Western Kentucky has produced 26 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 103rd all-time among college programs.
Conference USA · NFL draft picks 1980–2025 · 103rd nationally
Western Kentucky College Draft History
Western Kentucky has produced 26 NFL draft picks since 1980 — 103rd all-time among college programs.
- Total picks
- 26
- First-rounders
- 0
- No. 1 overall
- 0
- Pro Bowlers
- 00% of picks
- Pro Bowl nods
- 0
- Hall of Famers
- 0
Notable Western Kentucky draft picks
Ranked by Hall of Fame status, Pro Bowls, and career value.
Tyler Higbee
Los Angeles Rams
138 games · 8 yrs as starter
Forrest Lamp
Los Angeles Chargers
26 games · 1 yrs as starter
Taywan Taylor
Tennessee Titans
35 games
Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Chicago Bears
65 games
Mike White
Dallas Cowboys
15 games
Davlin Mullen
New York Jets
42 games · 1 yrs as starter
DeAngelo Malone
Atlanta Falcons
58 games
Jeremi Johnson
Cincinnati Bengals
96 games · 4 yrs as starter
Western Kentucky draft trends
Picks by class year, position group, and the NFL clubs that shop here most.
Picks by draft class
Positions produced
- DB 6
- WR 3
- QB 3
- LB 3
- CB 2
- DE 2
- DT 2
- TE 2
- RB 1
- FB 1
- G 1
NFL clubs that draft here
- NO New Orleans Saints 3
- IND Indianapolis Colts 3
- SF San Francisco 49ers 2
- MIA Miami Dolphins 2
- NYJ New York Jets 2
- TEN Tennessee Titans 2
- GB Green Bay Packers 1
- DET Detroit Lions 1
Every Western Kentucky draft pick
26 selections, newest class first.
| Pick | Player | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Upton Stout
Houston, TX
|
CB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 16 games 2 career AV |
| 2024 |
Malachi Corley
Campbellsville, KY
|
WR | NYJ New York Jets | 22 games 1 career AV |
| 2023 |
Brodric Martin
Tuscaloosa, AL
|
DT | DET Detroit Lions | 6 games 1 career AV |
| 2022 |
DeAngelo Malone
Atlanta, GA
|
DE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 58 games 4 career AV |
| 2022 |
Bailey Zappe
Dallas, TX
|
QB | NE New England Patriots | 15 games 2 career AV |
| 2018 |
Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Bowling Green, KY
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | 65 games 5 career AV |
| 2018 |
Mike White
Pembroke Pines, FL
|
QB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 15 games 5 career AV |
| 2017 |
Forrest Lamp
Venice, FL
|
G | LAC Los Angeles Chargers | 26 games · 1 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 2017 |
Taywan Taylor
Louisville, KY
|
WR | TEN Tennessee Titans | 35 games 6 career AV |
| 2016 |
Tyler Higbee
Clearwater, FL
|
TE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 138 games · 8 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 2016 |
Brandon Doughty
Davie, FL
|
QB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 2016 |
Prince Charles Iworah
Nashville, TN
|
CB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 1 games |
| 2014 |
Andrew Jackson
Lakeland, FL
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 13 games 1 career AV |
| 2014 |
Jonathan Dowling
Bradenton, FL
|
DB | LV Oakland Raiders | 7 games |
| 2013 |
Quanterus Smith
Loganville, GA
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 15 games 1 career AV |
| 2003 | Jeremi Johnson | FB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 96 games · 4 yrs as starter 4 career AV |
| 2002 | Joe Jefferson | DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 27 games 3 career AV |
| 2002 | Mel Mitchell | DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 54 games 4 career AV |
| 1992 | Milton Biggins | TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Jerome Martin | DB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Webbie Burnett | DT | NO New Orleans Saints | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | David Smith | RB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | No regular-season snaps |
| 1984 | Paul Gray | LB | NO New Orleans Saints | 2 games |
| 1983 | Davlin Mullen | DB | NYJ New York Jets | 42 games · 1 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1982 | Lamont Meacham | DB | IND Baltimore Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Eddie Preston | WR | TEN Houston Oilers | No regular-season snaps |
Conference USA programs by draft picks
How Western Kentucky compares with the rest of the league.
About this program's draft record
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Western Kentucky in the NFL draft
Western Kentucky has produced 26 NFL draft picks between 1980 and 2025, including 0 first-round selections. 0 of those picks (0%) went on to make a Pro Bowl.
Western Kentucky ranks among college football’s most productive NFL pipelines. FantasyHQ lists every Western Kentucky draft pick from 1980 through 2025 — 26 selections, 0 first-rounders, 0 Pro Bowl alumni. Current conference: Conference USA.
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 Kentucky produced?
Western Kentucky has 26 NFL draft picks in FantasyHQ’s archive (1980–2025), including 0 first-rounders. See the full list at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/western-kentucky-hilltoppers.
Who are the most accomplished NFL players from Western Kentucky?
Notable Western Kentucky draftees include Tyler Higbee, Forrest Lamp, Taywan Taylor, Joel Iyiegbuniwe. Browse career outcomes at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/western-kentucky-hilltoppers.
When was Western Kentucky’s most recent NFL draft pick?
Western Kentucky’s most recent pick in the archive is from the 2025 NFL Draft. See year-by-year totals at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/western-kentucky-hilltoppers.