To hear a podcast discussing the upcoming LSU-UGA football game, click here.LSU sophomore linebacker Kelvin Sheppard knows plenty of talented players will be on the field Saturday when LSU faces Georgia. And he also knows these players might be playing on Sunday next year. “A lot of different times you could be standing next to a guy who’s going to be the No. 1 draft pick next year,” Sheppard said.LSU and Georgia have a combined 77 former players in the NFL. LSU’s 39 and Georgia’s 38 are the third- and fourth-most from any university. Miami has the most former players in the NFL with 47, followed by Michigan with 40. Florida State ties LSU with 39.Some LSU players believe the level of competition in the Southeastern Conference is similar to the NFL. “Playing in the SEC is the closest thing you can get to the NFL,” said LSU junior running back Charles Scott. “Not knocking all the other conferences, but playing the Floridas and Georgias is the closest view you’re going to get to the NFL.”Conference schools Florida, Auburn and Tennessee all have more than 30 former players in the league.LSU coach Les Miles said the speed of the SEC better prepares players for the next level. “The speed of the game in the NFL is very much like the SEC,” Miles said. “Our players, when they go to the next level, they don’t experience any competitive disadvantage.”LSU senior linebacker Darry Beckwith said the larger stage presented by the SEC allows more great players to emerge.”Obviously it’s a team game, but some guys in big games rise to the occasion,” Beckwith said. “That is probably why you see so many guys leaping to the NFL and having great careers.” Beckwith also said the two schools do a great job of recruiting top-notch players, and Scott said the schools develop these players well.”We got some quality guys coming from both schools,” Scott said. “Glenn Dorsey, Dwayne Bowe, JaMarcus Russell, the list goes on. I know how those guys were here, and I am pretty sure it was the same at Georgia.” Sheppard said the amount of players the two schools send to the next level says a lot about the character of the players. He said Miles really focuses on making the players better all-around people. He said the focus of LSU’s coaching staff on off-field activities instills a work ethic in the players they can carry to the next level.”Taking care of your school work is No.1 on [Miles’] agenda,” Sheppard said. “If you don’t do that, then you will not be touching the field here.”—-Contact Amos Morale at [email protected]