Pac-12 posts an impressive haul in the NFL draft before the conference breaks up

The final season of the Pac-12 turned out to be as big a hit in the NFL draft as it was on the field.

The conference that is breaking up with 10 schools joining new leagues next season produced a record haul over the draft weekend led by No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams of Southern California.

The Pac-12 produced six of the top 15 players and eight overall first-rounders, trailing only the 11 from the SEC. It was the best total for the Pac-12 since it had nine first-rounders in 2015.

The conference had 43 total players drafted after failing to get more than 28 in the previous three drafts, setting a record for the conference in the seven-round era that started in 1994. The previous high was 39 Pac-12 players picked in 2015. Washington, which was the first Pac-12 team to make the playoff since the 2018 season, led the way with 10.

The Pac-12 had the second most players taken overall, trailing only the 59 for the SEC — which was the lowest total for that conference since the 2018 draft when 53 players were taken.

But it's a far different story when looked at through the lens of 2024 conference affiliations with Pac-12 holdovers Oregon State and Washington State each having three players taken. The rest get divvied up to other major conferences, along with the moves of Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12 to the SEC.

The SEC still leads the way thanks to boosts from its newcomers with 73 picks, followed by the Big Ten with 69 thanks to the 27 draftees from Washington, Oregon, UCLA and USC.

In all, 55.3% of players drafted over the weekend finished their college careers at schools that will play in the SEC and Big Ten next season.

The top five individual schools were the top five teams in the final College Football Playoff rankings with national champion Michigan leading the way with 13 — the fourth most for any school in the seven-round era.

Texas was next with 11 after making it to the semifinals, with national runner-up Washington and semifinalist Alabama at 10. Florida State, which finished fifth in the final CFP rankings, also had 10 draftees.

There were 11 teams that played in the Power Five last season that had no players who finished their college careers at the school drafted over the weekend.

Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech of the ACC; Indiana, Nebraska and Northwestern of the Big Ten; Arizona State and Colorado of the Pac-12; Baylor and Oklahoma State of the Big 12; and Vanderbilt of the SEC had no players picked.

This draft marked the end of the Power Five era that began with the dissolution of Big East football following the 2012 season. In the 11 drafts in that era, the SEC dominated the first round with 116 players picked — nearly doubling the total of 63 from the second-place Big Ten. The ACC had 56, the Pac-12 had 50 and the Big 12 had 26.

Alabama led the way individually with 33 players drafted in the first round during that span, followed by Ohio State with 24, Georgia with 19, Clemson with 16 and LSU with 15.

LSU and Washington both had quarterbacks and receivers from their high-powered offenses go in the top 10 of the draft.

LSU's Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels went second to Washington and his star receiver Malik Nabers went four spots later to the New York Giants. Washington quarterback Michael Penix and receiver Rome Odunze then went off the board at No. 8 and 9 to Atlanta and Chicago, respectively.

This was the first time in the common draft era than any school had a quarterback and receiver go in the top 10 of the same draft.

The Tigers also had another receiver, Brian Thomas Jr., go off the board at No. 23 to Jacksonville, marking the fourth time since 1967 that a college had a QB and two receivers taken in the first round of the same draft. Alabama did it in back-to-back years in 2020 and '21, and LSU did it previously in 2007.

The Bears ended up with both Odunze and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, becoming the fourth team in the common draft era to take a QB and receiver in the same first round and the first to do it with two picks in the top 20.

The other teams were the 2010 Broncos (Demaryius Thomas 22nd and Tim Tebow 25th), the 2004 Bills (Lee Evans 13th and J.P. Losman 22ns) and the 1968 Lions (Greg Landry 11the and Earl McCullouch 24th).

The Falcons made a surprising choice to draft Penix less than two months after handing a four-year, $180 million contract to Kirk Cousins in free agency.

The pick follows selections made by general manager Terry Fontenot of tight end Kyle Pitts with the fourth pick in 2021, receiver Drake London eighth in 2022 and running back Bijan Robinson eighth last season.

Atlanta was the first team in the common draft era to take an offensive skill position player in the top 10 in four straight drafts.

The importance of the passing game was evident by the six QBs that went off the board in the first 12 picks as teams recognize the need for an elite passer.

They also stressed the importance of protecting them with nine offensive linemen being taken in the first round for just the fourth time since at least 1967. The only year with more in the common draft era came in 1968 when 10 offensive linemen were taken.

The eight tackles selected in the first round led by No. 5 pick Joe Alt to the Chargers tied a record set in 2008 and there were 55 offensive linemen taken overall, edging out defensive backs (54) for the most players taken at any position.

Wide receivers and defensive linemen were next with 35, followed by linebackers with 31, including several edge rushers designated at the position.

