NFL Draft Picks By Conference (1999-2008) |
As we inch closer to the NFL Draft, college football conference debates heat up. Which conference churns out the most talent? To many, the NFL Draft is the ultimate judge to preside over such an argument.
So, which conference can claim superiority? There are many ways to slice this argument. We decided to analyze the NFL first round draft picks over the past ten years, and let the chips fall where they may.
What follows is a ranking of each BCS conference by the number of first round NFL draft picks from 1999-2008.
| Conference | 1st Rd Picks | Top 10 Picks | % of 1st Rd | #1 overall picks | |
| 1 | SEC | 66 | 23 | 20.89% | 3 |
| 2 | Big Ten | 57 | 15 | 18.04% | 2 |
| 3 | ACC | 45 | 17 | 14.24% | 2 |
| 4 | Pac-10 | 41 | 14 | 12.97% | 1 |
| 5 | Big East | 40 | 11 | 12.66% | 0 |
| 6 | Non-BCS | 35 | 7 | 11.08% | 2 |
| 7 | Big 12 | 32 | 13 | 10.13% | 0 |
It’s no surprise that the Almighty SEC leads heads the pack. They win national titles. They win bowl games. They win NFL draft arguments.
What is surprising is how far the Big 12 is lagging behind. Less than half of the first round picks as the SEC? Ouch.
The much maligned Big Ten fairs pretty well in this analysis, finishing with a strong second place showing.
