South Dakota has produced 8 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 187th all-time among college programs.
MVFC · NFL draft picks 1980–2024 · 187th nationally
South Dakota College Draft History
South Dakota has produced 8 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 187th all-time among college programs.
- Total picks
- 8
- First-rounders
- 0
- No. 1 overall
- 0
- Pro Bowlers
- 00% of picks
- Pro Bowl nods
- 0
- Hall of Famers
- 0
Notable South Dakota draft picks
Ranked by Hall of Fame status, Pro Bowls, and career value.
Tom Compton
Washington Commanders
124 games · 2 yrs as starter
Myles Harden
Cleveland Browns
20 games
Mike Slaton
Minnesota Vikings
1 games
Tyler Starr
Atlanta Falcons
1 games
Dave Elle
Phoenix Cardinals
No regular-season snaps
Craig Austin
Seattle Seahawks
No regular-season snaps
Ben Long
Miami Dolphins
No regular-season snaps
Chul Schwanke
Los Angeles Rams
No regular-season snaps
South Dakota draft trends
Picks by class year, position group, and the NFL clubs that shop here most.
Picks by draft class
Positions produced
- LB 3
- DB 2
- RB 1
- T 1
- TE 1
NFL clubs that draft here
- ARI Phoenix Cardinals 1
- ATL Atlanta Falcons 1
- CLE Cleveland Browns 1
- LAR Los Angeles Rams 1
- MIA Miami Dolphins 1
- MIN Minnesota Vikings 1
- SEA Seattle Seahawks 1
- WAS Washington Commanders 1
Every South Dakota draft pick
8 selections, newest class first.
| Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Myles Harden
Miami Gardens, FL
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 20 games 3 career AV |
| 2014 |
Tyler Starr
|
LB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 1 games |
| 2012 |
Tom Compton
|
T | WAS Washington Commanders | 124 games · 2 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 1990 | Dave Elle | TE | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1986 | Mike Slaton | DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 1 games |
| 1986 | Chul Schwanke | RB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | No regular-season snaps |
| 1982 | Craig Austin | LB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Ben Long | LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
MVFC programs by draft picks
How South Dakota compares with the rest of the league.
About this program's draft record
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
South Dakota in the NFL draft
South Dakota has produced 8 NFL draft picks between 1980 and 2024, including 0 first-round selections. 0 of those picks (0%) went on to make a Pro Bowl.
South Dakota ranks among college football’s most productive NFL pipelines. FantasyHQ lists every South Dakota draft pick from 1980 through 2024 — 8 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 South Dakota produced?
South Dakota has 8 NFL draft picks in FantasyHQ’s archive (1980–2024), including 0 first-rounders. See the full list at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/south-dakota-coyotes.
Who are the most accomplished NFL players from South Dakota?
Notable South Dakota draftees include Tom Compton, Myles Harden, Mike Slaton, Tyler Starr. Browse career outcomes at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/south-dakota-coyotes.
When was South Dakota’s most recent NFL draft pick?
South Dakota’s most recent pick in the archive is from the 2024 NFL Draft. See year-by-year totals at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/south-dakota-coyotes.