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Los Angeles Chargers draft pick Joe Alt is introduced at the Chargers Media Center at Hoag Performance Center on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Costa Mesa, Calif. The Los Angeles Chargers opened the Jim Harbaugh era by taking Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt instead of giving Justin Herbert a No. 1 wide receiver to replace Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Atlanta Falcons first round draft choice quarterback Michael Penix Jr., speaks during a news conference Friday, April 26, 2024, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

New York Giants first round draft pick Malik Nabers answers questions during an NFL football press conference, Friday, April 26, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Washington Commanders irst round draft pick Jayden Daniels, left, holds his jersey with controlling owner Josh Harris, right, following an NFL football news conference in Ashburn, Va., Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Chicago Bears No. 9 draft pick wide receiver Rome Odunze, left, and No. 1 draft pick quarterback Caleb Williams, right, hold up jerseys as they pose for a photo during an NFL football news conference in Lake Forest, Ill., Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Bears No. 1 draft pick quarterback Caleb Williams listens to reporters during an NFL football news conference in Lake Forest, Ill., Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.

Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence for David DePape, 44, whom jurors found guilty last November of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official. Prosecutors had asked for a 40-year prison term.

DePape was given 20 years for one count and 30 years for another count. The sentences will run concurrently. He was also given credit for the 18 months that he's been in custody.

DePape stood silently as Judge Corley handed the sentence and looked down at times. His public defense attorneys had asked the judge to sentence him to 14 years, pointing out that he was going through a difficult time in his life and had no prior criminal history.

Corley said she took into account when giving DePape’s sentence the fact that he broke into the home of public official, an unprecedented act in the history of the country.

“He actually went to the home, that is completely, completely unprecedented,” she said.

Before sentencing, Christine Pelosis read victim statements on behalf of her father and mother, explaining how the violent attack changed their lives.

“The Pelosi family couldn’t be prouder of their Pop and his tremendous courage in saving his own life on the night of the attack and in testifying in this case,” Aaron Bennett, a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement. “Speaker Pelosi and her family are immensely grateful to all who have sent love and prayers over the last eighteen months, as Mr. Pelosi continues his recovery.”

DePape admitted during trial testimony that he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home Oct. 28, 2022, intending to hold the speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him. He also admitted to bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police showed up, saying his plan to end what he viewed as government corruption was unraveling.

The attack on Paul Pelosi, who was 82 at the time, was captured on police body camera video just days before the midterm elections and sent shockwaves through the political world.

Defense attorneys argued DePape was motivated by his political beliefs, not because he wanted to interfere with Nancy Pelosi’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the charges against him invalid.

One of his attorneys, Angela Chuang, said during closing arguments that DePape was caught up in conspiracy theories.

At trial DePape, a Canadian who moved to the U.S. more than 20 years ago, testified that he believed news outlets repeatedly lied about former President Donald Trump. In rants posted on a blog and online forum that were taken down after his arrest, DePape echoed the baseless, right-wing QAnon conspiracy theory that claims a cabal of devil-worshipping pedophiles runs the U.S. government.

DePape also told jurors he had planned to wear an inflatable unicorn costume and record his interrogation of the Democratic speaker, who was not at the home at the time of the attack, to upload it online.

Prosecutors said he had rope and zip ties with him, and detectives found body cameras, a computer and a tablet.

Paul Pelosi also testified at the trial, recalling how he was awakened by a large man bursting into the bedroom and asking, “Where’s Nancy?” He said that when he responded that his wife was in Washington, DePape said he would tie him up while they waited for her.

“It was a tremendous sense of shock to recognize that somebody had broken into the house, and looking at him and looking at the hammer and the ties, I recognized that I was in serious danger, so I tried to stay as calm as possible,” Pelosi told jurors.

DePape is also charged in state court with assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies. Jury selection in that trial is expected to start Wednesday.

Paul Pelosi suffered two head wounds in the attack, including a skull fracture that was mended with plates and screws he will have for the rest of his life. His right arm and hand were also injured.

FILE - Paul Pelosi attends a portrait unveiling ceremony for his wife, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in Statuary Hall at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 14, 2022. David DePape who was convicted last year in federal court of breaking into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home will be sentenced in federal court Friday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE – David DePape is seen, Dec. 13, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. DePape convicted of attempting to kidnap then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer is set to be sentenced in federal court Friday, May 17, 2024. (Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File)

FILE - In this image taken from San Francisco Police Department body-camera video, the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Paul Pelosi, right, fights for control of a hammer with his assailant David DePape during a brutal attack in the couple's San Francisco home, on Oct. 28, 2022. DePape convicted of attempting to kidnap then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer is set to be sentenced in federal court Friday, May 17, 2024. (San Francisco Police Department via AP, File)