Maryland is really good at producing professional athletes

While Maryland may not be thought of as a powerhouse athletics program, it does one thing better than almost every other program in the country.

According to a recent study by ESPN, Maryland is the second-best school at producing professional draft talent, trailing only North Carolina. ESPN Stats & Info developed the ranking the past 10 draft classes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WNBA, MLL and NFP (softball), and weighted each league so that the size of the draft is taken into account to create the “Ultimate Draft Rank.”

Maryland came in at No. 2, in between North Carolina and Duke, despite being just one of two teams in the top 25 without football or men’s basketball as a major draft-producing sport. The ranking rewards success in multiple sports—Alabama didn’t even make the top 25—and the Terps’ success in men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer and women’s basketball propelled them to the top of the list.

Maryland has had 40 players selected in the MLL draft the past decade, and an NCAA-high 36 selections since current head coach John Tillman was hired in 2011. Five more were selected this past year, and the league’s all-star game featured 13 Maryland alumni. Over at Ludwig Field, Sasho Cirovski has had 22 MLS Draft picks over the last decade and 41 since the league debuted in 1996. Women’s basketball head coach Brenda Frese has had similar success in developing pros. The Terps’ 10 WNBA draft picks since 2009 trail only UConn, Tennessee and Duke.

Maryland has some great programs, even if they aren’t in the national spotlight. If football continues to improve under DJ Durkin and men’s basketball gets back on track under Mark Turgeon, Maryland could find itself at the top of this list in a few years.

In other news

Our quest to find the all-time Maryland men’s basketball team started yesterday. Steve Blake has the early lead at point guard. (If you haven’t voted, you have until the end of the week.)

Offensive Line Week continues with a look at Derwin Gray and the rest of the left tackle depth chart.

If you’ve been waiting years to see the Maryland-Navy basketball rivalry renewed, you now know exactly when it will resume. Mark your calendars for Nov. 9.

Maryland graduate Ryan Richman has progressed from women’s basketball practice player to Washington Wizards assistant coach. Here’s The Baltimore Sun’s Jonas Shaffer on his climb up the basketball coaching ladder.

The NBA Summer League starts this week, and former Maryland guard Melo Trimble will be suiting up for the Chicago Bulls.

Happy Fourth of July!