Big 12ish NFL Scouting Combine Invitees

According to the list put out by the NFL, the Big 12ish will have 34 players invited to try out at the NFL Scouting Combine on February 22nd. I've broken down the number of players per school.

Edited to added link to watch NFL Scouting Combine Live online

Big 12ish as of 2011

• (7) Oklahoma Frank Alexander, Ryan Broyles, Jamell Fleming, James Hanna, Ronnell Lewis, Travis Lewis, Donald Stephenson
• (6) Oklahoma St Justin Blackmon, Anton Blatnick, Josh Cooper, Markelle Martin, Johnny Thomas, Brandon Weeden
• (6) Texas A&M Randol Bullock, Terrence Frederick, Jeffrey Fulle,r Cyrus Gray, Coryell Judie, Ryan Tannehill
• (4) Baylor Philip Blake, Terrance Ganaway, Robert Griffin III, Kendall Wright
• (4) Missouri Michael Egnew, Dominique Hamilton, Jerrell Jackson, Jacquies Smith
• (4) Texas Emmanuel Acho, Kheeston Randall, Keenan Robinson, Foswhitt Whittaker
• (2) Iowas St Leonard Johnson, Kelechi Osemele
• (1) kansas Steven Johnson
• (0) Kansas St
• (0) Texas Tech
• TOTAL: 34

Just for the sake of comparison, I've broken down the number of invitees for our future conference, the SEC, which will have 53 players in Indianapolis.

SEC as of 2011

• (9) Alabama Mark Barron, Joshua Chapman, Darius Hanks, "Donta" Qualin Hightower, "Dre" D'Andre Kirkpatrick, Marquis Maze, De'Quan Menzie, Trent Richardson, Courtney Upshaw
• (8) Georgia Justin Anderson, Brandon Boykin, Andrew Butler, Orson Charles, Cordy Glenn, Benjamin Jones, DeAngelo Tyson, Blair Walsh
• (8) Louisiana St Ryan Baker, Michael Brockers, Rond'Trique Brooks, Morris Claiborne, Jordan Jefferson (LOL), DeAngelo Peterson, Rueben Randle, Brandon Taylor
• (6) S. Carolina Antonio Allen, Stephon Gilmore, Melvin Ingram, Alshon Jeffery, Travian Robertson, Rokevious Watkins
• (4) Arkansas "Joe" Adam Adams, George Bequette, Gregory Childs, Jarius Wright
• (4) Mississippi St Vick Ballard, Fletcher Cox, Charles Mitchell, Quentin Saulsberry
• (3) Auburn A J Green, Joshua Harris, Brandon Mosley
• (3) Florida Jeffery Demps (declined for Olympics), Jerry Howard, Christopher Rainey
• (2) Kentucky Daniel Trevathan, Winston Guy
• (2) Mississippi (Ol' Miss) Brandon Bolden, Bobby Massie,
• (2) Tennessee Malik Jackson, Tauren Poole
• (2) Vanderbilt Casey Hayward, Seandre Richardson
• TOTAL: 53

I didn't start this off intending to imply that one conference was better than another, but rather to compare each team's ranking within it's conference in terms of potential NFL talent.

An obvious caveat would be that not all players invited to the Scouting Combine will be drafted and some players left off this list may make it on to an NFL roster via undrafted free agency.

One thing to note from this is the inevitable comparison of Missouri's (and Texas A&M's) positions within their old and new conferences. Missouri falls about in the middle of the pack, which I feel comfortable saying was our expected position. The top of the Big 12ish is populated with the expected members minus a down Texas team and plus an upstart Baylor. Texas can expect to resume their position near the top in the coming years.

Despite the jokes about Texas A&M being the universe's hotbed of football talent, they do rank high this year and would be tied for 3rd even in the SEC.

A final note would be that every team in the SEC has invitees to the Combine this year, while two from the Big 12ish send zero and future FCS team kansas has but one.

If it pleases the court, when the NFL Draft happens, I plan on to revisit these numbers and perhaps take a closer look at player prospects and conference comparisons.