Western Illinois has produced 17 NFL draft picks since 1981 — 123rd all-time among college programs.
OVC-Big South · NFL draft picks 1981–2019 · 123rd nationally
Western Illinois College Draft History
Western Illinois has produced 17 NFL draft picks since 1981 — 123rd all-time among college programs.
- Total picks
- 17
- First-rounders
- 0
- No. 1 overall
- 0
- Pro Bowlers
- 318% of picks
- Pro Bowl nods
- 6
- Hall of Famers
- 0
Notable Western Illinois draft picks
Ranked by Hall of Fame status, Pro Bowls, and career value.
Bryan Cox
Miami Dolphins
3× Pro Bowl
165 games · 10 yrs as starter
Rodney Harrison
San Diego Chargers
2× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl
186 games · 10 yrs as starter
Frank Winters
Cleveland Browns
1× Pro Bowl
231 games · 10 yrs as starter
David Bowens
Denver Broncos
167 games · 2 yrs as starter
Ed Hartwell
Baltimore Ravens
77 games · 3 yrs as starter
Will Peterson
New York Giants
97 games · 3 yrs as starter
Mike Scifres
San Diego Chargers
195 games
Don Greco
Detroit Lions
45 games · 2 yrs as starter
Western Illinois 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 3
- DE 2
- QB 2
- DT 2
- TE 1
- G 1
- P 1
- T 1
- C 1
NFL clubs that draft here
- NYG New York Giants 3
- LAC San Diego Chargers 2
- CIN Cincinnati Bengals 1
- CLE Cleveland Browns 1
- DAL Dallas Cowboys 1
- DEN Denver Broncos 1
- DET Detroit Lions 1
- IND Indianapolis Colts 1
Every Western Illinois draft pick
17 selections, newest class first.
| Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Khalen Saunders
Andrews, TX
|
DT | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 77 games · 1 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 2009 |
Jason Williams
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 60 games 4 career AV |
| 2003 | Mike Scifres | P | LAC San Diego Chargers | 195 games 23 career AV |
| 2001 | Will Peterson | DB | NYG New York Giants | 97 games · 3 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 2001 | Ed Hartwell | LB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 77 games · 3 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1999 | David Bowens | DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 167 games · 2 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 1994 | Rodney Harrison 2× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl | DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 186 games · 10 yrs as starter 69 career AV |
| 1992 | John Earle | T | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1991 | Bryan Cox 3× Pro Bowl | LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 165 games · 10 yrs as starter 67 career AV |
| 1991 | Lamar McGriggs | DB | NYG New York Giants | 57 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1990 | Gene Benhart | QB | IND Indianapolis Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Paul Singer | QB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Martin Williams | DE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1987 | Frank Winters 1× Pro Bowl | C | CLE Cleveland Browns | 231 games · 10 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 1982 | Tim Barbian | DT | SF San Francisco 49ers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1981 | Don Greco | G | DET Detroit Lions | 45 games · 2 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1981 | Mike Maher | TE | NYG New York Giants | No regular-season snaps |
OVC-Big South programs by draft picks
How Western Illinois compares with the rest of the league.
About this program's draft record
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Western Illinois in the NFL draft
Western Illinois has produced 17 NFL draft picks between 1981 and 2019, including 0 first-round selections. 3 of those picks (18%) went on to make a Pro Bowl.
Western Illinois ranks among college football’s most productive NFL pipelines. FantasyHQ lists every Western Illinois draft pick from 1981 through 2019 — 17 selections, 0 first-rounders, 3 Pro Bowl alumni. Current conference: OVC-Big South.
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 Western Illinois produced?
Western Illinois has 17 NFL draft picks in FantasyHQ’s archive (1981–2019), including 0 first-rounders. See the full list at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/western-illinois-leathernecks.
Who are the most accomplished NFL players from Western Illinois?
Notable Western Illinois draftees include Bryan Cox, Rodney Harrison, Frank Winters, David Bowens. Browse career outcomes at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/western-illinois-leathernecks.
When was Western Illinois’s most recent NFL draft pick?
Western Illinois’s most recent pick in the archive is from the 2019 NFL Draft. See year-by-year totals at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/western-illinois-leathernecks.