Not Sold on The Expensive PAC-10 Guys

Sports Fans,

I know USC is becoming (if not already) the end all, be all of the collegiate football world, and UCLA wants to get there, and Oregon has a great program and yadda, yadda, ya...butttttt I'm not too sure about the teams who invested 1st round money into picks from a conference notorious for putting points on the board.


Consider that of the 31 first round picks, 4 were PAC-10 defensive players.

Pick 7. Saints-Sedrick Ellis-DT (USC)
Pick 9. Bengals-Keith Rivers-LB (USC)
Pick 27. Chargers-Antoine Cason-DB (Arizona)
Pick 28. Seahawks-Lawrence Jackson-DE (USC)

Since the 2000 draft, this is the second time where more than two PAC 10 defenders were chosen in the first round, 2003, and they were DAMN good selections. All are Pro-Bowl players.

Pick 10. Ravens-Terrell Suggs-LB (Washington State)
Pick 11. Seahawks-Marcus Trufant-CB (Arizona State)
Pick 16. Steelers-Troy Polamalu-S (USC)
Pick 31. Raiders-Nnamdi Asomugha-DB (Cal)

Since 2000, 22 defenseive players have been drafted out of the PAC 10 in the 1st or 2nd rounds and the league has hit or miss. Three are no longer in the league...

2000: Pick 26. Bills-Erik Flowers-DE (ASU)

2001: Pick 57. Vikings-Willie Howard-DT (Stan)

2004: Pick 35. Chiefs-Junior Siauii-DT (Oregon)

6 have been released or are floundering...

2002: Pick 31. Rams-Robert Thomas-LB (UCLA) Released once

2002: Pick 41. Bengals-Lamont Thompson-DB (WSU) Released 4 times

2002: Pick 45. Titans-Tank Williams-DB (Stan) Mediocre/Released from contract twice

2004: Pick 56. Bears-Tank Johnson-DT (Washington) Talented but...

2005: Pick 37. Detroit-Shaun Cody-DT (USC) Nothing spectacular

2007: Pick 32. Buccaneers-Sabby Piscitelli-DB (Oregon State) Jury still out

And the rest are solid starters and key contributors to their respective teams.

2000: Pick 15. Broncos-Deltha O'Neal-CB (Cal) ***Now with Cin***

2001: Pick 7. 49'ers-Andre Carter-DE (Cal) ***Now with Wash***

2001: Pick 20. Rams-Adam Archuleta-S (ASU) ***Now with Chi***

2002: Pick 42. Colts-Larry Tripplett-DT (Washington)

2004: Pick 20. Vikings-Kenechi Udeze-DE (USC) ***Sat out due to illness***

2004: Pick 35. Chargers-Igor Olshamsky-DT (Oregon)

2005: Pick 31. Eagles-Mike Patterson-DE (USC)

2005: Pick 45. Seahawks-Lofa Tatupu-LB (USC)

2006: Pick 12. Ravens-Haloti Ngata-DT (Oregon)

Hey, I'm just saying it's not a sure thing...Looking at the data, you either get a really, really good player, or a waste of space...LOL!

D-Con