Huskers in the Draft: Osborne through Pelini

knapplc

knapplc

Active member
This is going to be SUPER unscientific, and I'm anticipating being corrected on some of this stuff so have at it, but I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at the guys who were inherited by Solich, Callahan, Pelini & Riley based on players taken in the Draft.

I'm always one of the first to say that college talent doesn't necessarily translate into NFL talent, especially from Osborne's recruits. Tommie Frazier and Eric Crouch are two fantastic examples.  So this doesn't necessarily prove anything. 

There are going to be two main factors affecting a guy in the Draft:  Talent & Coaching.  You recruit raw talent, and you develop refined talent through coaching. 

Yes, I am jumping the gun a little on this and yes, I will edit it once the Draft is over.

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2018 (1) BO PELINI'S FINAL PLAYERS

6th Round - Tanner Lee, QB, Jacksonville (Riley recruit)

2017 (1) MIKE RILEY'S FINAL YEAR
5th Round - Nate Gerry, S, Philadelphia

2016 (4)
3rd Round - Vincent Valentine, DT, New England
3nd Round - Maliek Collins, DT, Dallas
4th Round - Alex Lewis, OT, Baltimore
6th Round - Andy Janovich, FB, Denver

2015 (3)
2nd Round - Ameer Abdullah, RB, Detroit
2nd Round - Randy Gregory, DE, Dallas
5th Round - Kenny Bell, WR, Tampa Bay

2014 (3) BO PELINI'S FINAL YEAR
2nd Round - Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, New Orleans
3rd Round -  Spencer Long, OG, Washington
6th Round - Quincy Enunwa, WR, New York Jets

2013 (2)
6th Round - Rex Burkhead, RB, Cincinnati
7th Round - Daimion Stafford, SS, Tennessee

2012 (4) BILL CALLAHAN'S FINAL PLAYERS
2nd Round - Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay (Pelini recruit)
4th Round - Jared Crick, DE, Houston
7th Round - Alfonzo Dennard, CB, New England
7th Round - Marcel Jones, OL, New Orleans

2011 (7) BILL CALLAHAN'S FINAL PLAYERS
1st Round - Prince Amukamara, CB, New York Giants
4th Round - Roy Helu Jr., RB, Washington
4th Round - Alex Henery, PK, Philadelphia
5th Round - DeJon Gomes, S, Washington
5th Round - Niles Paul, WR, Washington
6th Round - Keith Williams, OG, Pittsburgh
7th Round - Eric Hagg, S, Cleveland

2010 - (3)
1st round - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit
4th round - Phillip Dillard, LB, N.Y. Giants
5th round - Larry Asante, S, Cleveland

2009 - (3)
5th round - Cody Glenn, LB, Washington
6th round - Matt Slauson, OL, New York
7th round - Lydon Murtha, OL, Detroit

2008 - (3) FRANK SOLICH'S FINAL PLAYERS
5th round - Zackary Bowman, CB, Chicago
5th round - Carl Nicks, OL, New Orleans
6th round - Bo Ruud, LB, New England

2007- (4) BILL CALLAHAN'S FINAL YEAR - FRANK SOLICH'S FINAL PLAYERS
1st round - Adam Carriker, DE, St. Louis
2nd round - Brandon Jackson, IB, Green Bay
3rd round - Stewart Bradley, LB, Philadelphia
4th round - Jay Moore, DE, San Francisco

2006- (4)
2nd round - Daniel Bullocks, S, Detroit
6th round - Sam Koch, P, Baltimore
6th round - Le Kevin Smith, DT, New England
7th round - Titus Adams, DE, New York Jets

2005- (3)
1st round - Fabian Washington, CB, Oakland
2nd round - Barrett Ruud, LB, Tampa Bay
2nd round - Josh Bullocks, S, New Orleans
3rd round - Richie Incognito, OG, St. Louis

2004- (5)
4th round - Demorrio Williams, LB, Atlanta
6th round - Jammal Lord, FS, Houston
6th round - Josh Sewell, C, Denver
7th round - Ryon Bingham, DT, San Diego
7th round - Trevor Johnson, DE, New York Jets

2003- (4) FRANK SOLICH'S FINAL YEAR
2nd round - Chris Kelsay, RE, Buffalo
4th round - DeJuan Groce, CB, St. Louis
7th round - Josh Brown, PK, Seattle
7th round - Scott Shanle, LB, St. Louis

2002- (4) TOM OSBORNE'S FINAL PLAYERS
2nd round - Toniu Fonoti, OG, San Diego
3rd round - Eric Crouch, WR, St. Louis
4th round - Keyuo Craver, CB, New Orleans
7th round - Tracey Wistrom, TE, Tampa Bay

