Big Ten programs ranked by NFL draft picks since 1980 — first-rounders, Pro Bowl alumni, and recent draft classes.
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College Football
NFL Draft History by college program
Big Ten programs ranked by NFL draft picks since 1980 — first-rounders, Pro Bowl alumni, and recent draft classes.
- Draft picks
- 12,927
- Colleges
- 446
- First-rounders
- 1,427
- Hall of Famers
- 102
- Pro Bowlers
- 1,326
- Drafts covered
- 47
Showing Day 2 picks out of the Big Ten · reset
Schools that produce the most NFL draft picks
Ranked by total picks within the current filters. Open a program for its full draft board.
-
1
Ohio State
Big Ten
78picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
Penn State
Big Ten
72picks
Penn State team hub
-
3
Michigan
Big Ten
69picks
Michigan team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
USC
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
69 | 0 | 1014% | 0 | 13 |
| 5 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
55 | 0 | 713% | 0 | 16 |
| 6 |
Nebraska
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
51 | 0 | 918% | 2 | 2 |
| 7 |
Iowa
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
46 | 0 | 715% | 1 | 12 |
| 8 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
45 | 0 | 613% | 0 | 9 |
| 9 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
40 | 0 | 410% | 0 | 9 |
| 10 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
37 | 0 | 514% | 0 | 7 |
| 11 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
29 | 0 | 1034% | 0 | 4 |
| 12 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
28 | 0 | 414% | 0 | 4 |
| 13 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
23 | 0 | 835% | 1 | 2 |
| 14 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
19 | 0 | 15% | 0 | 3 |
| 15 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2024
|
14 | 0 | 214% | 0 | 2 |
| 16 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
13 | 0 | 215% | 0 | 7 |
| 17 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
8 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 551–600 of 696 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Ricky Ervins |
USC
Big Ten
|
RB | WAS Washington Commanders | 76 games · 1 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 1990 | Anthony Thompson |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
RB | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 37 games 6 career AV |
| 1990 | Dan Owens |
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | 145 games · 5 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1990 | Leroy Hoard 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
RB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 144 games · 4 yrs as starter 43 career AV |
| 1990 | Andre Collins |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | 144 games · 5 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1990 | Dennis Brown |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | SF San Francisco 49ers | 110 games · 3 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1990 | Jeff Mills |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 46 games 6 career AV |
| 1990 | Tim Ryan |
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | CHI Chicago Bears | 58 games 7 career AV |
| 1990 | Neil O'Donnell 1× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
QB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 125 games · 7 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1990 | Latin Berry |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 32 games 2 career AV |
| 1990 | Greg McMurtry |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
WR | NE New England Patriots | 67 games · 2 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 1989 | Steve Wisniewski 2× All-Pro 8× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
G | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 206 games · 13 yrs as starter 102 career AV |
| 1989 | Carnell Lake 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 185 games · 11 yrs as starter 83 career AV |
| 1989 | Eric Ball |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
RB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 97 games · 2 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1989 | Warren Powers |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 51 games · 2 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1989 | Scott Kozak |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
LB | TEN Houston Oilers | 80 games 5 career AV |
| 1989 | Darryl Henley |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 76 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1989 | Matt Brock |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DE | GB Green Bay Packers | 108 games · 6 yrs as starter 41 career AV |
| 1989 | Marv Cook 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | NE New England Patriots | 112 games · 6 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1989 | Bob Kratch |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
G | NYG New York Giants | 105 games · 4 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1989 | Mike Zandofsky |
Washington
Big Ten
|
G | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 116 games · 4 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1989 | Joe Mott |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | 34 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 1989 | Kevin Robbins |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
T | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 8 games 2 career AV |
| 1988 | Marcus Cotton |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 44 games 5 career AV |
| 1988 | Chris Spielman 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | DET Detroit Lions | 148 games · 10 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1988 | Anthony Newman |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 178 games · 7 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1988 | Jumbo Elliott 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
T | NYG New York Giants | 197 games · 10 yrs as starter 62 career AV |
