AAC more NFL draft picks than Big 12

[Mama_Bull]

Big 12 had an embarrassing NFL draft, and it's not surprising at all

 

Despite having way fewer resources and less prestige, the American had more players picked than the Big 12.

by Alex Kirshner@alex_kirshner  Apr 29, 2017, 7:13pm EDT

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Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

The Big 12 is one of college football’s power conferences. In the 2017 NFL draft, it had fewer players picked than the American Athletic Conference.

Here’s the full count by Power 5 conference, with one interjection:

1. SEC, 53 picks
2. ACC, 43
3. Pac-12, 36
4. Big Ten, 35
5. AAC, 15
6. Big 12, 14

A running counter by every FBS conference, plus independents, FCS, and Division II programs, is right here.

 

That the Big 12 struggled to produce draft picks is not surprising.

The league doesn’t recruit as well as the other power conferences and hasn’t for years. It has one elite program these days, Oklahoma, with Oklahoma State a tier below that and Texas still trying to find itself. D’Onta Foreman was the only Texas player picked, which really hurts the league’s numbers. The Horns are making progress, at least.

It’s also a small conference with just 10 teams, and the league passed on expanding last year. The Big 12 got 1.4 picks per team, compared to 1.25 for AAC teams.

Some of the schools the Big 12 was reportedly considering most seriously — Houston, Cincinnati, and UConn — are in the league that’s now produced more 2017 picks. That isn’t a good look for the league’s administration, even if it’s just a PR hit.

 

The Big Ten’s small membership and comparatively poor recruiting are both ingredients that make it harder to churn out professionals. The Big 12 is worse-positioned than each of the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 to get players picked.

The Big 12: college football’s fifth-best conference, but sixth in the 2017 draft.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/4/29/15486722/nfl-draft-picks-by-conference-2017

 

USF was among the final list of schools chosen by the Big 12 who were invited to submit a presentation. So, I don't know why that article decided to not mention us.

Actually, USF, Houston and Temple each had three players drafted this year. UCONN and Cincy each had only one player drafted.

 

AAC 2017 draft picks by AAC school

USF 3

Houston 3

Temple 3

UCONN 1

Cincy 1

ECU 1

Tulane 1

Memphis 1

UCF 1

 

American Athletic Conference Players Chosen in the 2017 NFL Draft

http://www.theamerican.org/news/2017/4/27/FB_0427173325.aspx
 

Round	Overall	Player	Pos	School	NFL Team
1	13	Haason Reddick	OLB	Temple	Arizona
2	37	Zay Jones	WR	East Carolina	Buffalo
2	47	Tyus Bowser	OLB	Houston	Baltimore
2	56	Obi Melifonwu	S	UConn	Oakland
2	63	Dion Dawkins	OG	Temple	Buffalo
3	90	Shaquill Griffin	CB	UCF	Seattle
4	126	Howard Wilson	CB	Houston	Cleveland
4	143	Marlon Mack	RB	USF	Indianapolis
5	153	Jake Elliott	K	Memphis	Cincinnati
5	158	Nate Hairston	CB	Temple	Indianapolis
5	170	Rodney Adams	WR	USF	Minnesota
6	187	Mike Tyson	S	Cincinnati	Seattle
6	189	Tanzel Smart	DT	Tulane	Los Angeles Rams
6	207	Brandon Wilson	CB	Houston	Cincinnati
6	212	Kofi Amichia	OT	USF	Green Bay

[George_Bullnard_Shaw]

11 minutes ago, Mama_Bull said:

Big 12 had an embarrassing NFL draft, and it's not surprising at all

 

 

The Big 12: college football’s fifth-best conference, but sixth in the 2017 draft.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/4/29/15486722/nfl-draft-picks-by-conference-2017

Probably the 5th best but it is arguable and if they are it isn't by much. Very much a conference in free fall that just let a couple teams stop it from making a last gasp at relevancy.

[Azmodi]

47 minutes ago, George_Bullnard_Shaw said:

Probably the 5th best but it is arguable and if they are it isn't by much. Very much a conference in free fall that just let a couple teams stop it from making a last gasp at relevancy.

Just think, they could have added USF, Houston, Temple and one other and added 10 picks to their total. Then it would look like a down year but, not overly awful. Instead, they chose not to expand and look like their dying. Funny how that works out.

[Rizman]

Texas does not care and they own the Big 12 all the way down the drain.

[Azmodi]

4 minutes ago, Rizman said:

Texas does not care and they own the Big 12 all the way down the drain.

That's because they're bailing ASAP. The Long Horn Network contract will expire around the same time as the Big 12 media contract. Then expect Texas to join the PAC.

[usfbullrider]

Big 12 will split once the contract is up.  TV execs aint gonna keep paying big money for iowa state and kansas games.  Looking forward to being in a conference with WVU again if they
 dont make the P4 cut this time.