On NFL draft day, college football coaches’ roles are mostly ceremonial. Smile, applaud and send your players off into the world like a proud parent on the first day of school.
However, on a deeper level, the draft is a good barometer of where your program is and where it’s going. A bevy of picks can be a double-edged sword—on the one hand, it can attract recruits; on the other, it can start fans wondering why your trophy case isn’t fuller.
