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Let's get the usual /dismissivewankingmotion out of the way: the SEC did have the most players drafted, with 54. After them, per NFL.com:
The ACC was second with 47 draftees, followed in order by the Pac-12 with 39, the Big Ten with 35, the Big 12 with 25, the FCS ranks with 17, the AAC with 11, the Mountain West with 10, Conference USA with six, the MAC with four, the Sun Belt with three, the independent and Division II ranks with two and the Division III ranks with one.
So that's fun. But right now I suspect most Ohio State fans can't hear them over their team's title belt, and I can't say I care that much about the SEC's draft results. I care about proving, empirically, that based on draft results, my team is somehow better than yours.
...
OK, so coming from the Northwestern "writer" blogger shameless fanboy not named C.E. Bell, that might be a little far-fetched. Anyways, here's your list of all drafted (not UFAs, as...come on, I have a life am too lazy) Big Ten players:
Player | Pos. | School | Round | Pick | Pts | Team | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brandon Scherff | OT | Iowa | 1 | 5 | 251 | Rougedermis | |
Trae Waynes | CB | Michigan St | 1 | 11 | 245 | Vikings | |
Melvin Gordon III | RB | Wisconsin | 1 | 15 | 241 | San Diego | Traded w/ 49ers |
Donovan Smith | OT | Penn State | 2 | 34 | 222 | Buccaneers | |
Devin Smith | WR | Ohio State | 2 | 37 | 219 | Jets | |
Devin Funchess | WR | Michigan | 2 | 41 | 215 | Panthers | Traded w/ Rams |
Ameer Abdullah | RB | Nebraska | 2 | 54 | 202 | Lions | |
Maxx Williams | TE | Minnesota | 2 | 55 | 201 | Ravens | Traded w/ Cardinals |
Rob Havenstein | OT | Wisconsin | 2 | 57 | 199 | Rams | Traded w/ Panthers |
Randy Gregory | DE | Nebraska | 2 | 60 | 196 | Cowboys | |
Frank Clark | DE | Michigan | 2 | 63 | 193 | Seahawks | |
Tevin Coleman | RB | Indiana | 3 | 73 | 183 | Falcons | |
Tyler Kroft | TE | Rutgers | 3 | 85 | 171 | Bengals | |
Carl Davis | DT | Iowa | 3 | 90 | 166 | Ravens | |
Jeff Heuerman | TE | Ohio State | 3 | 92 | 164 | Broncos | |
Jeremy Langford | RB | Michigan St | 4 | 106 | 150 | Bears | |
Ibraheim Campbell | S | Northwestern | 4 | 115 | 141 | Browns | Traded w/ Bills |
Andrew Donnal | OL | Iowa | 4 | 119 | 137 | Rams | Traded w/ Eagles |
Doran Grant | CB | Ohio State | 4 | 121 | 135 | Steelers | |
Damien Wilson | ILB | Minnesota | 4 | 127 | 129 | Cowboys | |
Jake Ryan | LB | Michigan | 4 | 129 | 127 | Packers | |
David Cobb | RB | Minnesota | 5 | 138 | 118 | Titans | |
Adrian Amos | S | Penn State | 5 | 142 | 114 | Bears | |
Stefon Diggs | WR | Maryland | 5 | 146 | 110 | Vikings | Traded w/ Falcons |
Cedric Thompson | S | Minnesota | 5 | 150 | 106 | Dolphins | |
Tony Lippett | WR/DB | Michigan St | 5 | 156 | 100 | Dolphins | Traded w/ Eagles |
Jesse James | TE | Penn State | 5 | 160 | 96 | Steelers | |
Kenny Bell | WR | Nebraska | 5 | 162 | 94 | Buccaneers | Traded w/ Ravens |
Ryan Russell | DE | Purdue | 5 | 163 | 93 | Cowboys | |
Michael Burton | FB | Rutgers | 5 | 168 | 88 | Lions | Traded w/ Patriots via Bucs |
Keith Mumphry | WR | Michigan St | 5 | 175 | 81 | Texans | Compensatory |
Michael Bennett | DT | Ohio State | 6 | 180 | 76 | Jaguars | |
Evan Spencer | WR | Ohio State | 6 | 187 | 69 | Rougedermis | |
Darius Kilgo | DT | Maryland | 6 | 203 | 53 | Broncos | |
Trevor Siemian | QB | Northwestern | 6 | 250 | 6 | Broncos | Compensatory |
Now, I'm picking up what you're putting down. That doesn't tell us a lot. So let's rank the B1G, from "Number drafted" to a semi-arbitrary measure of "points" (taken by subtracting pick# from 256):
By Number Drafted | By "Points" | Points per Pick | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
School | #Drafted | "Points" | Pts/Pk | School | #Drafted | "Points" | Pts/Pk | School | #Drafted | "Points" | Pts/Pk |
Ohio State | 5 | 663 | 132.6 | Ohio State | 5 | 663 | 132.6 | Wisconsin | 2 | 440 | 220.0 |
Michigan St | 4 | 576 | 144.0 | Michigan St | 4 | 576 | 144.0 | Iowa | 3 | 554 | 184.7 |
Minnesota | 4 | 554 | 138.5 | Iowa | 3 | 554 | 184.7 | Indiana | 1 | 183 | 183.0 |
Iowa | 3 | 554 | 184.7 | Minnesota | 4 | 554 | 138.5 | Michigan | 3 | 537 | 179.0 |
Michigan | 3 | 537 | 179.0 | Michigan | 3 | 537 | 179.0 | Nebraska | 3 | 492 | 164.0 |
Nebraska | 3 | 492 | 164.0 | Nebraska | 3 | 492 | 164.0 | Michigan St | 4 | 576 | 144.0 |
Penn State | 3 | 432 | 144.0 | Wisconsin | 2 | 440 | 220.0 | Penn State | 3 | 432 | 144.0 |
Maryland | 2 | 163 | 81.5 | Penn State | 3 | 432 | 144.0 | Minnesota | 4 | 554 | 138.5 |
Northwestern | 2 | 147 | 73.5 | Rutgers | 2 | 259 | 129.5 | Ohio State | 5 | 663 | 132.6 |
Rutgers | 2 | 259 | 129.5 | Indiana | 1 | 183 | 183.0 | Rutgers | 2 | 259 | 129.5 |
Wisconsin | 2 | 440 | 220.0 | Maryland | 2 | 163 | 81.5 | Purdue | 1 | 93 | 93.0 |
Indiana | 1 | 183 | 183.0 | Northwestern | 2 | 147 | 73.5 | Maryland | 2 | 163 | 81.5 |
Purdue | 1 | 93 | 93.0 | Purdue | 1 | 93 | 93.0 | Northwestern | 2 | 147 | 73.5 |
Illinois | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Illinois | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! | Illinois | 0 | 0 | #DIV/0! |
Thoughts:
Ohio State wins the "highest score" award by virtue of, well, being Ohio State and getting a lot of players drafted.
Bang for Your Buck: want to play a "gritty" position on Sundays? Go to Iowa. For all the shit we give Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes, three players drafted in the top half of the draft from the trenches of Iowa City (Brandon Scherff, Carl Davis, and Andrew Donnal) reaffirms Iowa's reputation as an NFL development stop for line positions. Let's hope the Rougedermis can scare up a whole mess of Holsteins for their new left tackle.
Most B1G Award: You're learning, Rutgers. You're learning fast. A fullback and a tight end as your only two players drafted is about as good as we can ask for. (Look, everyone! An article that's not ripping on Rutgers!)
Start of something new?: Minnesota, with four draft picks, is quietly bolstering Jerry Kill's reputation as a developer of talent. Curious to see if this can help Minnesota shore up its borders and get some draft-worthy talent, especially in the trenches, to stay.
If Harbaugh can Harbaugh Harbaugh with the Harbaugh worth of talent in Michigan, if this draft is any indication, things sure look Harbaugh for Harbaugh going forward.
Steal of the Draft?: I am hard-pressed not to pick Randy Gregory. Dude gets his shit together somehow in Dallas, where Jerry Jones has shown his willingness to throw money at problems, and the Cowboys have earned themselves quite the pass-rusher.
What an opportunity for Tevin Coleman, the Indiana RB who likely will be the Falcons' lead back this fall. His next-level speed and pass-catching ability could cause major problems for opposing defenses on Sundays.
Obligatory mention of Michigan State. Another solid draft day for the Spartans, though their value may be slightly overinflated due to Trey Waynes' selection by my Minnesota Vikings. Nonetheless, Sparty represented on both sides of the ball, again showing the extent of their both-sides-of-the-ball improvement in the last five years.
Illinois: womp womp.
Only QB?: WOOOOOOOO suck it all of you go 'Cats! Based on being the only team to get a quarterback drafted, I thusly declare Northwestern the all-time winner of the 2015 NFL Draft! You're welcome.
For real thoughts and actual analysis, I'd recommend checking out the SBNation 2015 NFL Draft Results as well. In the meantime, hit the comments and poll to tell us which Big Ten team you think won the 2015 NFL Draft!