2001- (7) TOM OSBORNE'S FINAL PLAYERS
2nd round - Kyle Vanden Bosch, RE, Arizona
2nd round - Dominic Raiola, C, Detroit
4th round - Carlos Polk, LB, San Diego
4th round - Correll Buckhalter, RB, Philadelphia
5th round - Russ Hochstein, OG, Tampa Bay
6th round - Bobby Newcombe, WR/Returns, Arizona
6th round - Dan Alexander, RB, Tennessee

2000- (3)
2nd round - Mike Brown, ROV, Chicago
3rd round - Steve Warren, DT, Green Bay
5th round - Ralph Brown, CB, New York Giants

1999 - (7)
2nd round - Mike Rucker, RE, Carolina
4th round - Joel Makovicka, RB, Arizona
4th round - Jason Wiltz, DL, New York Jets
5th round - Jay Foreman, LB, Buffalo
7th round - Chad Kelsay, LB, Pittsburgh
7th round - Kris Brown, PK, Pittsburgh
7th round - Sheldon Jackson, TE, Buffalo

1998- (6)
1st round - Grant Wistrom, DE, St. Louis
1st round - Jason Peter, DT, Carolina
3rd round - Scott Frost, QB, New York Jets
3rd round - Ahman Green, RB, Seattle
7th round - Aaron Taylor, OG, Indianapolis
7th round - Eric Warfield, DB, Kansas City

1997- (8) - TOM OSBORNE'S FINAL YEAR
1st round - Michael Booker, CB, Atlanta
2nd round - Jared Tomich, DE, New Orleans
2nd round - Mike Minter, S, Carolina
3rd round - Adam Treu, OT, Oakland
4th round - Chris Dishman, OT, Arizona
5th round - Jamel Williams, LB, Washington
5th round - Eric Stokes, FS, Seattle
7th round - Jon Hesse, LB, Jacksonville

 
Nice work.  Hard to not look at the number of guys drafted correlates to better performance on the field.  I guess the outlier being Cally.  He could recruit.  Just couldn't coach.  Left Bo with quite a bit of talent......Last year and this is a good example of "low drafts" equals poor performance.  Not scientific, but looks that way to me.   We are short, and have been, on getting athletes and/or developing them.  Had Kalu stayed at CB, IMHO he wouldve been drafted.

 
lo country said:
Nice work.  Hard to not look at the number of guys drafted correlates to better performance on the field.  I guess the outlier being Cally.  He could recruit.  Just couldn't coach.  Left Bo with quite a bit of talent......Last year and this is a good example of "low drafts" equals poor performance.  Not scientific, but looks that way to me.   We are short, and have been, on getting athletes and/or developing them.  Had Kalu stayed at CB, IMHO he wouldve been drafted.
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This is merely my opinion, but I have stated for the longest time that "talent" (or lack thereof) was never really Nebraska's problem.  Where NU literally sucked arse was in the coaching and developing of players--that's where NU has severely faltered the past 6-8 years.

Look at UCF...with coaching and development they had 4 players drafted.  Anyone want to make the case that UCF recruited at a high enough level the preceding 2-3 years to produce four draft picks this year?  (Based off of recruiting rankings?)

 
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Making Chimichangas said:
Anyone want to make the case that UCF recruited at a high enough level the preceding 2-3 years to produce four draft picks this year?
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No.

The most they ever had before this year was 4 in 2003, and they hadn't had more than 2 since 2008.This year they have a 1st rounder, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. In 2003 they had 4, 5, 7, 7. Their fans will tell you they're loaded on talent but I'm not buying that they have as close to the potential as Nebraska does. Nebraska just hasn't developed that potential. Long story short, I think it's a good sign that our players are going get a lot better and finally live up to that potential.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UCF_Knights_in_the_NFL_Draft

 
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Making Chimichangas said:
Anyone want to make the case that UCF recruited at a high enough level the preceding 2-3 years to produce four draft picks this year?  (Based off of recruiting rankings?)
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Absolutely I'd make that case, because I know they have 4 draft picks this year (though Hughes was only there one year). Clearly, therefore, the potential was there.

Remember, even if you just count 1st round draft picks, about half of them will be 3 stars or below, well within UCF's ability to recruit. 4 and 5 stars absolutely matter, but not because the other 3 star and below don't make the league, but the higher ranked kids make it at a much higher percentage.

Now, if we are making the argument that Frost and his staff maximized their draft potential, that's entirely different than the statement quoted. Hughes was a P5 talent that needed a second chance after some legal trouble, and Griffin was a P5 talent with a handicap that scared bigger programs off. What both needed more than anything was a coach to believe in them, the talent was there to work with. 

Frankly, I'm completely tired of these recruiting arguments from the past that haven't ended in 15 years. I just don't care. I don't care which coach that isn't here recruited worse.  It's a new era and Frost's blueprint to help these 4 guys get drafted fits with getting our guys drafted. 

 
brophog said:
Absolutely I'd make that case, because I know they have 4 draft picks this year (though Hughes was only there one year). Clearly, therefore, the potential was there.

