Ok…maybe not. But the similarities in the way they left their programs are not as stark as one might imagine.
As if the lack of talent on the Wolfpack roster wasn’t obvious enough to all who endured the awful 2013 season, the 2014 NFL Draft surely did little to indicate that Debbie Yow did anything but what had to be done when she made a chance atop the NC State football program in November of 2012. After a strong record of producing NFL Talent over the last fifteen years – including NINE NFL draft picks in the last two seasons – the NC State football program that Tom O’Brien left managed to land only one draftee in the 2014 NFL Draft.
But, that record would’ve been deemed a huge success in Austin, Texas as the Texas Longhorns program left by Mack Brown was actually shut out of the NFL Draft for the first time since 1937 (link).
The NFL draft was completed without a Texas Longhorn being selected for the first time since 1937. Texas was tied with Notre Dame for the NCAA’s longest draft streak until Saturday’s seventh and final round ended with Memphis safety Lonnie Ballentine being taken by the Texans.
The program’s 30-21 record over the last four seasons led to a program-wide shakeup that included Mack Brown stepping down and the arrival of Charlie Strong this offseason. But the Longhorns still entered the 2014 draft with All-Amercan defensive end and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jackson Jeffcoat atop a list of seven potential draftees includng wide receiver Mike Davis, cornerback Carrington Byndom, kicker Anthony Fera, offensive linemen Trey Hopkins and Donald Hopkins, and defensive tackle Chris Whaley.
Jeffcoat quickly signed with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.
Strong’s arrival in Austin could give school boosters even more reason for hope. The Louisville program he recruited and coached prior to replacing Brown landed three players in the first round in safety Calvin Pryor, defensive end Marcus Smith and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
24 players on current NFL rosters. 1st amongst NC schools & 4th in the ACC. #ACC #NFL #WOLFPACK pic.twitter.com/3yUijaHe7C
— Desmond Kitchings (@coachdeskitch) April 29, 2014
