Arizona near bottom in NFL draft picks among Pac-12 schools

It’s been eight years since the Pac-12 Conference expanded from its previous 10-team iteration, and in that time the Arizona Wildcats have won a division title and appeared in five bowl games. While far from being the most successful team in the league during the Pac-12 era, Arizona is also not near the bottom when it comes to on-field performance.

The same can’t be said for NFL draft pick production.

With the 2019 NFL Draft set to begin Thursday night, Arizona sits 11^th in the league in players drafted since 2012.

NFL Draft Picks in the Pac-12 Era

1. Stanford, 30
UCLA, 30
3. USC, 29
4. Oregon, 22
5. Cal, 21
Washington, 21
7. Utah, 19
8. ASU, 15
9. OSU, 13
10. Colorado, 10
11. Arizona, 9
12. WSU, 8

— SportsPac12 (@SportsPac12) April 22, 2019

The numbers have been even worse for Arizona in recent years, as six of its nine draft picks came from 2012-14. Only three Wildcats have had their names called in the previous four drafts, with safety Dane Cruikshank’s fifth-round selection by the Tennessee Titans last year the only one since 2017.

It’s unlikely any Arizona players will get drafted over the next three days. Mock drafts and draft big boards, such as this one from Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, are devoid of Wildcats.

Wide receiver Shawn Poindexter, who tied the single-season school record with 11 touchdown catches last fall, is Arizona’s best shot at getting drafted. If he does he’d be the first Wildcat offensive player taken since Ka’Deem Carey went in the fourth round of the 2014 draft to the Chicago Bears.

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