Projecting how a college player is going to fare or transition in the NFL is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. However, every NFL team does it’s due-diligence when evaluating college prospects. From attending bowl games, to the NFL scouting combine, and then cross-checking their work during the pre-draft interview process, you can be sure every team’s scouting department is doing their homework to ensure they make the best informed selection when their team is on the clock.
To answer Baalke’s question the answer is 15 1st round picks (excluding Pro Bowl alternates) have made Pro Bowl since 2013.