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 the most criticism on the field, the kickers.
More Position U: DL | TE | OL | RB | WR
5. Louisiana Tech: A rare appearance for a Group of Five school in our Position U series. Josh Scobee and Matt Stover combined for 198 NFL starts over the past 10 years. Just how long did Stover play? He was drafted in the 12th round -- back when there were actually 12 rounds to the draft in 1990.
| Louisiana Tech Kickers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 198 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198 |
4. Texas: Phil Dawson and Justin Tucker have each enjoyed lengthy and successful NFL careers from Texas. Both have been to a Pro Bowl. Other than Texas, the only other school that has produced two Pro Bowl kickers in the past decade is Auburn (Cody Parkey and Rob Bironas). Parkey is young so the Tigers didn't have enough NFL starts to crack the top five at Kicker U.
| Texas Kickers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 219 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 223 |
3. Washington State: The Cougars made this list because of two ex-NFL kickers: Rian Lindell (retired in 2013) and Jason Hanson (retired in 2012). All they did was consistently convert kicks for most of the past decade, giving Washington State one of the best one-two kicker combinations.
| Washington State Kickers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 224 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 224 |
2. Florida State: Florida State joins Georgia and Nebraska as the only schools with three NFL kickers in the past decade. Georgia placed sixth in our Kicker U rankings due to fewer NFL starts. The Seminoles’ trio -- Sebastian Janikowski, Graham Gano and Dustin Hopkins -- is the best combination currently going. Once Roberto Aguayo joins the NFL in 2016, look for Florida State to become Kicker U in the near future.
| Florida State Kickers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 264 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 268 |
1. Nebraska: It’s telling that Nebraska hasn’t shown up much in the Position U series. The Cornhuskers haven’t replicated successes of the 1980s, 1990s or early 2000s, which is showing in talent it has sent to the NFL. Kicker, however, is one notable exception. Josh and Kris Brown have enjoyed lengthy NFL careers. Another Nebraska kicker, Alex Henery, spent four years in the NFL. That’s enough for Nebraska to edge Florida State as Kicker U -- for now.
| Nebraska Kickers: Points Breakdown | ||||
| NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 281 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 285 |
| Kicker U Comparison | |||||
| Team | NFL Starts | Pro Bowls | Draft Picks | First-Round Picks | Total Points |
| 1. Nebraska | 281 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 285 |
| 2. Florida State | 264 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 268 |
| 3. Washington State | 224 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 224 |
| 4. Texas | 219 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 223 |
| 5. Louisiana Tech | 198 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198 |
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