Illinois State has produced 10 NFL draft picks since 1985 — 164th all-time among college programs.
MVFC · NFL draft picks 1985–2018 · 164th nationally
Illinois State College Draft History
Illinois State has produced 10 NFL draft picks since 1985 — 164th all-time among college programs.
- Total picks
- 10
- First-rounders
- 0
- No. 1 overall
- 0
- Pro Bowlers
- 00% of picks
- Pro Bowl nods
- 0
- Hall of Famers
- 0
Notable Illinois State draft picks
Ranked by Hall of Fame status, Pro Bowls, and career value.
Mike Prior
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
198 games · 4 yrs as starter
Shelby Harris
Oakland Raiders
146 games · 5 yrs as starter
Laurent Robinson
Atlanta Falcons
59 games · 1 yrs as starter
Nate Palmer
Green Bay Packers
48 games · 1 yrs as starter
James O'Shaughnessy
Kansas City Chiefs
80 games · 3 yrs as starter
Davontae Harris
Cincinnati Bengals
42 games
Boomer Grigsby
Kansas City Chiefs
45 games
Brent Hawkins
Jacksonville Jaguars
20 games
Illinois State draft trends
Picks by class year, position group, and the NFL clubs that shop here most.
Picks by draft class
Positions produced
- LB 2
- DE 2
- WR 2
- CB 1
- T 1
- DB 1
- TE 1
NFL clubs that draft here
- KC Kansas City Chiefs 2
- CIN Cincinnati Bengals 1
- CLE Cleveland Browns 1
- DET Detroit Lions 1
- GB Green Bay Packers 1
- JAX Jacksonville Jaguars 1
- LV Oakland Raiders 1
- ATL Atlanta Falcons 1
Every Illinois State draft pick
10 selections, newest class first.
| Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 |
Davontae Harris
|
CB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 42 games 5 career AV |
| 2015 |
James O'Shaughnessy
|
TE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 80 games · 3 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2014 |
Shelby Harris
|
DE | LV Oakland Raiders | 146 games · 5 yrs as starter 41 career AV |
| 2013 |
Nate Palmer
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | 48 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 2007 |
Laurent Robinson
|
WR | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 59 games · 1 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2006 |
Brent Hawkins
|
DE | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 20 games 3 career AV |
| 2005 | Boomer Grigsby | LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 45 games 3 career AV |
| 1990 | Bill Miller | WR | DET Detroit Lions | No regular-season snaps |
| 1986 | Jim Meyer | T | CLE Cleveland Browns | 2 games |
| 1985 | Mike Prior | DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 198 games · 4 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
MVFC programs by draft picks
How Illinois State compares with the rest of the league.
About this program's draft record
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Illinois State in the NFL draft
Illinois State has produced 10 NFL draft picks between 1985 and 2018, including 0 first-round selections. 0 of those picks (0%) went on to make a Pro Bowl.
Illinois State ranks among college football’s most productive NFL pipelines. FantasyHQ lists every Illinois State draft pick from 1985 through 2018 — 10 selections, 0 first-rounders, 0 Pro Bowl alumni. Current conference: MVFC.
How to use this page
- Scan the notable alumni for the program's highest-impact NFL careers.
- Read the class-by-class bars to spot the peak recruiting-to-draft cycles.
- Open a draft year to see the full class, or a conference peer to compare pipelines.
Frequently asked questions
How many NFL draft picks has Illinois State produced?
Illinois State has 10 NFL draft picks in FantasyHQ’s archive (1985–2018), including 0 first-rounders. See the full list at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/illinois-state-redbirds.
Who are the most accomplished NFL players from Illinois State?
Notable Illinois State draftees include Mike Prior, Shelby Harris, Laurent Robinson, Nate Palmer. Browse career outcomes at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/illinois-state-redbirds.
When was Illinois State’s most recent NFL draft pick?
Illinois State’s most recent pick in the archive is from the 2018 NFL Draft. See year-by-year totals at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/illinois-state-redbirds.