Comparing apples to oranges and drawing conclusions with no real consequences
is one of the great things about being a sports fan. (Look, it's not like the
Bob 'N Weave ever contributed to the end of world hunger.)
But, hey, it's fun to argue about sports — the best players, best stadiums, best
way to communicate with a drunk Eagles fan. Totally harmless stuff.
So with everyone on board that this is all for fun, we present TIME.com's
official, indisputable, undeniable, NFL-draft-inspired list of Top 10 Football
Factories, the colleges that have pumped the best current talent into the NFL.
Of course, the Internet is nothing if not interactive, so feel free to send your comments to the author.
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1. Ohio State
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Top Players: Eddie George, Cris Carter, Orlando Pace, Joey Galloway, Shawn
Springs, Korey Stringer, Rickey Dudley, Terry Glenn, Kent Graham, David Boston,
Antoine Winfield, Dan Wilkinson, Andy Katzenmoyer
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The Skinny: In the '90s, the Buckeyes did more than lose to Michigan. They lost their most talented underclassmen to the riches of the NFL, making those season-ending losses so bitter. Oh, what might have been if top-10 picks Wilkinson, Pace, Glenn and Boston had stayed in school. And now Robert Smith leaves the NFL early.
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2. Florida State
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Top Players: Derrick Brooks, Deion Sanders, Warrick Dunn, Peter Warrick, Marvin
Jones, Sebastian Janikowski, Brad Johnson, Peter Boulware, Walter Jones, Samari
Rolle, Andre Wadsworth, Tra Thomas
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The Skinny: The Seminoles are represented by a solid NFL player at virtually every position. No wonder FSU has finished its season in the AP's top five for a mind-boggling 14 straight seasons.
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3. Miami
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Top Players: Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Edgerrin James, Jesse Armstead, Duane Starks,
Cortez Kennedy, Vinny Testaverde, Micheal Barrow, Kenny Holmes,
Kenard Lang, Tremain Mack
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The Skinny: And you thought the O.J. trial produced some high-profile defenders: Lewis, Sapp and Armstead were all Pro Bowl starters on defense last season. James is merely one of the NFL's most productive offensive players, having led the league in yards from scrimmage in 2000.
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4. Michigan
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Top Players: Charles Woodson, Brian Griese, Amani Toomer, Tyrone Wheatley, Derrick
Alexander, Elvis Grbac, Jim Harbaugh, Tim Biakabutuka, Desmond Howard, Ty Law,
Tony McGee, Jay Riemersma, Jon Runyon
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The Skinny: Before the Wolverines' national championship season of 1998, Michigan wouldn't
have ranked as high on this list. But Woodson and Griese, leaders of that squad, already are NFL stars, while Wheatley and Toomer have boosted their production in the last couple of seasons.
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5. Florida
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Top Players: Emmitt Smith, Fred Taylor, Jevon Kearse, Kevin Carter, Ike Hilliard,
Reidel Anthony, Lomas Brown, Mo Collins, Jacquez Green, Errict Rhett
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The Skinny: The Gators have produced plenty of quality pro talent, but it's noteworthy that none of the most visible Florida alumni are quarterbacks.
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6. USC
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Top Players: Keyshawn Johnson, Tony Boselli, Junior Seau, Jason Sehorn, Rob Johnson, Willie McGinest, Johnny Morton
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The Skinny: A deep lineup of quality NFL talent reminds us of the proud tradition of USC football. You remember football in Los Angeles, don't you?
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7. Notre Dame
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Top Players: Tim Brown, Bryant Young, Jerome Bettis, Steve Beuerlein, Rocket Ismail, Bobby Taylor, Ricky Watters, John Carney, Derrick Mayes
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The Skinny: Evidence of the Fighting Irish's inability to hang with the Florida schools atop the rankings can be found in the fact that Notre Dame's best alumni in the pros are veterans.
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8. Penn State
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Top Players: Kerry Collins, O. J. McDuffie, Bobby Engram, Courtney Brown, LaVar
Arrington, Richie Anderson, Kyle Brady, Curtis Enis, Steve Wiesniewski
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The Skinny: No All-Pros here, but some good veterans mixed with Brown and Arrington,
who went 1-2 in the 2000 draft.
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9. Syracuse
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Top Players: Donovan McNabb, Marvin Harrison, Donovin Darius, Qadry Ismail, Rob Moore, Rob Burnett, Olindo Mare, Gary Anderson, Kevin Johnson
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The Skinny: It's not surprising that the top talent among Orangemen alumni comes out of the group that won a series of Big East championships in the late '90s.
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10. Washington
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Top Players: Mark Brunell, Corey Dillon, Chris Chandler, Lincoln Kennedy, Mark Bruener, Brock Huard
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The Skinny: The second Pac-10 team on the list, the Huskies have sent Brunell, Dillon, Chandler and Kennedy to the Pro Bowl. Washington gets the nod over Tennessee (Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis), Georgia (Terrell Davis, Mo Lewis, Champ Bailey) and Virginia (Aaron Brooks, Germane Crowell, Tiki Barber) for the final spot.
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