Baylor Needs More Top-End NFL Talent to Reverse Program's Trajectory

Baylor enters Saturday’s game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as a heavy underdog against Auburn, with expectations shaped by Dave Aranda’s seat and Auburn’s new quarterback duo Alex Golesh and Byrum Brown. Brown said Baylor’s defense should be handled by smart decision-making and letting playmakers make plays. The bigger issue, according to the piece, is Baylor’s decade-long shortage of high-end NFL talent. After six first-round selections from 2009 to 2016, the program has had no first-round picks since 2016, when Corey Coleman went No. 15. Over the past 10 drafts, Baylor has produced only five Day 1/2 picks, and few have stuck in the league beyond players like Jalen Pitre.