North Dakota has produced 9 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 175th all-time among college programs.
MVFC · NFL draft picks 1980–2022 · 175th nationally
North Dakota College Draft History
North Dakota has produced 9 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 175th all-time among college programs.
- Total picks
- 9
- First-rounders
- 0
- No. 1 overall
- 0
- Pro Bowlers
- 00% of picks
- Pro Bowl nods
- 0
- Hall of Famers
- 0
Notable North Dakota draft picks
Ranked by Hall of Fame status, Pro Bowls, and career value.
Chris Kuper
Denver Broncos
90 games · 5 yrs as starter
Jim Kleinsasser
Minnesota Vikings
181 games · 10 yrs as starter
Todd Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs
15 games
Monte Smith
Denver Broncos
14 games
Matt Waletzko
Dallas Cowboys
11 games
Tracy Martin
New York Jets
12 games
Dale Markham
Kansas City Chiefs
3 games
Dean Witkowski
Green Bay Packers
No regular-season snaps
North Dakota draft trends
Picks by class year, position group, and the NFL clubs that shop here most.
Picks by draft class
Positions produced
- G 2
- WR 2
- C 1
- T 1
- TE 1
- OL 1
- LB 1
NFL clubs that draft here
- KC Kansas City Chiefs 2
- DEN Denver Broncos 2
- GB Green Bay Packers 1
- DAL Dallas Cowboys 1
- MIN Minnesota Vikings 1
- NYJ New York Jets 1
- SF San Francisco 49ers 1
Every North Dakota draft pick
9 selections, newest class first.
| Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 |
Matt Waletzko
|
OL | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 11 games |
| 2006 | Chris Kuper | G | DEN Denver Broncos | 90 games · 5 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1999 | Jim Kleinsasser | TE | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 181 games · 10 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 1991 | Dean Witkowski | LB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Monte Smith | G | DEN Denver Broncos | 14 games 1 career AV |
| 1989 | Norm McGee | WR | SF San Francisco 49ers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1987 | Tracy Martin | WR | NYJ New York Jets | 12 games |
| 1981 | Todd Thomas | C | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 15 games 1 career AV |
| 1980 | Dale Markham | T | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 3 games |
MVFC programs by draft picks
How North Dakota compares with the rest of the league.
About this program's draft record
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
North Dakota in the NFL draft
North Dakota has produced 9 NFL draft picks between 1980 and 2022, including 0 first-round selections. 0 of those picks (0%) went on to make a Pro Bowl.
North Dakota ranks among college football’s most productive NFL pipelines. FantasyHQ lists every North Dakota draft pick from 1980 through 2022 — 9 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 North Dakota produced?
North Dakota has 9 NFL draft picks in FantasyHQ’s archive (1980–2022), including 0 first-rounders. See the full list at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/north-dakota-fighting-hawks.
Who are the most accomplished NFL players from North Dakota?
Notable North Dakota draftees include Chris Kuper, Jim Kleinsasser, Todd Thomas, Monte Smith. Browse career outcomes at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/north-dakota-fighting-hawks.
When was North Dakota’s most recent NFL draft pick?
North Dakota’s most recent pick in the archive is from the 2022 NFL Draft. See year-by-year totals at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/north-dakota-fighting-hawks.