Almost an Inverse Relationship Of NFL Pros to Quality of Team

Guess the Boise State team with the most future NFL players on it.

It won't be one of the better Bronco teams; in fact, it was one of the worst of the decade.  The 2007 team had eight future NFL players but lost three games (Washington, Hawai'i, East Carolina).  So much for NFL talent being able to win college games.  Another top year for NFL talent was 2005, when seven Broncos would go on to make NFL rosters.  And yet that team was creamed by Georgia, lost to Fresno State and lost to Boston College.  The Broncos suffered bad years in the mid-80's and yet consistently had rosters with at least four NFL players.  In 1984, Boise State had seven players that would go on to be part of NFL rosters and yet were 6-5.

Then you look at some of Boise State's best teams and see few NFL players.  In 1980, when the Broncos won the I-AA National Championship, three players went on to play for NFL teams; several others got looks and several played in the Canadian Football League but just three in the NFL.  In 1990, Boise State made the I-AA semifinals but had just one NFL player (Frank Robinson) on the roster.  In 1994, the Broncos finished second in the nation but had just two future NFL players.

There have only been two years since Boise State became a four-year school in 1968 in which the Broncos did not have a future NFL player on the roster--1969 and 1987.

1968:  Faddie Tillman
1970:  Al Marshall, Faddie Tillman
1971:  Al Marshall
1972:  Al Marshall, Rolly Woolsey
1973:  Rolly Woolsey
1974:  Alva Liles, Rolly Woolsey
1975:  Alva Liles, Larry Polowski
1976:  Alva Liles, Larry Polowski
1977:  David Hughes, Alva Liles, Cedric Minter, Larry Polowski
1978:  David Hughes, Cedric Minter Larry Polowski, Rick Woods
1979:  David Hughes, Cedric Minter, Rick Woods
1980:  David Hughes, Cedric Minter, Rick Woods
1981:  John Rade, Rick Woods, Jon Zogg
1982:  Chuck Butler, Carl Keever, Marcus Koch, John Rade, Donnie Summers, Jon Zogg
1983:  Chuck Butler, Jim Ellis, Carl Keever, Marcus Koch, Lance Sellers, Donnie Summers
1984:  Barry Black, Chuck Compton, Jim Ellis, Jon Francis, Carl Keever, Marcus Koch, Lance Sellers
1985:  Barry Black, Chuck Compton, Jim Ellis, Jon Francis, Marcus Koch, Lance Sellers
1986:  Barry Black, Chuck Compton, Jim Ellis, Lance Sellers
1988:  Frank Robinson
1989:  Frank Robinson
1990:  Frank Robinson
1991:  Frank Robinson
1992:  Rashid Gayle, Kimo Von Oelhoffen
1993:  Rashid Gayle, Kimo Von Oelhoffen
1994:  Rashid Gayle, Chris Wing
1995:  Rashid Gayle, Chris Wing
1996:  Bryan Johnson, Chris Wing
1997:  Shaunard Harts, Bryan Johnson, Bobby Setzer, Dave Stachelski
1998:  Shaunard Harts, Matt Hill, Bryan Johnson, Jeb Putzier, Bobby Setzer, Dave Stachelski
1999:  Brock Forsey, Shaunart Harts, Matt Hill, Bryan Johnson, Quintin Mikell, Jeb Putzier, Dave Stachelski
2000:  Brock Forsey, Shaunard Harts, Matt Hill, Quintin Mikell, Jeb Putzier
2001:  Chris Carr, Brock Forsey, Matt Hill, Quintin Mikell, Jeb Putzier
2002:  Chris Carr, Daryn Colledge, Brock Forsey, Quintin Mikell
2003:  Gerald Alexander,Chris Carr, Daryn Colledge, Korey Hall, Legedu Naanee, Derek Schouman
2004:  Gerald Alexander, Chris Carr, Daryn College, Korey Hall, Derek Schouman
2005:  Gerald Alexander, Ryan Clady, Daryn Colledge, Korey Hall, Legedu Naanee Orlando Scandrick, Derek Schouman
2006:  Gerald Alexander, Ryan Clady, Korey Hall, Legedu Naanee, Orlando Scandrick, Derek Schouman, Kyle Wilson
2007:  Richie Brockel, Ryan Clady, Jeron Johnson, Austin Pettis, Orlando Scandrick, Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Wilson, Titus Young
2008:  Richie Brockel, Jeron Johnson, Austin Pettis, Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Wilson, Titus Young
2009:  Richie Brockel, Jeron Johnson, Austin Pettis, Brandyn Thompson, Winston Venable, Kyle Wilson, Titus Young
2010:  Richie Brockel, Jeron Johnson, Austin Pettis, Brandyn Thompson, Winston Venable, Titus Young