Opening up the Friday mailbag with some reaction to my "best team ever" blog entry.
From Ben in Tampa, Fla.: I understand your outlook on players making it to the next level (comparing best overall college teams) but is first-round draft picks or players making it to the NFL the "best" way to evaluate talent in college? I would be the first to admit that college talent is so different than NFL talent. You were talking about the best teams in college based on numbers of players making it to the next level. Although I understand that argument I believe you are comparing apples to oranges.
Before I get into this, I want to hit on two key points because this apparently got misinterpreted by some folks who read last Friday's blog. This is what I said in regard to people jumping the gun on this 2009 Florida team:
The only college team I've seen that had been touted as "best ever" and actually finished the deal was that 2001 Miami team. That UM group was by far the most stacked team I've ever covered.
Lots of people wrote in asking why I snubbed the 1995 Nebraska team. That Cornhuskers team really didn't generate a true aura until late in the season. For more than half of the year, they were actually ranked No. 2. Truth is, you would be hard-pressed to find a more "dominant" team in recent history than the '95 Huskers; they beat everybody by at least three touchdowns, save for a 35-21 win over Washington State. The crux of last week's blog entry was as much about coping with crazy expectations.
Obviously all of this is subjective when it comes to anything "best ever." Even point-differential is subjective, because teams play different schedules, but I think you could call those Huskers "the most dominant" and back that up by the stats themselves.
"Best ever" is trickier. I think you're right about the apples and oranges to some degree with NFL versus college, but at least there is a barometer of football skill and athleticism involved when it comes to first-rounders and Pro Bowlers. You can be a great player in college and not in the NFL, but can you be a great player in the NFL and not in college? Unlikely. Assuming you're not a raw freshman seated on the bench, I'd say there is a big correlation.
This discussion also doesn't take coaching or system type into account. That Nebraska team was awesome at what they did, which on the offensive side of the ball wasn't much like the pro game. Defensively, I think they were closer to the pro argument. If you're stiff and can't run or change direction, you won't play well in the NFL and probably would be limited in any system.
Ultimately, I tend to use the NFL as a barometer of talent, right or wrong. And that comes from seeing players who were really good in college have their flaws exposed when they make it to the next level.
Today in Bruce's blog: a look at who might do better this year, PSU or ND?; an interview with New York Times reporter Joe Drape about his new book "Our Boys"; some bad news for the Cal Bears; insight into the Georgia versus Florida rivalry and a new stud for the Rice Owls. For all that and more, you must be an ESPN Insider. 
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Bruce Feldman
