Alabama football led the latest ranking of the Top 100 players in the NFL with five selections. Except for Georgia other SEC schools did not fare so well.
Alabama football and the Georgia Bulldogs led the NFL Top 100 player list with five selections each. Before looking at how other SEC schools fared, let’s consider what separates schools in producing NFL players.
According to nfl.com, when the NFL season opened in 2016, LSU had the most players on NFL rosters with 42. USC and Florida State were next at 36 each and Alabama and Ohio State were close behind with 35 each.
Based on data from Pro Football Reference, current 2017 players on NFL teams breaks down as:
- Miami – 59 players
- (tie) Florida and LSU – 56 players
- (tie) Ohio State and Florida State – 55 players
- Alabama – 54 players
- USC – 52 players
- Georgia – 49 players
- (tie) Notre Dame, Auburn and Clemson – 44 players
- Oregon – 41 players
- (tie) Oklahoma, Texas and Stanford – 40 players
By week one of the 2017 NFL season, the numbers above will change. Most likely every school will see attrition.
Back to what determines the success of college programs producing NFL players. Is it more recruiting or player development? Based upon the total number of players in the NFL, it appears recruiting is the biggest factor. Every school on the above list recruits well.
We are not suggesting because these schools recruit well that they are not proficient at player development. We do believe more talent is easier to develop than less talent.
The NFL Top 100 players list tells a somewhat different story. Let’s break down the list. The full list can be viewed here, NFL Top 100 players.
Alabama football has five players in the Top 100 voted by NFL players, Landon Collins (No. 28), Amari Cooper (No. 53), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (No. 77), Dont’a Hightower (No. 94). Julio Jones is in the Top 10 but the actual spot will not be released until June 26.
In 2016, Alabama football had only one player in the Top 100. It was Julio.
Other SEC schools in the Top 100 list are:
- Georgia with five players
- LSU and Texas A&M with three players
- Mississippi State with two players
- Auburn, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt with one each
Can the argument be made that more “great” NFL players come from schools better at player development? There is no problem posing the contention. Proving it, however, is problematic.
Rather than offering an answer for which we have no proof, we will ask another question. What does it mean when West Alabama has more NFL players (2) in the Top 100 than most of the SEC?
And a step further, what does it mean when North Alabama, Coastal Carolina, Northern Iowa and Central Missouri State, each with one NFL Top 100 player, match five SEC schools and surpass five other SEC schools?
Honestly, we don’t know what it means. We do take pleasure in suggesting the path to NFL greatness is just as likely to go through Florence, AL or Conway, SC or Cedar Falls, IA or Warrensburg MO as it is Auburn, AL or Knoxville, TN.
Next: 30 Great Crimson Tiders who were 3-Star recruits
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