The 7 Energy 5 colleges with no NFL Draft picks have one large shock

Not each Energy 5 establishment noticed one in every of its faculty stars be taken within the 2023 NFL Draft.

One would suppose that each Energy 5 group ought to see no less than one in every of its gamers chosen within the NFL Draft, however right here we’re…

Admittedly, there are solely so many picks available in a given draft. Groups like Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State see their finest gamers get taken on the reg. Nevertheless, we didn’t see a single Group of 5 participant go within the first spherical on Thursday evening. That was odd, however not as odd as seeing Washington being amongst faculty soccer’s forgotten. How did U-Dub not get any gamers drafted?

Washington includes the unmagnificent seven with Arizona, Colorado, Duke, Indiana, Kansas and Vanderbilt. Exterior of Indiana, all six have hope heading into 2023, however my goodness gracious.

Let’s attempt to unwrap how a standard energy like Washington finally ends up on this record of woebegones.

Washington Huskies someway didn’t have a participant taken within the 2023 NFL Draft

In Kalen DeBoer’s first 12 months in Seattle, we bought our first style of Huge Penix Vitality, and also you higher consider we appreciated it! Michael Penix Jr. could also be a slender southpaw with a ghastly knee damage on his resume, however he might be a borderline first-round decide subsequent 12 months, or on the very least be 2024’s model of Hendon Hooker popping out of Tennessee. Washington is younger and stressed, alright.

This draft weekend anomaly says all the pieces about Jimmy Lake wrecking his pontoon boat to the underside of Lake Washington in a matter of months. Chris Petersen led the Huskies to the Faculty Soccer Playoff not that way back, whereas Lake was truly a worse match within the Pac-12 than Herm Edwards ever was. Even Edwards had an eye fixed for expertise, however didn’t consider in COVID laws…

So sure, I might anticipate U-Dub having just a few gamers of its personal drafted subsequent 12 months in addition to their Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback. Wouldn’t it truthfully shock you if the Huskies play for a Pac-12 title subsequent 12 months with a practical shot at making the ultimate four-team Faculty Soccer Playoff? Under no circumstances, because the Huskies will likely be battle-tested having performed in a really sturdy league on the high of it.

As for the opposite six colleges, I can sense an upward trajectory in each spot however Indiana. Tom Allen remains to be doing no matter he does in Bloomington, in all probability as a result of DeBoer and Penix have been in Bloomington throughout COVID. We are going to always remember in regards to the unforgettable 2020 Indiana Hoosiers squad that may have made the Faculty Soccer Playoff as a No. 11 seed had we had 12 groups…

Arizona is recruiting very effectively below Jedd Fisch’s steering. U of A remains to be a bottom-of-the-barrel group within the Pac-12, however the Wildcats needs to be a tricky out anyway on account of the expertise Fisch has assembled. Colorado will likely be fortunate to go 6-6 below Deion Sanders in 12 months one at Boulder, however search for the Buffs to stampede within the Rocky Mountain Time Zone presumably halfway by means of 2024.

Duke and Kansas are traditionally basketball colleges, however they appear to have struck gold on their newest teaching hires. Who knew that Mike Elko was the glue holding the snake oil salesman operation collectively in Faculty Station? Duke received 9 video games below a first-year head coach. I’m not saying he’s the following Steve Spurrier, however we’re in want of a brand new Head Ball Coach to entertain us.

As for Lance Leipold, Kansas is one good 12 months away from contending for a Huge 12 championship. Quarterback accidents unraveled their historic marketing campaign halfway by means of final 12 months. Regardless of being a Kansas Metropolis Chiefs fan, I’ve by no means seen Rob Riggle happier in my total life. The final time KU was this good at soccer, I used to be making use of for schools and Mark “The Meatball” Mangino modified lives.

Lastly, even in craptastic seasons that they’re normally synonymous for, Vanderbilt usually will get just a few guys drafted, largely due to the extent of comp they face within the SEC. The place I feel it suggestions of their favor subsequent 12 months is that this will likely be 12 months three for Clark Lea again at his alma mater. Vandy performed so effectively down the stretch. Additionally, he nonetheless has his buddy in recruiting ace Barton Simmons on their workers.

In the end, not each Energy 5 group will get even one in every of its gamers taken in a draft. The NFL could also be a league pushed by parity, however faculty soccer has lengthy been something however that. Nevertheless, even the have-nots can produce blue-chip expertise that one in every of 32 skilled franchises might be desirous about. Search for upwards of 5 of those unmagnificent seven getting one participant drafted.

Ought to Washington not get a participant drafted subsequent spring, shut this system down and be Gonzaga.