Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor, June 21, 2016
Ohio State and Michigan State have been among the top college football programs in the nation over the past couple of years.
In fact, the Buckeyes and Spartans have combined to go 74-9 over the past three seasons, with each school making an appearance in the College Football Playoff, and the Buckeyes winning the inaugural playoff in 2014.
NFL.com College Football 24/7 writer Chase Goodbread is the latest to recognize the job both Meyer and Dantonio have done at their respective schools, which includes developing a lot of NFL talent.
Goodbread recently made up a list of the top 16 college football coaches who are best at developing NFL talent. Meyer comes in at No. 2 on the list, while Dantonio is listed at No. 4 overall. They are the only Big Ten coaches to appear on the list.
"Ohio State has put plenty of players in the NFL draft since Meyer took over the program, but nothing like this year, when the Buckeyes led the nation with a dozen players getting the call," Goodbread says. "That class set an NFL record with 12 selections in the first four rounds. Five of those selections went in Round 1. Meyer has coached four OSU draft classes totaling 26 players. Go back to Meyer's Florida days, and you'll find the likes of Joe Haden, Percy Harvin, and Pouncey twins Mike and Maurkice."
Goodbread had the following to say about Dantonio and the outstanding job he has done at placing Spartans in the NFL.
"The Spartans' coach hasn't piled up the same number of draft picks as some others listed here, but few would argue that he doesn't get the most out of his players. His recruiting classes have ranked no higher than 18th in the nation over the last five years, yet he's produced 19 draft picks over the same period of time. DB Darqueze Dennard, DB Trae Waynes and OL Jack Conklin give Dantonio an active streak of first-round picks in three consecutive years."
Alabama's Nick Saban is listed at No. 1 in Goodbread's rankings, while Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher is squeezed in between Meyer and Dantonio at No. 3.
Did Goodbread get it right? Tweet me our thoughts, @BTNSean.