College programs often brag about how many players they send to the NFL as a recruiting tool, and it's quite a big deal. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I believe Alabama has sent 4,439 players to the NFL in the last two seasons alone, making it attractive to football players with champagne wishes and NFL dreams.
But how do schools rank when it comes to jersey sales of their former players in the NFL?
Dick's Sporting Goods released the rankings of schools based on NFL jersey sales in its stores, and the top 10 contains quite a few surprises.
While it isn't a shock to see three SEC teams in the top 10, I was somewhat surprised that Alabama wasn't among them given the number of former Crimson Tide players in the league. And while seeing Florida at No. 1 isn't mind-blowing, the players that got the Gators there kind of are.
Maurkice Pouncey and Joe Haden? An offensive lineman and a cornerback? Those aren't your typical jersey-selling positions, though Haden is extremely popular in Ohio.
I have to say the biggest surprises on the list, though, are Boston College and California. I completely understand how they got there given the players whose jerseys are selling, but when you think of top 10 college football rankings, you aren't often thinking of BC and Cal.
It's also good to see Pitt crack the top 10, as Panthers fans could use some good news right now given the latest news about James Conner.
