Next in our series of all-college conference rosters is the Pac-12 Conference. Take a look at what the 2017 roster looked like here, Pac-12 NFL Roster 2017. After looking at the pool of players, we decided to go with a 3 wide, single back base offense and a base 4-3 defense.

The Criteria

The criteria is very similar to last year with 3 main differences. The addition of a player on their 5th year extension, the spreading of rookie deals throughout different rounds of each draft, and making sure each college in the conference is represented.

The roster must be under the current salary cap of $177.2M

We use an even spread of rookie deals roughly based on league averages: 8 from 2017, 6 from 2016, 5 from 2015, and 1 player from the first round of the 2014 draft that is on their 5th year extension (where applicable)

These rookie deals will also be spread throughout different rounds of that years draft, to better simulate an actual roster

We will include one rookie from each round of the draft (were applicable)

Each college in the conference will be represented

We will have a well rounded roster that includes role players and special team

The Offense

Quarterbacks

QBs Aaron Rodgers Sam Darnold GB NYJ $20.9M $5.5M California USC

With all due respect to Andrew Luck and Alex Smith, there is only one choice for the starting QB of the All-Pac-12 team, Aaron Rodgers. His $20.9M cap hit is also only middle of the pack when it comes to veteran QBs. Though that cap number will greatly increase over the next few years after signing a 4 year $134M extension this August. Backing him up is our 1st round pick of the roster, out of USC, Sam Darnold. Darnold would get an opportunity to sit for a few years behind Rodgers (like he did with Favre).

2 roster spots filled, 51 left

$26.4M Spent | $150.8M Left

Running Backs

RBs Marshawn Lynch Ty Montgomery Phillip Lindsay OAK BAL DEN $4.453M $880K $485K California Stanford Colorado Royce Freeman DEN $729K Oregon

We start the running backs out with Beast Mode. It came down to him and Christian McCaffrey, but we decided to use our 1st round pick in 2017 elsewhere. Playing the role of receiving/3rd down back will be the Packers’ Ty Montgomery. Then we get to the future of this position. Royce Freeman, our 3rd round pick of this roster, was taken by the Broncos with the expectation of taking over the lead back role, insert UDFA from Colorado, Phillip Lindsay. Lindsay impressed enough to earn the bulk of the carries and has continued to impress throughout the season. He currently sits 6th in rushing yards as of week 8 (just one spot ahead of #2 overall pick Saquon Barkley) and his 5.7 yards per carry is best among backs with at least 90 carries. Lindsay would be the change of pace for Lynch and serve as the future of the position. This makes Freeman more of a depth add and special teams contributor. However going forward after this season, Lynch and Montgomery would be dropped and Lindsay and Freeman moved up along with our 2019 2nd round pick (see Mock Draft below).

4 roster spots filled, 47 left

$6.547M Spent | $144.253M Left

Wide Receivers

WRs Keenan Allen Brandin Cooks Juju Smith-Schuster LAC LAR PIT $9.65M $5.4M $954K California Oregon State USC Nelson Agholor De'Anthony Thomas Maurice Harris PHI KC WAS $2.984M $720K $630K USC Oregon California Matthew Slater NE $2.025M UCLA

Wide receiver was one of the hardest positions to chose from, as there are a lot of quality receivers from the Pac-12. At the top, we decided to go with the Chargers top receiving threat, Keenan Allen. Starting opposite him will be our 2014 1st round pick from Oregon State, Brandin Cooks. Moving into the slot in this 3 wide offense is the Steelers’ Juju Smith-Schuster. Providing depth and playing the other slot in 4 wide sets is former Trojan, Nelson Agholor. Playing the role of returner and coming in as the occasional deep threat is former Oregon Duck De’Anthony Thomas. Then we have the Redskins’ Maurice Harris, who will provide depth to the outside and contribute on special teams. Finally we end the WR corps with the best special teamer in the league, the Patriots’ Matthew Slater.