| 1988 | Ken Norton Jr. 1× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 191 games · 12 yrs as starter 81 career AV |
| 1988 | Flipper Anderson |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
WR | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 114 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1988 | Fred Strickland |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 161 games · 8 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1988 | Chip Lohmiller 1× Pro Bowl |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
K | WAS Washington Commanders | 135 games 19 career AV |
| 1988 | Alex Higdon |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 3 games |
| 1988 | Kevin Walker |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 44 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1988 | Ray Roundtree |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
WR | DET Detroit Lions | 4 games |
| 1988 | Quinn Early |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
WR | LAC San Diego Chargers | 179 games · 8 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1988 | Tom Tupa 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
QB | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 220 games · 1 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1988 | Greg Montgomery 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
P | TEN Houston Oilers | 142 games 19 career AV |
| 1988 | Ferrell Edmunds 2× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 89 games · 4 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1988 | Chris Chandler 2× Pro Bowl |
Washington
Big Ten
|
QB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 180 games · 9 yrs as starter 77 career AV |
| 1988 | Van Waiters |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 80 games · 1 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1987 | Nate Odomes 2× Pro Bowl |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 115 games · 7 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1987 | Brian Davis |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 87 games · 1 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1987 | Tim McDonald 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 191 games · 12 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 1987 | Jeff Bregel |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | SF San Francisco 49ers | 21 games 4 career AV |
| 1987 | Lonzell Hill |
Washington
Big Ten
|
WR | NO New Orleans Saints | 55 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1987 | Rick Graf |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 73 games · 1 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 1987 | Lou Brock |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 4 games |
| 1987 | Chris Gambol |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
G | IND Indianapolis Colts | 34 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1987 | Dave Croston |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
T | GB Green Bay Packers | 16 games 1 career AV |
| 1987 | Cliff Hicks |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 98 games 8 career AV |
Browse by draft class
Every year from 1980 to 2026 — school counts, conference splits, and the full first round.
NFL draft history guide
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
What this page tracks
NFL Draft History by College ranks every program by the NFL players it has produced since 1980. Browse 12,927 picks across 446 schools — first-rounders, Pro Bowl alumni, Hall of Famers, and recent draft classes — then open any school or year for the full board.
By the numbers
- 12,927 drafted players from 446 colleges, 1980–2026.
- 1,427 first-round selections across 47 drafts.
- 1,326 of those picks made at least one Pro Bowl; 102 reached the Hall of Fame.
- Most picks all-time: Ohio State — 78
- Most picks since 2017: Alabama — 95
- Top conference: SEC — 2,760 picks
- Most-drafted first-round position: DB — 181 picks
How to read the board
- Start with the school leaderboard — sort by total picks, first-rounders, Pro Bowls, or the last ten drafts.
- Use the round, conference, and position chips to isolate a pipeline, like SEC defensive backs in Round 1.
- Open a program for its full draft board, or a year for the complete class in pick order.
First round vs. career outcomes
Volume and quality are different signals. A program can lead in raw picks while another turns fewer selections into more Pro Bowlers. The Pro Bowler rate next to each school shows how often its picks became long-term NFL contributors, so read it alongside the Round 1 column rather than instead of it.
Frequently asked questions
Which college has produced the most NFL draft picks?
Ohio State leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 78 NFL draft picks since 1980. Compare every program at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history.
How far back does FantasyHQ’s NFL draft history go?
The archive covers every NFL draft from 1980 through 2026 — 12,927 picks across 446 college programs. Open a school page or a draft class year for the full pick list.
Can I see first-round NFL draft picks by college?
Yes. Filter the board to Round 1, or sort schools by first-rounders. FantasyHQ lists 1,427 first-round selections since 1980. Start at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history.
Does the page show NFL career outcomes for drafted players?
Where available, each pick includes Pro Bowls, All-Pro selections, Hall of Fame status, games played, and Approximate Value. The archive currently tracks 1,326 Pro Bowl alumni and 102 Hall of Famers.
How is this different from a fantasy football mock draft?
This page is the real NFL draft pipeline — college programs to NFL clubs — not a fantasy league draft board. For fantasy mock drafts and rankings, use FantasyHQ’s fantasy tools. Draft history lives at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history.
How often is the draft history page updated?
New draft classes land when the board is published each spring. Career outcomes refresh as seasons complete. This page was last labeled Aug 24, 2026.