I do not profess to be an NFL draftnik but I find the exercise useful, as college talent that plays for and against your school is sized up objectively by people whose jobs depend on it.
Draftees flop (hey to Johnny Manziel) and undrafted players start (hail to Doug Legursky, etc.), but there is a certain validation to a prospect's college career. Of the major sports, NFL teams draft on "upside" like the other major leagues, but I think production matters more.
Marshall was blanked for the second draft in a row, a drought which broke a five-year streak of seeing players such as Vinny Curry and Aaron Dobson go. It's no coincidence the Herd slipped to 3-9 in 2016.
Before that, there was a draft drought from 2008-10. The Thundering Herd's record from 2007-09? 13-22. Before that, the Herd had at least one player selected from 1998-2005, skipping 1999. From 1997-2004, MU was 79-23.
You can "role player" this and "unsung hero" that all you want. But a "Group of 5" school really needs star power.
Much to the dismay of Herd fans, you could form a pretty good All-Herd Opponent Team out of the just-concluded draft. You can't fill all the positions, but you can lay a foundation with these 21 draftees:
Quarterback: Nathan Peterman, Pittsburgh (fifth round, Bills).
He threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Panthers to a 27-0 lead, too much for a Herd comeback.
Wide receiver: Zay Jones, East Carolina (second, Bills); Taywan Taylor, Western Kentucky (third, Titans); Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech (third, Broncos); Trent Taylor, La Tech (fifth, 49ers); DeAngelo Yancey, Purdue (fifth, Packers).
Did you forget ECU's last year in Conference USA was 2013? Then listed as Isaiah Jones, Zay Jones caught nine passes for 123 yards, including a 59-yard gain. Of course, that 59 also was the number of points the Herd scored in perhaps its best game of this decade.
Jones became the NCAA receptions leader with 399, and had 158 catches for 1,746 yards last year. One-five-eight.
Offensive line: Forrest Lamp, WKU (second, Chargers); Dorian Johnson, Pitt (fourth, Cardinals), Adam Bisnowaty, Pitt (sixth, Giants).
The two-time defending champion Hilltoppers have gained 1,746 total yards in three games against the Herd, and it's not all about Brandon Doughty and Mike White.
Fullback: Sam Rogers, Virginia Tech (sixth, Rams). In a Hokie gadget play, the fullback got a carry in the 2013 MU-Hokies game. Gained 3 yards.
Tight end: Jonnu Smith, Florida International (third, Titans). Earned my eternal respect by suiting up and playing a few downs three weeks after being assaulted by boiling water.
Defensive end: Trey Hendrickson, Florida Atlantic (third, Saints); Tarell Basham, Ohio (third, Colts), Ejuan Price, Pitt (seventh, Rams).
Price had two sacks against the Herd last year and Hendrickson had 1.5 but overall, they earned their money against other opponents.
Defensive tackle: Larry Ogunjobi, Charlotte (third, Browns).
If you watched him help the 49ers hold Marshall to 88 rushing yards, this shouldn't surprise you. Great recruiting evaluation and development by an infant program.
Linebacker: Blair Brown, Ohio (fifth, Jaguars).
Led the Bobcats in tackles in the 2014 MU-OU game, but the Herd crushed them. Wouldn't have guessed this pick, but I didn't follow the 2016 Bobcats.
Safety: Chuck Clark, VT (sixth, Ravens); Xavier Woods, La. Tech (sixth, Cowboys), Josh Harvey-Clemons, Louisville (seventh, Redskins).
That's three Louisiana Tech players from the 2014 C-USA championship game in Huntington. On that note, I reject the notion that the Herd "didn't play anybody" in that 13-1 campaign.
Long snapper: Colina Holba, Louisville (sixth, Steelers).
Marshall didn't face C-USA's other draftee, Texas-El Paso running back Aaron Jones (fifth round, Packers). Good thing, because he might have run for two or three bills over last year's Herd.
I'm not sure how this stacks up for a C-USA team's schedule, but the league did have five third-round picks - more than any league but the Big Ten and the mighty Southeastern Conference.
One thing I'm sure of: Marshall needs to rejoin NFL draft. Sure, the program has a good history of undrafted free agents win roster spots, even ones that played for struggling teams - Legursky suffered through a 3-9 senior year but went on to start in a Super Bowl for the Steelers.
Albert McClellan, of the same era, remains on the Ravens' roster. From the more successful recent Herd teams, Neville Hewitt was fifth in tackles for the Dolphins last year.
But of the six players who either signed contracts or were invited for minicamp tryouts, I'd only put my chips on Clint Van Horn - if he's truly healthy.
When Herd coaches hit the road in May, they need more ammunition to impress recruits. They need what Louisiana Tech, WKU, the two C-USA schools in Florida and even Charlotte have.
The MU program needs to produce NFL draft picks, at least one per year. And here's another rub: Of this senior class, I'm not betting on any of them at this early juncture. The large junior class is more promising.
There isn't a magic solution.
"Just keep developing the players we have," said Herd coach Doc Holliday. "There's probably not another team in the conference that has more guys in the NFL than Marshall has, including some guys that have been in there since I've been here.
"We've got some good young players and some guys who are going to be seniors who are developing and are going to have that opportunity. Just keep recruiting good players and developing them and good things happen for those guys."
If those "good things happen," I bet the team's win-loss record will reflect it.
Contact Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsmock@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @dougsmock and read his blog at http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/dougsmock/.