Remember how a few years ago there was all this talk about parity throughout college football? Well, if there really is parity, it sure isn’t reflected in the draft. With Round One now in the books, Northern Illinois DE-OLB Larry English (Chargers, No. 16) stands as the only first-rounder who didn’t play collegiate ball in a BCS conference.

An aberration? Hardly. 2009 is actually the third draft in the four years to feature just a single non-BCS first-round selection. In 2007, Central Michigan’s Joe Staley was the only non-BCS first-round pick, while Memphis’ DeAngelo Williams was the only one in 2006. 2008 stands as the lone exception, with five — Troy’s Leodis McKelvin, Boise State’s Ryan Clady, Tennessee State’s Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, Delaware’s Joe Flacco and East Carolina’s Chris Johnson — in the lottery’s opening stanza.

What does all this mean? Well, for NFL purposes, probably nothing. But it could mean that all those who cry foul when an undefeated non-BCS team gets passed over for the national championship game, it’s for good reason. Maybe.