7 roster spots filled, 40 left

$22.363M Spent | $121.89M Left

Tight Ends

TEs Zach Ertz Marcedes Lewis Will Dissly PHI GB SEA $4.938M $2.1M $643K Stanford UCLA Washington Xavier Grimble PIT $630K USC

The #1 tight end spot came down to 2 players, and to save over $6.5M of cap space, we chose to go with the Eagles’ Zach Ertz over Gronk. Filling the #2 TE spot and providing a veteran presence to the offense is former Bruin Marcedes Lewis. Backing them up is our 4th round pick of the roster, Seattle’s Will Dissly. We round out the tight ends with the Steelers’ Xavier Grimble.

4 roster spots filled, 36 left

$8.311M Spent | $113.579M Left

Offensive Line

OL T David Bakhtiari T Mitchell Schwartz G David DeCastro GB KC PIT $11.075M $7.7M $5.688M Colorado California Stanford G Shawn Lauvao C Max Unger T Conor McDermott WAS NO BUF $2.391M $8M $555K Arizona State Oregon UCLA G Joe Dahl C Isaac Seumalo DET PHI $691K $855K Washington State Oregon State

Just like with the TEs, we had 2 top choices for the starting left tackle, the Cowboys Tyron Smith and the Packers’ David Bakhtiari. I couldn’t justify Smith’s over $17M cap number and Bakhtiari is having a great season, currently sitting as PFF’s top graded OT as of week 8. Starting at the other bookend is one of the best right tackles in the league, the Chiefs’ Mitchell Schwartz. Pairing up with Schwartz on the right side is the Steelers’ David DeCastro. This offseason DeCastro restructured his deal to free up $5.092M in cap space this season, allowing us to build this stacked o-line. Starting at the other guard is our weakest point of the offensive line, the Redskins’ Shawn Lauvao. While Lauvao is not as talented as the others on this line, he does provide veteran experience for a small price tag. Lastly, we move to center with the Saints’ Max Unger. Unger just edged out the Falcons’ Alex Mack for the starting spot, mainly for being about $3M cheaper for similar production. Backing up the tackles is our 6th round pick from 2017 out of UCLA, Conor McDermott. Backing up the interior, we have our only Washington State alum of the roster, Joe Dahl, and the Eagles’ Isaac Seumalo.

8 roster spots filled, 28 left

$36.955M Spent | $76.624M Left

Offensive Spending Breakdown

The offense accounted for 57% of the total team salary. The offense has a fairly even spread of wealth, with QB/RB, WR/TE, & OL each taking up about 1/3 of the overall offensive budget.

The Defense

Defensive Line

DL Cameron Jordan Lawrence Guy Solomon Thomas NO NE SF $14.497M $3.667M $6.399M California Arizona State Stanford Leonard Williams Haloti Ngata Dion Jordan NYJ PHI SEA $5.928M $2.725M $1.907M USC Oregon Oregon Tyson Alualu Josh Mauro PIT NYG $3.625M $572K California Stanford

We managed to find a lot of good veteran talent for a relatively small price tag, but we’ll start with our one big ticket item, the Saints’ Cameron Jordan. Starting at the other end will be our 1st round pick from 2017 out of Stanford, Solomon Thomas. Moving to the inside, we have the Patriots’ Lawrence Guy and the Jets’ Leonard Williams. Both would be best suited in a 3 technique role in this 4-3 front, so we could end up utilizing one as more of a 2i than a traditional 1 technique. We could also run a fair amount of double eagle, moving both DTs to a 3 technique and rely on this very athletic linebacking corp to not get chased down by the freed up center. When we do need that big body in the middle, we will bring in Eagles veteran Haloti Ngata. Ngata would play a great rotational compliment for this starting d-line. Coming in as a situational pass rusher will be the Seahawks’ Dion Jordan. A former 1st round pick in 2013, Jordan has done well trying to resurrect his career as a situational player in Seattle. We round out the defensive line with the Steelers’ Tyson Alualu and the Giants’ Josh Mauro.

