We've established the ACC's not very good in football, yet the supposed basketball conference still dominates the NFL Draft. Looks like the Kings of Mediocrity will rule Radio City Music Hall again on April 25.
Check out the Big Board from the National Football Post, it's a 1-2-3 sweep for the ACC at the top.
The talent at the top of this ACC draft class is typical of what the ACC has sent to the NFL since expansion — an offensive lineman, a linebacker and a defensive tackle. Where are the running backs? Where are the quarterbacks? Where are the receivers?
Of the 25 first-round picks the ACC has produced since 2006, only seven are from the offensive side of the ball, and only four play skill positions (QB, RB, receiver). And you cut that number down to two (Matt Ryan and Calvin Johnson) if you take out tight ends Vernon Davis and Greg Olsen.
UNC receiver Hakeem Nicks — who would look good with the New York Giants at No. 29 — is poised to join Johnson and Ryan. You have to go down to No. 71 to find the ACC's first running back, N.C. State's Andre Brown, who has shot up draft boards with outstanding workouts.
Of the 15 ACC prospects on the list, only four are from the offensive side of the ball.
It's important to note at this point that NFL talent doesn't necessary equal college success, although every coach on the planet will tell you it takes talent to win, so draw your own conclusions.
My conclusion would be the ACC coaches can find talent at certain positions — the front seven on defense, offensive linemen — but mining the skill players has been a weakness. Coaching up the players has been a problem, too, although the ACC has undergone a drastic overhaul in the past five years in the coaching ranks.
Still, only the SEC (19) has more prospects in the top 100 than the ACC. If you break it down by the top 50, the ACC has nine, again second to only the SEC (12).
This is just one site's opinion, albeit a very informed one, but note the SEC and Big East's talent — four in the top 50 and nine in the 100 — corresponds with their respective spots in the BCS pecking order.
The funniest/saddest/most obvious note has to be USC. The Trojans have seven prospects in the top 100 (two fewer than the entire Big East), which accounts for half of the Pac-10's total. Dominate much?
The ACC's list:
1. Eugene Monroe, OT, UVa
2. Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake
3. B.J. Raji, DT, BC
14. Everette Brown, DE, FSU
20. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake
30. Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC
37. Michael Johnson, DE, GT
49. Ron Brace, DT, BC
50. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Md
---------------------------------------
53. Kevin Barnes, CB, Md
61. Dorell Scott, DT, Clem
65. Chip Vaughn, S, Wake
71. Andre Brown, RB, N.C. State
78. Clint Sintim, LB, UVa
91. Macho Harris, CB, VT
