With the 2024 NFL Draft wrapped, there is not any time wasted waiting for 2025, however the means of choosing up the items from the seven-round extravaganza consists of some highlights and lowlights for the most important packages in faculty soccer. 

It was a banner weekend for the reigning champion Michigan Wolverines, who had seven gamers chosen within the first three rounds and led all colleges with 13 alternatives. It is sensible that the end result of a three-year run that included three Large Ten titles, three Faculty Soccer Playoff appearances and a nationwide championship included some star energy on the high of the depth chart. And that CFP success tracks with 2023 playoff members Texas (11), Washington (10) and Alabama (10), all ending with double-digit alternatives within the draft. 

The SEC as soon as once more led all conferences with 59 picks within the 257-player draft, however the Pac-12 had the second-most at 43. That headline is met with some melancholy, nonetheless, with the historic West Coast league dropping 10 colleges this summer time to the Large Ten, Large 12 and ACC. 

In order for you an extra breakdown of the 2024 NFL Draft by convention and college, we have got you coated. However to dive a bit bit deeper than the participant is to disclose some attention-grabbing storylines and developments popping out of the weekend. And whereas most of our takeaways are extra instantly tied to the present state of those packages, we start with an unimaginable notice on one of many sport’s best coaches who only recently introduced his retirement. 

Winner: Nick Saban 

The NFL Draft manufacturing from Tuscaloosa below Saban set a brand new commonplace in faculty soccer. Alabama has produced 133 draft picks since 2009, essentially the most of any program in that span, and the Tide have had at the least seven draft picks for 13 straight years (2012-present). Having 10 or extra gamers drafted has turn into a notable water mark lately; the Crimson Tide have hit it in 5 of the final eight drafts (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024). 

But when we’ll settle for Nick Saban’s Alabama as essentially the most prolific producer of execs, how about additionally celebrating Saban as a coach who despatched each place on the depth chart to the subsequent stage. 

With the choice of kicker Will Reichard within the sixth spherical, Saban’s time at Alabama has now produced an NFL Draft decide at each single place — all three ranges of the protection, the offensive traces, actually operating backs and large receivers have all been regular spots to search out future execs. Within the final six years, although, he is rounded out the punch card with punter JK Scott (fifth spherical, 2018), lengthy snapper Thomas Fletcher (sixth spherical, 2021), and now Reichard as the primary kicker drafted from a Saban-led Alabama staff. Reichard’s regular leg proved to be a key piece of Alabama’s success lately, and that should have had an influence on the present teaching workers as Kalen DeBoer labored shortly to exchange him with Lou Groza Award winner Graham Nicholson from the switch portal by way of Miami (Ohio). 

Winner: Texas 

Steve Sarkisian has orchestrated what appears to be the correct mix of elite highschool recruiting with instant-impact switch portal additions to provide probably the most proficient rosters within the nation. Texas lastly had its breakthrough second — dare I say “again?” — in 2023 with its first Large 12 Championship since 2009 and a possibility to compete for the nationwide title in its first-ever Faculty Soccer Playoff look. 

The success on the sphere was validated but once more this weekend with the Longhorns setting a brand new program report with 11 NFL Draft picks. 5 got here within the first two rounds, tied with Alabama, Georgia and Washington for essentially the most, and having 5 within the first 52 picks was one of the best of any program. Seven of the 11 picks have been on offense, together with the operating again duo of Jonathon Brooks (first spherical) and Keilan Robinson (fifth spherical). That is back-to-back years now during which Texas has produced two operating backs within the draft, following Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson in 2023. 

However it’s with an eye fixed to 2024 that we each have a good time Texas’ success within the draft and but acknowledge the work that is been finished year-over-year by Sarkisian’s workers to assist the Longhorns put together for all times within the SEC. As we all know, there are future NFL Draft picks on virtually each staff you are going to play. Whereas Texas has misplaced 4 NFL Draft-bound operating backs during the last two years, it has a particularly succesful alternative prepared with former five-star prospect CJ Baxter prepared for a breakout sophomore season. 

