Not all draft picks are created equal. In fact, that's the entire point of the thing. Like a staircase, selection is slightly less valuable than the one that came before it.
With this uncontroversial truth established, here's a statement that is slightly controversial but no less true: Anyone who evaluates college performance in the NFL Draft by simply counting draft picks is Doing It Wrong. Carolina will be disappointed if No. 1 pick Bryce Young isn't their cornerstone for the next 10-to-15 seasons; the LA Rams will be thrilled if Desjuan Johnson, the 259th and final pick on Saturday, makes the team. The NFL does not view the two selections equally -- just check out their contract guarantees -- so we shouldn't either.
We began using the Selection Points formula in 2021, and moving forward there's simply no reason to view the draft any other way. Without further ado, is your 2023 NFL Draft Top 25.
Alabama's 10 selections -- two of the top three, and eight of the top 101 -- rank just outside the top 10 of the century.
Not only does the Selection Points formula help us understand the talent distribution in college football today, it also answers historical questions. Here's a talent ranking of every national champion since 2001.