8 roster spots filled, 20 left

$39.32M Spent | $37.304M Left

Linebackers

LBs Eric Kendricks Blake Martinez Myles Jack MIN GB JAX $3.741M $726K $1.728M UCLA Stanford UCLA Mason Foster Jayon Brown Devante Downs WAS TEN MIN $1.406M $623K $504K Washington UCLA California Peter Kalambayi HOU $510K Stanford

We have a young, athletic group of linebackers from the Pac-12. We start with out Will backer, 2nd round pick from 2015 out of UCLA, Eric Kendricks. Moving to the middle, we have current Packers’ Mike backer, Blake Martinez. We then move to our strong-side, Sam backer, 2016 2nd round pick out of UCLA, Myle Jack. Backing them up, we’ve got Redskins veteran Mason Foster and 2017 5th round pick Jayon Brown. We round out the linebackers with our 6th and 7th round picks, the Vikings’ Devante Downs and the Texans’ Peter Kalambayi. Both of which will make significant contributions on special teams.

7 roster spots filled, 13 left

$9.238M Spent | $28.066M Left

Cornerbacks

CBs Marcus Peters Ken Crawley Terrance Mitchell LAR NO CLE $1.742M $632K $2.667M Washington Colorado Oregon Isaiah Oliver Fabian Moreau ATL WAS $843K $794K Colorado UCLA

Our top 2 corners are a pair of starters still on their rookie deals, the Rams’ Marcus Peters and the Saints’ Ken Crawley. Filling the nickel role is the Browns’ Terrance Oliver. Providing primary depth on the outside is our 2nd round pick out of Colorado, Isaiah Oliver. We finish out the corners with the Redskins’ Fabian Moreau. Moreau has the ability to step into either an outside or nickel role and can also make plays on special teams.

5 roster spots filled, 8 left

$6.678M Spent | $21.388M Left

Safeties

Ss Eric Weddle Budda Baker Will Parks BAL ARI DEN $8.25M $1.552M $655K Utah Washington Arizona Dane Cruikshank Tedric Thompson TEN SEA $552K $723K Arizona Colorado

Starting at free safety is our only Ute of the roster, the Ravens’ Eric Weddle. Weddle will provide leadership over this young secondary. Starting a strong safety is our last Huskie of the roster, Budda Baker. Backing up Baker is the Broncos’ 6th round pick from 2016 out of Arizona, Will Parks. Backing up the free safety position, and contributing on special teams, will be the Seahawks’ 4th round pick from 2017 out of Colorado, Tedric Thompson, and our 5th round rookie out of Arizona, Dane Cruikshank.

5 roster spots filled, 3 left

$11.732M Spent | $9.656M Left

Defensive Spending Breakdown

The defense accounted for only 37.9% of the overall team budget. Of that, the defensive line took the majority of the money, accounting for 58.7% of the money spent on defense. Pass rusher Cameron Jordan is a big reason for that; his $14.497M accounts for 21.6% of the total money spent on the defense.

Specialists and Head Coach

ST and HC K Mason Crosby P Johnny Hekker LS Nick Sundberg GB LAR WAS $5.25M $2.679M $1.068M Colorado Oregon State California Head Coach Ron Rivera California

We had 2 choices for kicker on this All-Pac-12 roster. We chose the Packers’ veteran Mason Crosby over the Texans’ Ka’imi Fairbairn, even though he has the highest price tag out of all the kickers. We had 3 options at punter, but it was an obvious choice to go with the 4x 1st team All-Pro from the Rams, Johnny Hekker. Firing it back to Hekker is the Redskins’ Nick Sundberg

Former Cal All-American linebacker Ron Rivera will handle head coaching duties for this All-Pac-12 team.

3 roster spots filled, 0 left

$8.997M Spent | $659K Left

The Starting 22

Due to the Pac-12 headquarters location, I’ve named this team the San Francisco Sharks.

Offense QB Aaron Rodgers RB Marshawn Lynch Z Keenan Allen X Brandin Cooks Slot Juju Smith-Schuster TE Zach Ertz LT David Bakhtiari LG Shawn Lauvao C Max Unger RG David DeCastro RT Mitchell Schwartz

Defense DE Solomon Thomas DT Leonard Williams DT Lawrence Guy DE Cameron Jordan Sam Myles Jack Mike Blake Martinez Will Eric Kendricks CB Marcus Peters CB Ken Crawley SS Budda Baker FS Eric Weddle

2019 Draft

New for this year, we are including a mock draft for each team for the 2019 NFL Draft. Each player is within a round of where we have them projected as of the time of this post.