ACC faces down year in NFL draft

The NFL draft is the ACC's favorite event on the football calendar.

The ACC hasn't competed with the Southeastern Conference since 2000 in terms of national titles or Heisman winners, but it can go toe to toe with the nation's best football conference on draft day.

Since becoming a 12-team league in 2005, the ACC has produced the most first-round draft picks (30) of any conference, and it ranks second in overall draft picks (148) to the SEC (149).

The four-year draft stretch, starting in April 2006, has seen the ACC produce a record first-round crop, 12 in 2006, and 12 total top-10 picks.

The draft success is both a win for the ACC and a red flag. With all that talent, why isn't the conference better on the field? Quality of coaching and the position of the players (heavy on defense and linemen and light on skill positions) mostly explains the disconnect.

The problem for the ACC is its No. 1 talking point in conference matters looks like it's going to take a hit in 2010. At best, the ACC is going to have four first-round picks, which would be a post-expansion low, and unless Oakland owner Al Davis falls in love with another Maryland underwear gymnastics hero (tackle Bruce Campbell, who would follow the Raiders' top pick last year, receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey), there isn't likely to be a top-10 pick in the group.

Meanwhile, the SEC has seven potential first-rounders and 21 players ranked in ESPN's Todd McShay's top 100, compared with 10 for the ACC.

Plus, an SEC school, Florida, figures to dominate the draft storylines in terms of both volume, with maybe a dozen total draft picks, and melodrama (How far will legend/quarterback Tim Tebow fall?).

It's not all bad news for the ACC. The four potential first-round picks -- Campbell, Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, Clemson running back C.J. Spiller and Georgia Tech receiver Demaryius Thomas - would still be more first-rounders than the ACC had from 2002 to 2004.

Meanwhile, fans of the Big Four in this state can take the first round off. A year after producing Wake Forest's Aaron Curry (fourth overall) and UNC's Hakeem Nicks (29th), the first player from around here to have his name called will likely be UNC defensive tackle Cam Thomas, who's projected to go in the second round.

Coaches like bowls: It's not a total surprise that coaches favor the bowl system - job security, extra practices, chance to end the season on a win are all valid reasons to do so - but the support for the bowl system among coaches is staggering.

According to a survey by the American Football Coaches Association, 93 percent of the major Division I coaches prefer the traditional bowl system over a playoff.

Out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches, all but three responded to the AFCA survey, which was released on Thursday. That means 109 of the 117 coaches prefer the bowl system.

Even more astounding, 85 percent are in favor of the current BCS selection process.

We're still four years away from the BCS television contract expiring, which would be the first logical negotiating point for a change in the postseason, but those survey numbers certainly don't suggest we'll be seeing a playoff at any point this decade.

Meyer defends Tebow, lets him down: Florida coach Urban Meyer threatened an Orlando Sentinel reporter on Wednesday over comments made by a current Florida receiver about former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow.

Meyer is understandably on edge after watching Tebow, his star pupil, get eviscerated by just about every NFL personnel person, and anyone with Internet access, for poor mechanics. Tebow has also faced doubts about his ability to play in an NFL-style offense.

Perhaps instead of taking out his frustrations on a reporter, Meyer should have given Tebow a chance to showcase his considerable skills in NFL-friendly formations.

It's not like Meyer didn't have the chance. Since Tebow became Florida's starter in 2007, the Gators have played The Citadel, Charleston Southern, Florida International, Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic.

It wouldn't have killed Meyer's precious spread option, or Florida's chances of winning, if Tebow was allowed to take some snaps from under center.