NFL Draft First Round 2020 Sets Up Big 12 and Oklahoma State for NFL Draft First Round 2021

The opening round of the NFL Draft with such a huge audience because of the lack of sports during the COVID-19 pandemic was impressive for the Big 12, but thanks to Oklahoma State the NFL Draft 2021 could be as big or bigger.

STILLWATER -- Thursday night was a good night for the Big 12 Conference as they had five players selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Better yet, those five players were spread over three schools in the conference. After a total of five players selected in the first rounds of the three previous drafts finishing in a tie for second in last night's first ever virtual NFL Draft was a win even though the Southeastern Conference destroyed records for most players picked in the first round with 15, nearly half of the 32 selections in the first round were from the SEC.

What a night! 🤩
The 5️⃣ #Big12FB @NFLDraft picks in Round 1 were the most since 2012. 💪

Get caught up ➡️ https://t.co/wg7gnpUTL5 pic.twitter.com/l6QBygk42a

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) April 24, 2020

Thursday night and the 2020 first round was the most since 2012 when two of the first round picks were Oklahoma State Cowboys in quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon. 

Friday night's second and third rounds were not quite as impressive for the Big 12 as they added seven more selections to bring the total for the first three rounds to 12, tying them with the Pac-12 for third among the Power Five conferences. The SEC climbed to 40, a record number previously for any one conference through four rounds. The Big Ten was alone in second with 17 picks. The ACC was behind with just eight selections.

Next year with the NFL Draft scheduled for Cleveland, Ohio; Oklahoma State could be the biggest reason for another good first round showing by the Big 12. Right now the good news was Thursday night.

"It was a good night for the Big 12, but it was even a better night and more important for those five young men that had their name called," said Big 12 executive associate commissioner Ed Stewart, who oversees football for the league. "That is a dream come true for those young men.It's funny how things go in cycles because three of those players are on the defensive side of the ball." 

Pick	NFL Team	Player	Position	Height/Weight	College
17	Dallas	CeeDee Lamb	WR	6-2/198	Oklahoma
21	Philadelphia	Jalen Reagor	WR	5-11/206	TCU
23	L.A. Chargers	Kenneth Murray	ILB	6-3/241	Oklahoma
27	Seattle	Jordyn Brooks	LB	6-0/240	Texas Tech
31	Minnesota	Jeff Gladney	CB	5-10/191	TCU

Like most administrators in college or pro sports these days, Stewart is being careful how he phrases comments. Nobody wants to throw a comment out there that the media will take it, twist it, and tear into them. Stewart was being politically correct, but after OU quarterback Baker Mayfield was the only first round selection out of the Big 12 in the 2018 NFL Draft and Texas Tech quarterback, and now Super Bowl MVP and champion, Patrick Mahomes was the only first round pick from the Big 12 in the 2017 NFL Draft. The conference needed a better showing. NFL Draft selections by conference are used by the media and used by coaches in other leagues in recruiting. 

There were only three players picked last year in the 2019 NFL Draft as Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray went first to Arizona, one of this top targets Marquise "Hollywood" Brown went to Baltimore with the 25th selection and then later in the first round TCU defensive end L.J. Collier went to Seattle.  

Five and being tied for second in picks by conference with the Big Ten is a good thing. Stewart said he felt there were a number of players that could go in Friday's second and third rounds. The experts agree with him somewhat as we found a consensus of 10 Big 12 draft prospects that have a grade that could result in a second day selection. A.J. Green of Oklahoma State moved up some as there were more corners taken in the first round and that moves him up on the boards teams that have corner as a need and didn't use a pick on the first night for the position. 

Below is a list of second day (2nd/3rd round) prospects from the Big 12

Name	Position	Height/Weight	School
Ross Blacklock	DT	6-3/290	TCU
Denzel Mims	WR	6-3/207	Baylor
Neville Gallimore	DT	6-2/304	Oklahoma
Devin Duvernay	WR	5-11, 200	Texas
Jalen Hurts	QB	6-1/222	Oklahoma
James Lynch	DL	6-4/289	Baylor
Collin Johnson	WR	6-6/220	Texas
Colton McKivitz	OT	6-6/306	West Virginia
A.J. Green	CB	6-2/202	Oklahoma State
Terence Steele	OT	6-6/312	Texas Tech

As for next year, Pokes Report is planning on being in Cleveland, Ohio because Oklahoma State could have a heavy presence in the green room if the draft goes back to it's normal format and recent tradition of having high draft prospects in house for the walk on stage and the hug with the commissioner.

Below are the obvious and a few possible first round picks from Oklahoma State for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Name	Position	Height/Weight	Class (for 2020 season)
Chuba Hubbard	RB	6-0/201	RS-Jr.
Tylan Wallace	WR	6-0/188	Sr.
Teven Jenkins	OT	6-6/321	RS-Sr.
Dylan Galloway	OT	6-5/326	RS-Sr.
Josh Sills	OL	6-6/338	RS-Jr.
Kolby Harvell-Peel	Saf.	6-0/210	Jr.

TCU head coach Gary Patterson and the Horned Frogs have to be disappointed with two first round picks in Thursday's first round that they didn't fare better last season. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy's job with his staff is to have a good feeling about how they did with the talent they could have in next year's draft.