Every year at the NFL Draft and throughout the football season, college players boast about the strength of their position groups, while programs tout their success getting players drafted in order to help with recruiting. But which teams really deserve the bragging rights when it comes to developing players and preparing them for success in the league?
Welcome to our Position U series, where CBS Sports examines where NFL talent has come from over the last decade (2006-15).
It’s not simply getting players into the league that matters, though. How do those players perform once they're receiving big paychecks and playing in the NFL?
Our methodology places significant value on NFL starts (1 point per) because a pipeline of starters by position is the very definition of 'Position U.' Bonus points are provided for Pro Bowls nods at their main position (2 points per appearance), draft selections (2 points per) and first-round picks (3 points per). Many of the players who counted for this exercise were drafted before 2006. The point is to evaluate where all NFL players came from who played in the league between 2006-15.
In reality, the players themselves make their own way into the NFL on an individual basis. But along the way, they get help through coaching, training and exposure from their college.
We continue with the guys that get some of the most attention, the wide receivers.
More Position U: Defensive Line | Tight End | Offensive Line | Running Back
5. Michigan: The school that produced college legends Anthony Carter and Desmond Howard is hanging around in the top five of Wide Receiver U. Michigan hasn’t had NFL star receivers in the past decade. Instead, there have been a lot of longtime contributors like Braylon Edwards, Steve Breaston, Mario Manningham and Jason Avant. Devin Funchess could follow in that pattern after a solid rookie season in 2015 with the Panthers.
| Michigan Wide Receivers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 264 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 280 |
4. Florida: As great as the offenses of Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier (and recruiting of Ron Zook) were in Gainesville, one consistent knock was that they didn’t create NFL star receivers. But the Gators did send a bunch of wideouts to the league who regularly played in the past decade: Riley Cooper, David Nelson, Louis Murphy, Percy Harvin, Andre Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney, Reche Caldwell and Darrell Jackson.
| Florida Wide Receivers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 291 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 308 |
3. Ohio State: Sure, Santonio Holmes sticks out for Buckeyes' wide receivers in the past decade, especially given his last-second touchdown to win the Super Bowl. In reality, there aren’t many stars in this group, just a fairly consistent pipeline of receivers who played in the NFL: Michael Jenkins, Ted Ginn Jr., Brian Hartline, Brian Robiskie, Drew Carter and Anthony Gonzalez.
| Ohio State Wide Receivers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 398 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 425 |
2. LSU: The Tigers have the most NFL draft picks at wide receiver over the past decade (12) and are tied with Ohio State for the most first-rounders (three). Impressively, LSU’s four Pro Bowl appearances since 2006 come from three different players: Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and Dwayne Bowe. Like Beckham Jr. and Landry, Rueben Randle and Brandon LaFell are still NFL contributors. Check back in a couple years, and it’s very possible LSU will be the new Wide Receiver U.
| LSU Wide Receivers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 404 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 445 |
1. Miami: The U is still Wide Receiver U, too. (You'll remember, they've also been named Tight End U and Running Back U.) Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Santana Moss and Devin Hester are some of the Miami receivers to have a major impact in the NFL over the past decade. The Hurricanes have both the most NFL starts and Pro Bowl appearances by receivers over the past decade. But Miami has only five draft picks at receiver since 2006 -- the same amount as schools such as Clemson, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Arkansas. Miami’s grip on Wide Receiver U is loosening and will be gone any year now.
| Miami Wide Receivers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 488 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 525 |
| Running Back U Comparison | |||||
| Team | NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 1. Miami | 488 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 525 |
| 2. LSU | 404 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 445 |
| 3. Ohio State | 398 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 425 |
| 4. Florida | 291 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 308 |
| 5. Michigan | 264 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 280 |
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