Colleges That Have Owned the NFL Draft in Recent Years
It feels like every year the same college football teams seem to dominate the first round of the NFL draft. That’s not to say that in order to be a first-round pick you must attend a power school in order to get that coveted first-round pick. But hey, it doesn’t hurt.
One of the most exciting parts of the drama that is the NFL draft is seeing which lesser-known player or program is represented in the first round. However, if you are a fan of a big-time college football program, you always love puffing that chest out and boasting about the talent your school produces.
So, this made me wonder, after looking at a prediction of which teams will dominate the top of the 2015 NFL draft, how have these top teams fared over the course of the last 10 drafts and which are the top? After scouring the draft history section of the NFL website, here is a look at the five best first-round teams of the last 10 drafts (2005-14).
5. Florida State University
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Checking in at No. 5 we have the Florida State Seminoles. FSU has been a talent factory for years with a total of 13 first-round picks over the 10 drafts. That’s not to say that FSU is a consistent threat to land a top pick. During that 10-draft stretch, the Seminoles had three seasons where they did not have a first-round pick.
FSU looks poised to make a huge jump in 2015 with as many as four players projected in the first round, including quarterback Jameis Winston. If Winston goes No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it will mark the first time an FSU player has gone that high.
The Picks
No. 28 Kelvin Benjamin, WR Carolina Panthers
No. 16 E.J. Manuel, QB Buffalo Bills
No. 24 Bjoern Werner, DE/LB Indianapolis Colts
No. 25 Xavier Rhodes, CB Minnesota Vikings
No. 12 Christian Ponder, QB Minnesota Vikings
No. 32 Patrick Robinson, CB New Orleans Saints
No. 15 Lawrence Timmons, LB Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 9 Ernie Sims, LB Detroit Lions
No. 13 Kamerion Wimbley, LB Cleveland Browns
No. 14 Brodrick Bunkley, DT Philadelphia Eagles
No. 19 Antonio Cromartie, CB San Diego Chargers
No. 16 Travis Jackson, DT Houston Texans
No. 19 Alex Barron, OT St. Louis Rams
4. Ohio State
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Next up on the list of the best drafting teams of the last 10 years is Ohio State. Technically speaking, the Buckeyes have the same number of first-round picks (13) as Florida State. Ohio State gets the nod over the Seminoles by virtue of having the higher overall selection with linebacker A.J. Hawk going No. 5 overall back in 2006.
In fact, it's that 2006 class that carries this group. Out of the 13 total picks, five of them came from that talented group. Looking at 2015, the max the Buckeyes could see in the first round are two, if wide receiver Devin Smith and defensive tackle Michael Bennett sneak in.
The Picks
No. 15 Ryan Shazier, LB Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 31 Bradley Roby, CB Denver Broncos
No. 32 Cameron Heyward, DL Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 14 Malcolm Jenkins, CB New Orleans Saints
No. 31 Beanie Wells, RB Arizona Cardinals
No. 6 Vernon Gholston, DE New York Jets
No. 9 Ted Ginn, WR Miami Dolphins
No. 32 Anthony Gonzalez, WR Indianapolis Colts
No. 5 A.J. Hawk, LB Green Bay Packers
No. 8 Donte Whitner, S Buffalo Bills
No. 18 Bobby Carpenter, LB Dallas Cowboys
No. 25 Santonio Holmes, WR Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 29 Nick Mangold, C New York Jets
3. USC
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Of all the teams on this list holding onto the past, it might be the USC Trojans. Yes, they check in at No. 3 with 14 total prospects drafted in the first round, but in the last five years, USC has only had three. 2008 and 2009 were huge years for the Trojans, with seven picks in those two drafts.
Nevertheless, 14 players in 10 years is impressive, and the Trojans will add another with defensive tackle Leonard Williams in 2015. This will break a two-year drought for USC without a first-round pick.
