Michigan led the 2017 NFL draft in picks thanks to both Jim Harbaugh and Brady Hoke

No college football team had a better NFL draft weekend than the Michigan Wolverines. After getting two players picked in last year’s event, Michigan had 11 players come off the board in this year’s. draft. That’s a new school record and the most for any school in 2017, ahead of Alabama’s 10.

Here’s the full index of new Michigan draftees:

For one thing, it’s a nice feather in Brady Hoke’s cap. Virtually all of these recruits, including the former five-star Peppers, were the former Michigan coach’s. Hoke was fired two years ago after a disappointing run, and nobody thinks it wasn’t a good idea to do that and replace him with Harbaugh. If you want to dock Hoke for last year’s two-draftee output, feel free, but you should also credit him for this year.

It’s also a good player development show for Harbaugh and his staff. His program hasn’t won the Big Ten yet, or even its East division. But these players were part of mediocre to bad teams under Hoke and two good ones in a row under Harbaugh. It’s not like his staff didn’t have anything to do with this. Even Pete Carroll agrees.

The Buckeyes are 2-0 on the field against Harbaugh, and Urban Meyer has signed slightly higher-rated recruiting classes than UM’s two years in a row.

Last year, when Michigan was getting all of two guys drafted, Ohio State was notching the best college draft class in history with 12 total picks. This year’s Buckeyes count was just seven to Michigan’s 11. The Wolverines might as well put it on the board.