Hardest college-to-pro transition
 

Which sport has the hardest transition making the jump from successful college sport to the professional ranks?

NBA - only two rounds in the draft...and it seems there are so many busts.

NFL - seems to do fairly well with draft picks and how they will work out.

MLB - since their draft starts after a successful completion of the 3rd grade...not sure about how baseball works, and how their prospects work out.

Hockey - don't the Canadians give up their male children at birth to the highest bidding franchise? How does hockey fare with their 'draft'.

Easy: cycling. I've never heard of a college cyclist going pro.

swimming. how many college swimmers become professional swimmers? or even tennis.

The college at Wichita Falls (where Hotter N Hell 100 is) has a cycling team. with scholarships.

Ok...'major' professional sports
 

...one's that are followed by majority of sporting fans, ie: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL

I'd have to say MLB. It's difficult to make a true apples to apples comparison because of the minor leagues and the fact that a many MLBers never played college ball. But if you put the minor leagues as an equivalent to college ball (not sure if that's a fair comparison - IlPad help me out) then I think it's the most difficult.

I guess it comes down to my belief that of all the major team sports, baseball is the most skill driven, as opposed to athleticism driven.

That's a good comparison, though I'd say college ball is closer to the lower minor league levels (double A for the top college teams and single A for most of the rest). I don't know if it's necessarily a more difficult transition in baseball over the other sports; my guess is that it's pretty much an equally tough move from college to pro. The pros are there because nobody is better than then they are.

The one advantage that baseball has over the other sports is the farm system where they're able to hone their skills over time in order to advance - though it doesn't guarantee that they'll ever get to the big leagues.

Of course, the most difficult thing isn't getting to that level, but staying at that level.

I'd say the NFL.

These guys are under more scrutiny in a sport that is much more popular, physically demanding, and complex.

Not even a single vote for bowling?