Remember, even if you just count 1st round draft picks, about half of them will be 3 stars or below, well within UCF's ability to recruit. 4 and 5 stars absolutely matter, but not because the other 3 star and below don't make the league, but the higher ranked kids make it at a much higher percentage.

Now, if we are making the argument that Frost and his staff maximized their draft potential, that's entirely different than the statement quoted. Hughes was a P5 talent that needed a second chance after some legal trouble, and Griffin was a P5 talent with a handicap that scared bigger programs off. What both needed more than anything was a coach to believe in them, the talent was there to work with. 

Frankly, I'm completely tired of these recruiting arguments from the past that haven't ended in 15 years. I just don't care. I don't care which coach that isn't here recruited worse.  It's a new era and Frost's blueprint to help these 4 guys get drafted fits with getting our guys drafted. 
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 All I have to say is.....

Word.

 
brophog said:
Absolutely I'd make that case, because I know they have 4 draft picks this year (though Hughes was only there one year). Clearly, therefore, the potential was there.

Remember, even if you just count 1st round draft picks, about half of them will be 3 stars or below, well within UCF's ability to recruit. 4 and 5 stars absolutely matter, but not because the other 3 star and below don't make the league, but the higher ranked kids make it at a much higher percentage.

Now, if we are making the argument that Frost and his staff maximized their draft potential, that's entirely different than the statement quoted. Hughes was a P5 talent that needed a second chance after some legal trouble, and Griffin was a P5 talent with a handicap that scared bigger programs off. What both needed more than anything was a coach to believe in them, the talent was there to work with. 

Frankly, I'm completely tired of these recruiting arguments from the past that haven't ended in 15 years. I just don't care. I don't care which coach that isn't here recruited worse.  It's a new era and Frost's blueprint to help these 4 guys get drafted fits with getting our guys drafted. 
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If you're tired of these "recruiting arguments" then why try and make the case?

And, without realizing it, you made my point for me...

Every single college football program, whether they have the #1 rated class, or the #117 rated class, recruits on potential. 

But....

Recruiting on potential is never, and has NEVER been the focus of recruiting rankings.  Recruiting rankings are geared and stacked to favor the players most highly rated.  There have been posters on this very board who have posted that any class lower than 20th is an F rated class.

It is this type of dogmatic adherence to recruiting rankings as the sole determinant of success that I am talking about.

Yes...recruiting great talent is important.  But star rankings, team rankings, and that associated BS...doesn't mean jack squat if there's no coaching or development behind it.

Put this way...

Winning a conference and/or national title is a lot like making a great pot of chili.  "Talent" like ground beef, is just a single ingredient.

You also need...

Beans = Strength & Conditioning

Tomatoes = Player buy-in

Salt = Effort/want

And a host of other "ingredients" paprika, chili powder, cumin, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and other ingredients.  Likewise, other "ingredients" are needed to make a championship team: staying healthy, lucky bounces of the ball, ref calls that go your way, attitude, belief, favorable schedule, etc.

My point is, and always has been, talent is just one variable.  Those who worship at the altar of star and recruiting rankings as the measure of what Nebraska needs to get back to the national elite are deluding themselves.

The success of UCF this past season, and in the subsequent NFL draft, just shows that hard work, dedication, and commitment to success will get a team much farther than just recruiting rankings alone.

 
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I think now we’ll have both. 

Good recruiting AND great player development. 

Lets hope that that translates to NFL careers. Or not. Let’s just win at DONU 

 
knapplc said:
On the plate, next to the bowl of chili. Insiders don't dunk the cinnamon roll into the chili - that's what the barbarians outside Nebraska, and not of the Nebraska diaspora, think.  But we true Nebraskans, both those inside the borders and those holding Nebraska within their hearts wherever they may be, know where the cinnamon roll fits into the great scheme of things.

There are many kinds of cinnamon rolls. There are many kinds of chili.  But we, true, dyed-in-the-wool Nebraskans know that cinnamon & sugar (however mom or grandma prepared them) and chili (however dad or grandpa made them) go together. 

We are unique. It is this understanding of the basic laws of complementary tastes that separate us from the unwashed heathen.

It is this that makes us Nebraskans.
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This post has the poetry of Keats and the common sense of Twain.

Edit: #TooEsoteric?

 
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OH HSKR FAN said:
Is there anyone left on the roster who was recruited by Pelini?
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Off the top of my head, Mikale Wilbon, Tanner Farmer, and Freedom Akinmodolum (sp?) signed with Pelini.  I’m not sure who else signed in the class who would be 5th year seniors.

Stanley Morgan, the Davis twins, Michael Decker are 4th year guys who come to my mind who committed originally to Pelini and ended up signing in Riley’s first class in 2015.

This is all off the top of my head, and after a few beers, so I am sure I am missing some guys. 

 
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