Conner	Texas	2024	Arizona Cardinals	6 (211)
R.J. Mickens	Clemson#	2021	Los Angeles Chargers	6 (214)
Carson Bruener	Washington	2024	Pittsburgh Steelers	7 (226)
Dan Jackson	Georgia	2025	Detroit Lions	7 (230)
Quinn Ewers	Texas	2024	Miami Dolphins	7 (231)
Dominic Lovett	Georgia	2025	Detroit Lions	7 (244)

 
# On team but did not participate in Bowl
% Finished career at different school
 
2022 Allstate Louisiana Kickoff in the 2025 NFL Draft

Name	School	NFL Team	Round (Overall)
Will Campbell	LSU	New England Patriots	1 (4)
Mason Taylor	LSU	New York Jets	2 (42)
Jack Bech	LSU%	Las Vegas Raiders	2 (58)
Azareye'h Thomas	Florida State#	New York Jets	3 (73)
Emery Jones	LSU	Baltimore Ravens	3 (91)
Sai'vion Jones	LSU	Denver Broncos	3 (101)
Joshua Farmer	Florida State	New England Patriots	4 (137)
Miles Frazier	LSU	Detroit Lions	5 (171)
Garrett Dellinger	LSU	Baltimore Ravens	7 (243)

 
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 29 national champions, 110 Hall of Fame players, 55 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 91-year history. The 92nd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will double as a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, is scheduled to be played on January 1, 2026. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships and clinics. Through these efforts, the organization supports and honors thousands of student-athletes each year, while injecting over $2.5 billion into the local economy in the last decade.