ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay has released his first 2010 NFL mock draft.

My first thought: This is a bit early … OK, this is way too early. The 2009 NFL Draft just ended a few weeks ago.

Then, I gave the top 10 a brief glance and noticed a common theme: Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Big 12, Pac-10, Big 12, Big 12.

Nine of McShay’s top 10 picks are Big 12 products. Is this realistic?

Consider that the conference has never had more than six players drafted in the first round. According to this mock draft, that record will be broken by the seventh overall pick. Yikes.

Here’s a rundown:

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AP File Photo

• 1. St. Louis: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
• 2. Cleveland: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
• 3. Detroit: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
• 4. Oakland: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
• 5. Kansas City: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
• 6. Seattle: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
• 7. Jacksonville: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
• 8. San Francisco: Taylor Mays, S, USC
• 9. Green Bay: Adam Ulatoski, OT, Texas
• 10. San Francisco: Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas

Take a minute to digest that. Then, maybe post a comment or two with your thoughts.

McShay has one more Big 12 prospect (Oklahoma’s DeMarcus Granger) coming off the board in the first round for a grand total of 10 projected first rounders from the conference.

Here are some of my thoughts:

The mock draft didn’t include Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant. With a massive year, the junior could leave early (see Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin) and collect his payday. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, I’d think Bryant has first-round potential.

I’ve seen a lot of comments in my previous blogs discussing the idea of Kansas receiver Dezmon Briscoe going in the first round. I’m not a draft expert, but I honestly don’t see why not. Briscoe, at 6-3 and 200 pounds, could opt to leave after his junior season. With another huge year, he might be able to sneak into the first round.

This mock draft would lead one to believe the Big 12 has a monster year ahead in 2009. We already know Texas and Oklahoma are preseason top five teams. Oklahoma State could be in the top 10. Kansas could be in the top 15. Nebraska could be in the top 25. It should be another year of five conference teams in the top 25 polls every week. It should be another year of someone from the Big 12 (see Bradford or McCoy) winning the Heisman Trophy.

However, I’m not ready to call the Big 12 the best conference in the nation. I’m requiring a few things from the conference that hasn’t happened in previous years before I do that.

First, a Big 12 team must rip bragging rights away from the SEC, which has been the most dominant conference in college football for years. Oklahoma had a chance against Florida in the BCS Championship last year and didn’t take advantage. Texas Tech had a chance against Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl and didn’t take advantage either.

With Texas and Oklahoma rated so high, the conference likely won’t be viewed as the best in college football without one of those teams winning a BCS Championship. A Cotton Bowl victory would help the SEC vs. Big 12 argument, too.

Second, I’m looking at how many teams from each conference make a bowl game for obvious reasons of depth. Last season, the SEC had eight; the Big 12 seven.

Next, I’m looking at how each conference fares in their bowl games. Last season, the SEC went 6-2 and won the BCS Championship. The Big 12 went 4-3.

The SEC is the best conference in college football until those statistics sway in another conference’s favor.

That should be all for now, friends. As always, discuss.