B1G Now Six Years Without a Top 10 Draft Pick

[Mavric]

Good article from the OWH. Lots of facts on how changes around college football have also changed college football.

 

 

The Big Ten’s struggles are really just a symptom of a larger problem with Northern football. That’s the real story. That’s why the Big Ten lags behind in recruiting. That’s why the Big Ten loses bowl games.

 

Of the 60 Top-10 picks since ’09, 49 played their high school football south of St. Louis. More than 80 percent.

How many grew up in the Big Ten footprint (population 69 million)?

Two (Eric Fisher and Luke Kuechly).

That’s the same number that came from Rock Hill, S.C., population 68,000 (Jadeveon Clowney and Stephen Gilmore).

* Apparently you’re 1,000 times more likely to be a Top-10 pick growing up in Rock Hill than you are in Big Ten country.

 

But even if you cut the Northern states some slack, there’s plenty to chew on, specifically the double-whammy of demographics and offensive evolution.

In 1960, Ohio had more people than Florida and Texas. Since then, Florida has grown by 14 million people, Texas by 16 million, both tripling in size. Ohio has added less than 2 million, growing by just 18 percent.

Population in Southern states grew 14 percent from 2000 to 2010, compared with just 4 percent in the Midwest. And per capita, they produce more than twice as many BCS recruits.

When Woody Hayes won his last national title in 1968, football games were three yards and a cloud of dust. Offensive linemen and running backs won games.

Football began changing in the 80s, first in the NFL (Bill Walsh) and college (Miami, Florida State, BYU). Offenses opened up. From 1973-83, all 11 Heisman Trophy winners were running backs. From 2000-2013, 13 of 14 winners were quarterbacks.

Twenty-first century football is a warm-weather sport. A speed game. Kids in the South practice 12 months a year, playing pitch-and-catch in the sun, often without tackling each other. Meanwhile, Big Ten kids are trying to hone the same skills in half the time outdoors.

 

Map: Hometown of Top 10 Draft Picks since 2009

[mrandyk]

Can't they just count Suh anyways? He was drafted in that time.

 

Sounds like Gregory will be breaking the streak next year anyways. You're welcome, Big Ten.

[QMany]

Can't they just count Suh anyways? He was drafted in that time.

Good point.

[Haspula]

[jaws]

I see a few top ten picks coming out of the big ten over the next few years. Also, why are they looking at the top 10 picks and drawing conclusions? Why not look at the league as a whole? How many of those picks were busts?

[Something Clever]

I see a few top ten picks coming out of the big ten over the next few years. Also, why are they looking at the top 10 picks and drawing conclusions? Why not look at the league as a whole? How many of those picks were busts?

 

Because it doesn't fit Dirk's narrative

[BOJ]

I see a few top ten picks coming out of the big ten over the next few years. Also, why are they looking at the top 10 picks and drawing conclusions? Why not look at the league as a whole? How many of those picks were busts?

Was thinking the same thing a day ago when I saw the number of overall drafts from each conference. Isn't the more important stat who actually plays football, not who gets drafted, sits the bench, and gets released two years later?

 

The answer may still be the same, but I do not understand the logic of "look which league gets players drafted" instead of "which league has players contributing to teams in the NFL."

[BigRedBuster]

 

I see a few top ten picks coming out of the big ten over the next few years. Also, why are they looking at the top 10 picks and drawing conclusions? Why not look at the league as a whole? How many of those picks were busts?

Was thinking the same thing a day ago when I saw the number of overall drafts from each conference. Isn't the more important stat who actually plays football, not who gets drafted, sits the bench, and gets released two years later?

 

The answer may still be the same, but I do not understand the logic of "look which league gets players drafted" instead of "which league has players contributing to teams in the NFL."

 

I agree with the logic of what you are saying.

 

However, recruits look at this and get $$$ going through their heads and think one conference will get them million dollar contracts while others won't.

[jaws]

 

 

I see a few top ten picks coming out of the big ten over the next few years. Also, why are they looking at the top 10 picks and drawing conclusions? Why not look at the league as a whole? How many of those picks were busts?

Was thinking the same thing a day ago when I saw the number of overall drafts from each conference. Isn't the more important stat who actually plays football, not who gets drafted, sits the bench, and gets released two years later?

 

The answer may still be the same, but I do not understand the logic of "look which league gets players drafted" instead of "which league has players contributing to teams in the NFL."

 

I agree with the logic of what you are saying.

 

However, recruits look at this and get $$$ going through their heads and think one conference will get them million dollar contracts while others won't.

 

 

Maybe you are right. They might look at someone like Jamarcus Russell and see that you only have to get drafted #1 to get a ton of money. Too bad Al Davis died.

[QMany]

It is convenient to write this piece in a certain way that excludes Suh's draft position and Nebraska/PSU national championships. It is manipulative writing, but that is Dirk for you.

[Creed]

True but when you watch NFL games and they introduce the starting line ups many are B1G guys. NFL is more of a thinking man's game than the college game where you can out athlete other teams and the B1G players do well even though they aren't first round selections. Ohio State who had a few down years talent wise (very few first round selections) has 48 NFL players where Alabama who was winning multiple NCs and recruiting all 5 and 4 starts has one more NFL player (49 total). I think the difference is Greg McIlroy who I don't think really plays anymore. Alabama had guys like Trent Richardson, Ro McClain who were high draft picks that fizzled out. The NFL numbers came from ESPN.com

[Michiganball]

Yea many of those top picks end up total crap, it's a recent pre sec/espn network hype over reality syndrome. BIG goes to play on the road every bowl game and yea they may loose, but it's almost always only by a score, seriously I bet LSU will be rank top 10 and they only beat lowly Iowa by 7 in their sec back yard, hardly some dominance, statistically that's expected. Also were the only conference which plays every bowl game vs other power conferences so there are no pre season like freebies to pad your win ratio with.

[Notre Dame Joe]

I see his point but why the cutoff at ten? Is the elenth first round pick a big dropoff?

[suh_fan93]

I see his point but why the cutoff at ten? Is the elenth first round pick a big dropoff?

 

Exactly what I was thinking. So Dirk what about Russel Wilson who was the 12th pick in the first round of the NFL draft in 2012 and who went on to become the NFL rookie of the year that year. The next year he led Seattle to the Super Bowl in which they won of course.

 

[whateveritis1224]

 

I see his point but why the cutoff at ten? Is the elenth first round pick a big dropoff?

 

Exactly what I was thinking. So Dirk what about Russel Wilson who was the 12th pick in the first round of the NFL draft in 2012 and who went on to become the NFL rookie of the year that year. The next year he led Seattle to the Super Bowl in which they won of course.

 

 

 

Except Russel Wilson was selected in the 3rd round.