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May 11, 2009
ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has released his first 2010 NFL mock draft.
My first thought: This is a bit early ... OK, this is way too early. The 2009 NFL Draft just ended a few weeks ago.
Then, I gave the top 10 a brief glance and noticed a common theme: Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Pac-10, Big 12, Big 12.
Nine of McShay's top 10 picks are Big 12 products. Is this realistic?
Consider that the conference has never had more than six players drafted in the first round. According to this mock draft, that record will be broken by the seventh overall pick. Yikes.
Here's a rundown:
AP File Photo
- 1. St. Louis: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
- 2. Cleveland: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
- 3. Detroit: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
- 4. Oakland: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
- 5. Kansas City: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
- 6. Seattle: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
- 7. Jacksonville: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
- 8. San Francisco: Taylor Mays, S, USC
- 9. Green Bay: Adam Ulatoski, OT, Texas
- 10. San Francisco: Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas
Take a minute to digest that. Then, maybe post a comment or two with your thoughts.
McShay has one more Big 12 prospect (Oklahoma's DeMarcus Granger) coming off the board in the first round for a grand total of 10 projected first rounders from the conference.
Here are some of my thoughts:
The mock draft didn't include Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant. With a massive year, the junior could leave early (see Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin) and collect his payday. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, I'd think Bryant has first-round potential.
I've seen a lot of comments in my previous blogs discussing the idea of Kansas receiver Dezmon Briscoe going in the first round. I'm not a draft expert, but I honestly don't see why not. Briscoe, at 6-3 and 200 pounds, could opt to leave after his junior season. With another huge year, he might be able to sneak into the first round.
This mock draft would lead one to believe the Big 12 has a monster year ahead in 2009. We already know Texas and Oklahoma are preseason top five teams. Oklahoma State could be in the top 10. Kansas could be in the top 15. Nebraska could be in the top 25. It should be another year of five conference teams in the top 25 polls every week. It should be another year of someone from the Big 12 (see Bradford or McCoy) winning the Heisman Trophy.
However, I'm not ready to call the Big 12 the best conference in the nation. I'm requiring a few things from the conference that hasn't happened in previous years before I do that.
First, a Big 12 team must rip bragging rights away from the SEC, which has been the most dominant conference in college football for years. Oklahoma had a chance against Florida in the BCS Championship last year and didn't take advantage. Texas Tech had a chance against Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl and didn't take advantage either.
With Texas and Oklahoma rated so high, the conference likely won't be viewed as the best in college football without one of those teams winning a BCS Championship. A Cotton Bowl victory would help the SEC vs. Big 12 argument, too.
Second, I'm looking at how many teams from each conference make a bowl game for obvious reasons of depth. Last season, the SEC had eight; the Big 12 seven.
Next, I'm looking at how each conference fares in their bowl games. Last season, the SEC went 6-2 and won the BCS Championship. The Big 12 went 4-3.
The SEC is the best conference in college football until those statistics sway in another conference's favor.
That should be all for now, friends. As always, discuss.
Comments
plasticJHawk (anonymous) says...
I think the preseason favorite to win the Heisman is a fella goes by Tebow.
May 11, 2009 at 2:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Yahweh (anonymous) says...
Whether we need one or not, I really don't see KC picking a TE that high up in the draft, or very many other teams for that matter. No matter how good he is. Still, quite a bit of this is pretty reasonable.
May 11, 2009 at 8:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
minipman (anonymous) says...
KC wouldnt draft i tight end...what i think they are doing is just listing the top 10 prospects..and just putting teams in there..
May 11, 2009 at 10:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coloradojayhawk (anonymous) says...
Was it last year or the year before that the Pac 10 did so well in the bowls? Sure, they were rated lowly compared to the rest of the conferences, but when the competition at the end of the year was on the field, the Pac 10 rolled. And I hate the Pac 10!
May 11, 2009 at 11:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
phoenixjayhawk (Rodney Stice) says...
Hate the Pac 10. Hate USC.
May 12, 2009 at 12:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esorrentino (Eric Sorrentino) says...
hey colorado. The Pac-10 went 5-0 this past season in bowl games. They only played in one BCS game, where USC beat Penn State.
May 12, 2009 at 12:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkintx73 (anonymous) says...
Well, here is the thing about those statistics. Until there is a real play off where teams from each conference play each other and two teams arrive at the National Championship game, and one team wins, thats when we'll know and only then. These teams have to play head to head in a win or go home situation.
As far as the teams in the mock draft, no one knows which order or even which teams will get the first 10 picks. There is an entire NFL season to be played to determine that. After trades, free agency, etc, who knows what teams will need to fill what positions. Its almost inexplicably impossible to predict. Too many things can happen between now and then, so I think that mock draft issue is just over hyped at this time.
May 12, 2009 at 2:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zissou (anonymous) says...
Sergio Kindle needs to stay healthy for an entire season if he wants to sniff the Top 15. He's an elite talent but consistent health issues make you wonder if an NFL team will take a chance on him.
Eric, who do you see being the next pick from the Big 12 North after Suh? Because the common theme I see is Big 12 South, Big 12 North, Big 12 South, Big 12 South, Big 12 South, Big 12 South, Big 12 South, Pac-10, Big 12 South, Big 12 South.
May 12, 2009 at 7:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esorrentino (Eric Sorrentino) says...
Hey zissou, from early mocks I've seen, you're looking at Missouri linebacker Sean Witherspoon as the next North guy off the board. He didn't make McShay's first round, but I've seen him on a plethora of first-round boards.
Still haven't seen Dezmon Briscoe in anyone's first round, but it's early. I saw Darrell Stuckey in one guy's second round, which would be interesting. And I'm still wondering how Kerry Meier will fit into the NFL. Haven't seen him in anyone's early rounds, but he's such a reliable receiver that I'd have to think he'd make it somewhere.
May 12, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justanotherfan (anonymous) says...
I think Briscoe, Meyer and Stuckey all get drafted, but it's doubtful that any of them go in the first round.
Meyer is a tweener type of guy. Not necessarily an elite NFL receiver, but not really a tight end either. That probably makes him a solid third or fourth round choice if he has another strong year.
Briscoe is a second or third rounder. He may slip into the back end of the first round with a huge year, but otherwise, I see him getting called late in the second round.
Stuckey is a very good safety, but NFL teams don't generally draft safeties really high. For that reason, he's a second day pick. Unless you are a top 2 or 3 safety (like Mays and Berry), your chances of going in the first round are pretty much nil unless you can play corner.
May 12, 2009 at 1:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkintx73 (anonymous) says...
STuckey is a preseason 2nd team All_American, by my prediction. He doesn't look that fast, because he plays the game intelligently. When he makes plays, it is because you can tell how well he is prepared. He has the speed to stop a break away Score from being given up while at the same time, he knows how to read plays and react soon so he doesn't get out of control. But I'm no expert. But he is pretty darn good. I would want him on my team. But what I'm more excited about is the offensive line and defensive line, Angus Quigley at Linebacker, and Deshaun Sands. If he's as good as his dad was, and that was in 1991 I believe when his dad set the all time single game record of 396 yards in a game. It has been broken since, but if Sands is that good along with Sharp's speed, WHOA! I wouldn't wanna be a defensive coordinator for any of our opponents.
June 22, 2009 at 9:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )