According to NFL, UConn Football Talent Stacks Up Well vs P5

[UConnJim]

Since football is the driving force for conference realignment, let's look how much talent UConn has placed into the NFL. I used the ESPN database. (Don't nitpick the data, I realize the data is off somewhat, but it is the best out there.)

Clearly, when you look at the data, UConn has been developing NFL football talent. Out of the P5, 32 schools have produced more current NFL players, which puts UConn in the middle of the pack in the P5. UConn is ranked #1 in the AAC, and in the G5, UConn is tied for 1st with Boise St. UConn is a developing football program and in my opinion, UConn football would not be a drag on any conference.

Let's look by conference putting UConn in each conference:

B1G: 32: Wisconsin, 31: Ohio St., 26: Penn St., 24: Michigan, 23: Iowa, 19: Illinois, Nebraska, 17: UCONN, Purdue, 15: Rutgers, 14: Maryland, Michigan St., 7: Indiana, 6: Minnesota, Northwestern.

ACC: 35: Florida St., Miami, 25: Clemson, 24: UNC, 22: Virginia, VT, 17: UCONN, BC, NC St., 15: Georgia Tech, Louisville, 13: Pitt, 12: Syracuse, 8: Wake Forest, 6: Duke.

Big 12: 29: Texas, 27: Oklahoma, 18: Oklahoma St., 17: UCONN, 16: West Virginia, 12: Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, 11: Kansas St., 7: Kansas, 4: Iowas St.

Pac 12: 42: USC, 30: California, 26: Oregon, 25: Stanford, 21: UCLA, 18: Utah, 17: UCONN, 16: Arizona St., Oregon St., 13: Washington, 11: Arizona, 9: Colorado, 7: Washington St.

SEC: 42: LSU, 40: Alabama, 38: Georgia, 37: Florida, 30: Tennessee, 25: Auburn, 23: South Carolina, 20: Texas A&M, 19: Missouri, 18: Mississippi, 17: UCONN, 14: Arkansas, 13: Miss. St., 11: Kentucky, 9: Vanderbilt.

AAC: 17: UCONN, 15: Cincinnati, 13: UCF, 11: SMU, 10: Memphis, USF, 9: Temple, 7: Houston, 6: Tulane, 5: East Carolina, 4: Tulsa.

G5: 17: UCONN, Boise St., 15: Cincinnati, Fresno St., 13: UCF, 11: SMU, 10: Memphis, USF, Nevada, SD St., 9: Temple, 8: Central Michigan, Marshall, Utah St., 7: Houston, Southern Miss., Toledo, 6: BYU, UMass, Rice, San Jose St., Tulane, Wyoming.

Old Big East: 17: UCONN, 16: West Virginia, 15: Louisville, Rutgers, Cincinnati, 13: Pitt, 12: Syracuse, 10: USF.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

We might have to remove 1 from the Rutgers section.

 

[businesslawyer]

Thank you for the work. Although I would note that:

1. It matters how you play football on the field, not how many players you send to the NFL.

2. Those numbers show NFL drafts during the period that FHCRE's recruits were leaving college. I would be surprised if we don't fall as P's recruits filter through the system.

 

[Kolumbo]

It would also help if our football program had a Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton caliber player in the NFL.

 

[UConnJim]

Thank you for the work. Although I would note that:

1. It matters how you play football on the field, not how many players you send to the NFL.

2. Those numbers show NFL drafts during the period that FHCRE's recruits were leaving college. I would be surprised if we don't fall as P's recruits filter through the system.

My point is that UConn can compete with the P5 and should be included in the P5.

Here are my comments on your points:

Number in the NFL is a good proxy for depth of talent, not superstars.

As for PP's recruits, he really only had 2 full classes (and 2 partial) and some could still be developed into players. UConn has already lost a good number of his recruits, though, which is not a good sign.

 

[epark88]

It would also help if our football program had a Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton caliber player in the NFL.

If Sio keeps playing the way he did vs. the Jets last week, he may be 'the one'...

 

[billybud]

Well...UConn has as many NFLers as VT...

Now, if UConn would beat an Ohio State it would be much more meaningful in the real world than that stat (IMHO)

On the surface, it would look like UConn should win or be a top contender for the AAC title based on the fact that it has had more NFL athletes than any other team in the conference.

I think it is the jimmies and joes that make up a team, but it is also a bunch more...coaching, how athletes are spread between offense and defense...whether athletes are parcelled out over many seasons, etc.

 

[UConnJim]

Well...UConn has as many NFLers as VT...

Now, if UConn would beat an Ohio State it would be much more meaningful in the real world than that stat (IMHO)

On the surface, it would look like UConn should win or be a top contender for the AAC title based on the fact that it has had more NFL athletes than any other team in the conference.

I think it is the jimmies and joes that make up a team, but it is also a bunch more...coaching, how athletes are spread between offense and defense...whether athletes are parcelled out over many seasons, etc.

VT has 5 more NFL players than UConn. Right now UConn is on a cyclical downshift due to the PP regime. Hopefully, we have turned the corner.

 

[billybud]

It takes a good QB now days to be a great team...

Bruce Feldman @BruceFeldmanCFB · Sep 10
QBs by conference on NFL rosters: 1. ACC (17); 2. SEC (14); 3. Pac-12 (13).

 

[Fishy]

Go --- away.

Seriously.

 

[Dooley]

Good work @UConnJim! UCONN + the NFL is one of the more overlooked values of our football program. I agree with @UCONN13KC though, while the full body of work is impressive, I think UCONN football needs an annual Pro Bowl star player in the NFL.

 

[upstater]

Well...UConn has as many NFLers as VT...

Now, if UConn would beat an Ohio State it would be much more meaningful in the real world than that stat (IMHO)

On the surface, it would look like UConn should win or be a top contender for the AAC title based on the fact that it has had more NFL athletes than any other team in the conference.

I think it is the jimmies and joes that make up a team, but it is also a bunch more...coaching, how athletes are spread between offense and defense...whether athletes are parcelled out over many seasons, etc.

You're looking at what Pasqualoni did. Before him, UConn with all these NFL players finished first in the BE twice (from 2004-2011) and regularly beat teams like Pitt and Syracuse, split with Louisville.

 

[Dooley]

Now, if UConn would beat an Ohio State it would be much more meaningful in the real world than that stat (IMHO)

Sure. You get them on the G-damm schedule and we'll take them down.

 

[Fishy]

You're looking at what Pasqualoni did. Before him, UConn with all these NFL players finished first in the BE twice (from 2004-2011) and regularly beat teams like Pitt and Syracuse, split with Louisville.

Forget it - he's a troll.

He has one season before Crab Legs goes pro, tries to mount a nun or a sideline reporter or just generally blows himself up and sends FSU back to their underachievin' ways - why he would spend that season on a UConn message board tells you all you need to know about him.

 

[billybud]

Go --- away.

Seriously.

I think that while UConn has had NFL talent...it hasn't had the right talent all on one team...

Got to have a good QB to make a splash. Marshall, with two very good players (Pennington at QB and Moss at WR) had a couple of 11 win seasons. Their present QB is good and I think that they will win a bunch.

Texas was much better with a Vince Young or Colt McCoy then they have been with pedestrian quarterbacking of late.

Having a couple of playmakers can make a huge difference.

 

[Pudge]

Great OP. I love how much effort that took. KUDOS