The Picks
No. 4 Matt Kalil, OT Minnesota Vikings
No. 28 Nick Perry, DE Green Bay Packers
No. 9 Tyron Smith, OT Dallas Cowboys
No. 5 Mark Sanchez, QB New York Jets
No. 15 Brian Cushing, LB Houston Texans
No. 26 Rey Maualuga, LB Cincinnati Bengals
No. 7 Sedrick Ellis, DT New Orleans Saints
No. 9 Keith Rivers, LB Cincinnati Bengals
No. 21 Sam Baker, OT Atlanta Falcons
No. 28 Lawrence Jackson, DE Seattle Seahawks
No. 2 Reggie Bush, RB New Orleans Saints
No. 10 Matt Leinart, QB Arizona Cardinals
No. 1 Mike Williams, WR Detroit Lions
No. 31 Mike Patterson, DT Philadelphia Eagles
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2. LSU
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As we get to the No. 2 team on the list, the first SEC team is represented with the LSU Tigers. They are known for producing some of the most athletic players in the league, but just looking at these first-round picks, some have struggled with the transition to the NFL. The Tigers are the first team on this countdown to have a No. 1 overall pick with quarterback JaMarcus Russell back in 2007. LSU has 14 total picks on this list.
LSU is perhaps the most consistent team on this list so far. The Tigers had one first-round pick in every one of the last 10 drafts except 2010. 2015 could be a second season without a first-round pick unless cornerback Jalen Collins can find his way into the round.
The Picks
No. 12 Odell Beckham Jr., WR New York Giants
No. 6 Barkevious Mingo, LB Cleveland Browns
No. 18 Eric Reid, S San Francisco 49ers
No. 6 Morris Claiborne, CB Dallas Cowboys
No. 14 Michael Brockers, DT St. Louis Rams
No. 5 Patrick Peterson, CB Arizona Cardinals
No. 3 Tyson Jackson, DT Kansas City Chiefs
No. 5 Glenn Dorsey, DT Kansas City Chiefs
No. 1 JaMarcus Russell, QB Oakland Raiders
No. 6 LaRon Landry, CB Washington Redskins
No. 23 Dwayne Bowe, WR Kansas City Chiefs
No. 30 Craig Davis, WR San Diego Chargers
No. 30 Joseph Addai, RB Indianapolis Colts
No. 20 Marcus Spears, DL Dallas Cowboys
1. Alabama
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Most probably expected the University of Alabama to be at or near the top of this list. The Crimson Tide find themselves at No. 1 behind the power of 16 first-round picks in the past 10 years. The Alabama program is the picture of consistency when it comes to producing NFL players. A fun fact in addition to the 16 first-round picks, Alabama has had 54 players drafted overall in the past 10 drafts.
The Crimson Tide look to add two more first-rounders in 2015. Safety Landon Collins is far and away the best safety in this class, a near-lock to go early. But the star of this group is wide receiver Amari Cooper, who could go in the top five.
The Picks
No. 17 C.J. Mosley, LB Baltimore Ravens
No. 21 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S Green Bay Packers
No. 9 Dee Milliner, CB New York Jets
No. 10 Chance Warmack, Tennessee Titans
No. 11 D.J. Fluker, OG San Diego Chargers
No. 3 Trent Richardson, RB Cleveland Browns
No. 7 Mark Barron, CB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
No. 17 Dre Kirkpatrick, CB Cincinnati Bengals
No. Don’t’a Hightower, LB Baltimore Ravens
No. 3 Marcel Dareus, DT Buffalo Bills
No. 6 Julio Jones, WR Atlanta Falcons
No. 25 James Carpenter OG Seattle Seahawks
No. 28 Mark Ingram, RB New Orleans Saints
No. 8 Rolando McClain, LB Oakland Raiders
No. 20 Kareem Jackson, CB Houston Texans
No. 6 Andre Smith, OT Cincinnati Bengals
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