Is the University of Miami On It’s Way Back to the Top?
Much has been made about the fact that the Miami Hurricanes have had a hard time getting players into the first round of the N.F.L. draft, which didn’t happen again this year. But after three rounds the University of Miami has themost players drafted from a school in the N.F.L draft with 5 (tied with LSU). Followed by Wisconsin and Alabama,
Orlandlo Franklink, Brandon Harris, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Leonard Hankerson, and Allen Bailey, are the Miami players drafted so far. Three of the players were drafted later than the draftnik community thought they would be, and one was much lower than I Thought he should be (Brandon Harris). I think a good case can be made for why Allen Bailey “slid” in the draft. He’s not a natural fit in any one scheme, his numbers don’t leap off the screen, and he needs some refinement. Good athlete though.
Leonard Hankerson is a different situation. He was a player I really thought had a chance to sneak into the back end of round one (not likely though), and would be gone in the middle of round two, but WR has a whole were pushed down a little later than expected in this draft (Torrey Smith falling to the end of round two).
Only one of the players could really be considered a reach, but whenever the Raiders reach it’s not unexpected. It’s not that Demarcus Van Dyke is a bad player or that he doesn’t have a great skill set but it’s just a sterotypical pick that the fastest player in the draft goes to the Raiders a round or two before anyone expects him to be drafted.
The issue I’m getting to here is what’s more impressive having more players drafted in the first three rounds, or having players drafted in the first round? Does the fact that the Miami has more players drafted in the first three rounds than any other team in the draft except for LSU point to a trend in an increased talent base, or is it just an outlier that means little for The U moving forward.
I think the Hurricanes have a way to go and even though my family has a long hate relationship with the Hurricanes, but I think college football’s more fun when the Hurricanes are bad (but in a good way).
Excited for day three of the draft let’s see what happens.
I can’t imagine it’ll be as cxrazy as the first two days of the draft (Patriots taking Mallett? Bowers out of the first round. Ponder at 12th overall) but it’ll be fun none the less.
The goal today is to use the forums today for live draft chat discussion and twitter as well.
Follow us on twitter @NFLmocks. We’re very close to 400 followers be nice to have that before the draft ends.