The pass-catching exodus to the draft was additionally notable, however that is the place Texas used the portal to herald gamers like Isaiah Bond, Amari Niblack and Matthew Golden to ensure there is not any drop off in manufacturing. Sustained success on the highest ranges of faculty soccer means not solely amassing future professional expertise by the bushel, however replenishing and creating each single offseason. So whereas Texas has set a brand new report in 2024, the outlook says the Longhorns will likely be close to the highest of those lists often transferring ahead. 

Loser: Energy 4 colleges shut out 

Not each college goes to be Alabama with handfuls of draft picks each single yr, but it surely does find yourself drawing consideration when a power-conference college is shut out from the NFL Draft. Context is essential in every of those instances, and there are many conditions during which gamers would slightly be undrafted free brokers (with the flexibility to choose their vacation spot) than a late-round decide. However after including up all of the draft picks from energy conferences, the colleges left with out a 2024 NFL Draft embrace: 

How this NFL Draft absence impacts every program differs wildly. Indiana, Northwestern and Syracuse are all within the midst of teaching transitions, whereas Arizona State, Colorado, Georgia Tech and Nebraska are nonetheless on 12 months 2 of a brand new tenure. Some packages like Arizona State, which signed Jayden Daniels out of highschool, do have some declare to serving to information the first-rounder to his final vacation spot, however that is not the best way we rely NFL Draft picks by college. And talking of the switch portal, Colorado getting shut out is notable, not for Deion Sanders-related causes, however as a mirrored image of that program’s roster well being. This now marks three years in a row the Buffs haven’t produced an NFL Draft decide. We do anticipate that to alter in 2025 with Shedeur Sanders among the many high quarterbacks that will likely be draft eligible subsequent season. 

The Buckeyes solely had 4 gamers picked within the 2024 NFL Draft, which was a notable step down; each draft since 2016 included at the least six alternatives from Ohio State. You could possibly learn that as a knock on coach Ryan Day and the state of this system, falling in step with the identical variety of picks as Large Ten foes Iowa and Illinois, however the buried storyline in Ohio State’s lack of picks is identical cause why many are choosing the Buckeyes to win the Large Ten in 2024. 

Working again TreVeyon Henderson, large receiver Emeka Egbuka, cornerback Denzel Burke, the cross rush combo of Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, and defensive lineman Tyleik Williams have been all eligible to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. If that they had, it will have given the Buckeyes a decide rely a lot nearer to the Alabama or Washington than Iowa or Illinois. So whereas Ohio State does not get to roll out a protracted draft roster to compete with the highest packages within the sport on the draft decide scoreboard, Day as a substitute returns a staff with a half-dozen gamers that completely might be taking part in on Sundays however as a substitute have chosen the pursuit of title rivalry in Columbus. The way in which NIL and eligibility guidelines have prolonged careers create every kind of examples the place colleges aren’t racking draft picks however holding future execs longer, however nowhere else within the nation was there as a lot high-end expertise selecting to return than at Ohio State.  

Loser: Convention steadiness within the draft 

We talked about earlier the merciless irony of the Pac-12 backing up one in every of its greatest on-field seasons in 2023 with a 2024 NFL Draft displaying for the ages, ending second solely to the SEC, with convention members about to splinter. But when we have been to rearrange the convention rely, the consolidation of pro-producing packages into the Large Ten and SEC turns into much more obvious. 

In case you prepare the colleges into their conferences for 2024, then 140 of the 257 picks within the 2024 NFL Draft got here from both the Large Ten or the SEC. Applications like Washington, Oregon and USC do not at all times line up with the Alabama’s and Georgia’s of the world, however they’re among the many high NFL-producing colleges within the nation within the fashionable period and now convey that expertise to the Large Ten. The SEC can be getting a lift from Texas and Oklahoma, which mixed accounted for 14 of the 31 picks from the Large 12, which completed fifth among the many energy conferences in draft picks this yr. 

In actual fact, of faculties that had six or extra gamers chosen, solely Florida State (10), Notre Dame (7) and Clemson (6) won’t be a Large Ten or SEC program within the 2024 season. The 2 tremendous conferences have lengthy loved an edge in relation to the NFL Draft, however after this summer time’s realignment, the hole is simply going to widen.