With the 2015 NFL Draft safely in the books, we decided to take a look at the "Power Five" conferences and see how each did in the draft. Here is the Big Ten.
» The Big Ten had 35 players selected this year, fourth-most among the conferences. It's also 15 more than the league had in the 2013 draft.
» Every Big Ten school except Illinois had at least one player selected; that's the second year in a row with zero draftees for the Illini. Ohio State had the most, with five draftees.
» There were three first-rounders, fourth-most among the conferences.
» Position of interest: The Big Ten's most popular position was wide receiver, with seven selected. The league also had six running backs and four tight ends selected.
A school-by-school look at the Big Ten in the draft in the 2000s:
Illinois
Players drafted in 2000s: 35
First-round picks: Five (most recent WR A.J. Jenkins and DE Whitney Mercilus in 2012)
The buzz: The Illini again were shut out in the draft, the first time the school has had back-to-back drafts with zero picks since the draft started in 1936.
Indiana
Players drafted in 2000s: 18
First-round picks: None (most recent WR Thomas Lewis in 1994)
The buzz:Tevin Coleman went in the third round to Atlanta; he is the first Hoosiers running back to be drafted since 1997.
Iowa
Players drafted in 2000s: 58
First-round picks: Seven (most recent OL Brandon Scherff this year)
The buzz: Scherff was the third Iowa offensive lineman to go in the first round in the past six drafts.
Maryland
Players drafted in 2000s: 35
First-round picks: Three (most recent WR Darrius Heyward-Bey in 2009)
The buzz: Maryland has had just eight players selected in the past six drafts, and five of those have been selected in the fifth round or later.
Michigan
Players drafted in 2000s: 62
First-round picks: 10 (most recent OT Taylor Lewan in 2014)
The buzz: The Wolverines have had just 18 draft picks overall in the past seven drafts. Michigan had three players selected this year; the school hasn't had more than three in one draft since 2008.
Michigan State
Players drafted in 2000s: 48
First-round picks: Six (most recent CB Trae Waynes this year)
The buzz: The Spartans have had just 12 players go in the first three rounds since 2000. Michigan State has had 16 draftees in the past five drafts, and 12 have gone in the fourth round or later.
Minnesota
Players drafted in 2000s: 26
First-round picks: Two (most recent RB Laurence Maroney in 2006)
The buzz: The Golden Gophers had four players selected this year. That's tied for the most for the school in one draft since 1988.
Nebraska
Players drafted in 2000s: 63
First-round picks: Four (most recent CB Prince Amukamara in 2012)
The buzz: Nebraska has had just six players taken earlier than the third round in the past eight drafts; two came this year, with RB Ameer Abdullah and OLB Randy Gregory.
Northwestern
Players drafted in 2000s: 20
First-round picks: Two (most recent DT Luis Castillo in 2005)
The buzz: Northwestern has had just four players selected in the past five drafts. The Wildcats haven't had a player drafted earlier than the fourth round since Castillo in '05.
Ohio State
Players drafted in 2000s: 97
First-round picks: 19 (most recent CB Bradley Roby and LB Ryan Shazier in 2014)
The buzz: The Buckeyes had two first-rounders in 2009; they have had just three since. That should going to change next year, when the Buckeyes will be loaded with talent.
Penn State
Players drafted in 2000s: 59
First-round picks: 10 (most recent DT Jared Odrick in 2010)
The buzz:Donovan Smith went in the second round to Tampa Bay. He is the first Penn State offensive tackle drafted since Levi Brown went in the first round in 2007.
Purdue
Players drafted in 2000s: 40
First-round picks: Three (most recent DE Ryan Kerrigan in 2012)
The buzz: Purdue had one player drafted this year; the school hasn't had more than two players go in a single draft since 2008.
Rutgers
Players drafted in 2000s: 27
First-round picks: Three (most recent OT Anthony Davis and DB Devin McCourty in 2010)
The buzz: Rutgers had two players drafted this year after having zero draftees last year. The school has had 10 draftees in the past four drafts - - and eight of those were in 2013.
Wisconsin
Players drafted in 2000s: 67
First-round picks: 13 (most recent RB Melvin Gordon this year)
The buzz: With the second-round selection of Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin has had eight offensive linemen selected in the past five drafts. Five of those have gone in the first two rounds.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
