I decided I would go back and check the number of players drafted by the NFL for various periods of time and the number of players who, though undrafted, had a professional career, at least appearing in one game in the NFL or CFL:

2000-2004 1 drafted (Zastudil), 5 others with pro career (Brinker, Carberry, Cox, Hawk, Jackson)
2005-2009 2 drafted (Cohen, Mitchell), 10 others with pro career (Abrams, Mayle, Byrum, Muncy, Slyvan, Ream, Wright, Koenig, Senser, Parson)
2010-2014 4 drafted (Price, Brazill, Herman, Carrie), 7 others with pro career (Garrett, Turner, Gatling, McCrae, Blankenship, Foster, Tettleton)
2015-1019 3 drafted (Basham, Brown, Poling), 7 others with pro career (Wells, Sayles, Mangen, Irons, Lowery, Ouellette, WHite)
2020-2024 none drafted, 4 players with pro career (Pleasants, N. Rourke, Tuggle, A. Rogers)

It looks like the talent peaked in the 2008-2014 period, with a shorter peak in 2017-19, but that it has been lower since then than at any time in the last 20 years. It seems likely that the talent that Solich inherited from Knorr was a bit higher than the talent that Albin received from Solich. Solich inherited Abrams, Mayle, Byrum, Muncy, Slyvan, Ream, Wright, Cohen and Koenig (1 draftee, 7 others). In a few years, we'll see how many of the players that Albin inherited end up with a pro career. Kurtis is the one most likely to be drafted, but as for the others, it is hard to know which ones will have pro careers.

Are you calling preseason an NFL career?

I simply used the information in the history area of ohiobobcats.com. I suspect that they probably include people who played only in preseason games, and I know that they include people who played in CFL games. It may come down to players who actually signed contracts. For example, I am pretty sure that TJ Wright never played in a regular season game, but he did sign a contract, and would have made the final squad if he hadn't been injured.

Really, though, since we are comparing eras, not players, what matters is that they did it consistently. It is quite clear that there have been few players from Ohio who have gone on to the NFL since 2019. I separately listed those players drafted, and if you want to look only at those, the picture is the same:
2000-2004 1 (Round 4)
2005-2009 2 (Round 7, 2)
2010-2014 4 (Round 3, 6, 7, 7)
2015-2019 3 (Round 3, 5, 7)
2020-2024 0

Was the 2023 extraordinarily talented? Which players from that team are apt to be drafted in the future. Kurtis is a possible, and is evaluated on a website I looked at as a 7th round pick. No one else on the team was listed a likely draft choice. Yes, some the young players may blossom in NFL players over the next few years, so it's an open question that can only be answered after more time passes.

Recruiting class currently ranked #75 nationally by 24/7. Figuring 68 P5 teams that means essentially a Top 7-8 G5 recruiting class. Always wanted a class rated in the G5 Top 10. Rated 12-15 would be close enough but this is great.

Plus Back-2-Back 10 win seasons going into the new 12 team playoff era.

Anyway you look at it this is pretty good for the program.

I used to think we needed better players. Now I’m beginning to think it is culture in system players. Still, better players always help.

Recruiting really fell off at the end of the Solich Era.
Staff has done a good job capitalizing on 10 win seasons. Better play on the field yield better recruits. And the cycle continues (hopefully!)

Having a true freshman RB that didn't play explode for 5 TDs in a bowl game is the type of thing I've seen from a Michigan State or a Tennessee level program but definitely not out of an average MAC program.

It takes a high level G5 program to pull that off and the Ohio program may be crossing the rubricon to where its not only a good MAC program but a strong program at the G5 level. Similar to a Fresno or App State that is perpetually in the upper third of the conference.

This is still in flux but some notables on 24/7 Ohio is outrecruiting:

Ohio 149.45
Boise State 149.42
Memphis 149.17
Liberty 145.93
Marshall 140.07

Other noteworthy classes in the MAC:

Toledo 165.99
Miami 153.27
Western Mich 148.74

More talent appearing in the MAC. Better SOS moving forward with the Big Ten expanding to 18 teams and more on level football wise with SEC.

If we don't have a better class coming in than Miami and Toledo, and with everything we have lost to graduation and the portal, and with no significant portal signings so far we clearly can't be the favorite for the 2024 MAC next year if we couldn't win the 2023 MAC. That doesn't mean that we can't win it, every team is going to have significant losses, but who could consider us better than Miami and Toledo on paper at this moment?

"I simply used the information in the history area of ohiobobcats.com. I suspect that they probably include people who played only in preseason games, and I know that they include people who played in CFL games. It may come down to players who actually signed contracts. For example, I am pretty sure that TJ Wright never played in a regular season game, but he did sign a contract, and would have made the final squad if he hadn't been injured."


LC didn't K Caesar get some time with the Ravens in preseason last summer? I watched him play on TV one game.

Here is the source I used (at page 46-7):
https://ohiobobcats.com/documents/2023/12/13/2024_FB_Reco...

If they have errors, such as missing players, it wouldn't be the first time. You might email them with a question, and that might get him added to the list.

All this talent over the years/decades and yet the '68 MAC trophy doesn't have a buddy.

The idea the offense had 2 Hooisers, a Gopher, possible Aggie et al. and didn't win it this year is amazing/depressing.

Thanks LC. It could be that K Caesar was not drafted and signed last summer as a free agent.