This has been bugging me for a while now. How many players, on average, are drafted from each college into pro sports leagues? Are there specific colleges that have notable records in this aspect?
The number of players drafted from each college into pro sports leagues varies significantly, depending primarily on the strength of the school's athletic program and the specific sport in question. Here's a general breakdown:
Football: The NCAA reports that approximately 1.6% of eligible NCAA football players are drafted by the NFL, which averages out to about a handful of players from each Division I program each year. However, powerhouses like Alabama, Ohio State, and LSU often have significantly more, with double-digit players drafted in a single year.
Basketball: The numbers are smaller for basketball due to the smaller size of NBA rosters and drafted classes. 1.2% of NCAA men's basketball players and 0.8% of women's players are drafted by the NBA and WNBA, respectively. This often results in just one or two players, if any, being drafted from a single school.
Baseball: Major League Baseball drafts nearly 1,200 players each year, with 10.5% of NCAA baseball players getting drafted. This could mean a significant number are drafted from each college with a strong program.
Generally, schools with strong athletic programs in the Pac-12, Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 conferences tend to have more players drafted into pro leagues. For example, schools like the University of Alabama for football, University of Kentucky for basketball, and Vanderbilt University for baseball have significant records of player drafts into professional leagues.
Keep in mind that these figures reflect averages. The exact numbers can fluctuate year by year based on the strength of a given recruiting class and individual player development.
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