The NFL Draft is within the books, however there are nonetheless loads of storylines to contemplate, and one is the impression on recruiting. Immediately, we have a look at which conferences did finest and at a extra granular degree, which Energy 5 packages ought to be thought-about winners and losers popping out of this draft.
1. SEC (62 picks)
Massive shock. The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs led all faculties with 10 draft picks every as they proceed to distance themselves from the remainder of the pack within the SEC and throughout school soccer.
Alabama QB Bryce Young was the No. 1 choose. Edge rusher Will Anderson went third. Working again Jahmyr Gibbs was a shock choice early at No. 12. Defensive again Brian Branch went within the second spherical after which Alabama had 4 choices within the third earlier than linebacker Henry To’oto’o was picked within the fifth and defensive again Demarco Hellams went within the seventh.
The draft was equally as productive for the back-to-back nationwide champions as Georgia had three first-round choices in DT Jalen Carter, OT Broderick Jones and edge rusher Nolan Smith adopted by former five-stars TE Darnell Washington and DB Kelee Ringo within the third and fourth rounds.
The Bulldogs had as many first-round choices (3) as Kentucky and Texas A&M had gamers picked in the whole draft and greater than Arkansas, Mississippi State and Missouri.
LOSERS: Missouri, Vanderbilt
Ole Miss, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Mississippi State all had fewer than 5 draft picks so these packages weren’t setting the draft on fireplace however Missouri solely had one choose and Vanderbilt was the one convention program with none. The lone choose for the Tigers was within the fourth spherical when the Cleveland Browns took edge rusher Isaiah McGuire.
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2. BIG TEN (55)
WINNERS: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State
The Wolverines have made plenty of convincing statements in current months – beating Ohio State in back-to-back seasons for the primary time since 1999-00, going to the Faculty Soccer Playoff, preserving coach Jim Harbaugh away from the NFL and now main the convention with 9 draft picks led by first-rounder Mazi Smith and second-rounders TE Luke Schoonmaker and CB DJ Turner II.
Ohio State and Penn State had six gamers drafted every to tie for second place. The Buckeyes had probably the most first-round success with QB CJ Stroud going second general, OL Paris Johnson Jr. going sixth and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20. The Nittany Lions had no first-round choices however three within the second spherical.
Within the sixth spherical, Rutgers cornerback Christian Braswell was the one choice for the Scarlet Knights. Indiana was the lone program within the Massive Ten that had no gamers picked on this draft.
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3. ACC (32)
WINNERS: Clemson, Pittsburgh
Early within the first spherical was a dry spell for Clemson however the Tigers rebounded late when former five-star defensive linemen Myles Murphy and Bryan Bresee have been chosen back-to-back at Nos. 28 and 29. The Tigers completed tied for the convention lead with six general picks as former five-star LB Trenton Simpson was picked within the third spherical and former five-star DE K.J. Henry went within the fifth.
Pitt continues to show it may well develop underappreciated defensive linemen with one of the best of them as former three-star Calijah Kancey was taken within the first spherical by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after which 5 different former Pitt gamers have been chosen within the later rounds.
LOSERS: Florida State, Duke
It was not a banner yr for the ACC throughout the board on this draft and whereas six groups had just one choice, extra is anticipated from Florida State particularly as coach Mike Norvell rebuilds the Seminoles right into a nationwide energy. The one FSU participant drafted was security Jammie Robinson within the fifth spherical. Duke was the lone ACC squad with no choices.
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4. BIG 12 (30)
WINNER: TCU
Coach Sonny Dykes took the Horned Frogs to the nationwide championship recreation this previous season earlier than operating into the Georgia buzzsaw after which led the Massive 12 with eight draftees. It’s been an enormous run for TCU not too long ago in a convention that has underwhelmed in current drafts.
Extensive receiver Quentin Johnston went in Spherical 1 adopted by OL Steve Avila within the second, RB Kendre Miller within the third after which TCU had two picks within the fourth spherical. Cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson may very well be thought-about a steal within the sixth spherical after which QB Max Duggan went within the seventh.
LOSER: Kansas
Baylor, West Virginia and Texas Tech solely had one participant every drafted as every program solely despatched two to the NFL Mix however Kansas – which additionally despatched two gamers to Indianapolis – was the one convention program to have none. That might definitely communicate to plenty of younger expertise because the Jayhawks had one in all their finest seasons in nicely over a decade so subsequent momentum must choose up within the draft.
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5. PAC-12 (27)
Over the past a few years, Oregon has accomplished one of the best job recruiting within the Pac-12 beneath former coach Mario Cristobal and now coach Dan Lanning and that’s mirrored on this yr’s NFL Draft together with some vital switch success. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who came to visit from Colorado, was the first-round choose. Edge rusher DJ Johnson, a Miami switch, went within the second. Former five-star LB Noah Sewell looks like a steal within the fifth spherical.
It’s been ho-hum at Stanford in recent times with three-straight dropping campaigns in its final three full seasons however 5 gamers have been drafted so there hasn’t been an absence of expertise. WR Michael Wilson was a third-rounder after which the 4 others went within the later rounds.
LOSERS: Arizona, Colorado, Washington
Come on, Pac-12. It’s the one Energy 5 convention with three program with no single choose within the NFL Draft as Arizona, Colorado and Washington fully struck out after which Arizona State, Cal and Washington State had just one choose every.
The SEC and the Massive Ten had greater than double the draft picks than the Pac-12 this yr.
