It’s not surprising that college football teams that did very well in 2012 tended to have a lot of players picked in the 2013 NFL Draft. Florida State won 12 games and had 11 picked. Alabama won its third national title in four years and had three taken in the top 11. LSU was monstrous at defense, and had eight defensive players drafted. It makes sense, right?
Which college teams had 2013 NFL Draft talent but didn’t win?
Ten college football teams had at least as many players drafted as they had wins in 2012. We applaud the coaches who achieved the improbable.
Bradley Leeb-US PRESSWIRE
Well, then you take a look at the draft, and see some teams that don’t make sense. Let’s take a moment to honor college football’s strangest coaches, the coaches who had NFL players, but couldn’t win college games. Nine schools won as many (or fewer) games in 2012 as they had players selected in the draft.
Tim Beckman, Illinois
Players drafted: 42012 record: 2-10
Result: Beckman tripped
In 2012, the Illini had four players off the board in the first two rounds: Whitney Mercilus, AJ Jenkins, Jeff Allen, and Tavon Wilson. Their 2013 draft class wasn't as strong -- guard Hugh Thornton was the first off the board at 86 -- but defensive tackle Akeem Spence, cornerback Terry Hawthorne, and linebacker Michael Buchanan were all drafted off a defense that ended up 94th in points allowed.
Jeff Tedford, Cal
Players drafted: 4
2012 record: 3-9
Result: Tedford fired
We had some skill position guys here too. Keenan Allen was a stud who should have been picked before the third round, but Cal didn't have much of a semblance of a passing game, and although Steve Williams and Marc Anthony were both selected out of the Golden Bears' secondary, Cal allowed 271.9 yards per game, No. 107 in the nation.
Paul Pasqualoni, UConn
Players drafted: 5
2012 record: 5-7
Result: Nobody likes Paul Pasqualoni
We're not talking scrubs here either -- cornerbacks Dwayne Gratz, Blidi Wreh-Wilson, and linebacker Sio Moore went off the board picks apart in the third round, with defensive end Trevardo Williams going in the fourth. Connecticut's defense was actually pretty good, but blame Pasqualoni for a pitiful offense.
John L. Smith, Arkansas
Players drafted: 42012 record: 4-8
Result: Smith not brought back as interim coach
The Razorbacks had a solid quarterback in Tyler Wilson, a beastly running back in Knile Davis, and a decent wide receiver in Cobi Hamilton, and still managed to be 91st in scoring offense. Then again we're talking SEC defense here.
Skip Holtz, South Florida Players drafted: 3
2012 record:3-9
Result: Holtz fired
Kayvon Webster was a third rounder, but linebacker Sam Barrington and quarterback B.J. Daniels were amongst the last guys selected in the draft -- and everybody thought Daniels was a huge stretch.
Jon Embree, Colorado
Players drafted: 22012 record:1-11
Result: Embree fired
The two were offensive tackle David Bakhtiari and tight end Nick Kasa, fourth and sixth rounders, respectively.
Ellis Johnson, Southern Miss
Players drafted: 12012 record: 0-12
Result: Johnson fired despite a huge buyout after just one season
Jamie Collins was the guy selected, a second-round draft pick to the New England Patriots.
Charlie Weis, Kansas
Players drafted: 12012 record: 1-11
Result: Still employed after one season
Weis also popped up on another freaky-math-says-this-coach-is-bad list when we looked at coaches salaries by win. Tanner Hawkinson, an offensive tackle taken in the fifth round by Cincinnati, was the one player.
Charley Molnar, UMass
Players drafted: 12012 record: 1-11
Result: Still employed after one season
The guy drafted was Michael Cox, the second-to-last pick in the draft, aka Mr. Baaaaaaaaaaaarely Relevant
DeWayne Walker, New Mexico State
Players drafted: 12012 record: 1-11
Result: Walker left to be defensive backs coach with the Jaguars
If having UMass on this list was cheating, having Walker on the list is DEFINITELY cheating. Only one New Mexico State player was taken, cornerback Jeremy Harris, 208th overall by the Jaguars. You'll notice that Walker wasn't fired, but rather left to take a job in the NFL ... coaching cornerbacks ... with the Jaguars. Walker boosted the NFL talent level of the dudes he coached in college by helping to select one at his new job. Subtle move.
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