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 3 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
Penn State
Big Ten
140picks
Penn State team hub
-
2
Ohio State
Big Ten
137picks
Ohio State team hub
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3
Nebraska
Big Ten
132picks
Nebraska team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
USC
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
127 | 0 | 54% | 0 | 19 |
| 5 |
Michigan
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
125 | 0 | 76% | 0 | 37 |
| 6 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
111 | 0 | 55% | 0 | 20 |
| 7 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
110 | 0 | 33% | 0 | 22 |
| 8 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
105 | 0 | 66% | 0 | 22 |
| 9 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
102 | 0 | 66% | 1 | 14 |
| 10 |
Iowa
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
98 | 0 | 88% | 0 | 24 |
| 11 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
93 | 0 | 11% | 0 | 29 |
| 12 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
75 | 0 | 34% | 0 | 18 |
| 13 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
71 | 0 | 23% | 0 | 13 |
| 14 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
71 | 0 | 23% | 0 | 14 |
| 15 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
49 | 0 | 24% | 0 | 9 |
| 16 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
46 | 0 | 24% | 0 | 12 |
| 17 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
35 | 0 | 13% | 0 | 10 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 901–950 of 1,627 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Chad Overhauser |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
T | CHI Chicago Bears | 3 games |
| 1998 | Eddie Watson |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
RB | GB Green Bay Packers | 6 games |
| 1998 | Jason Chorak |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | LAR St. Louis Rams | 8 games |
| 1997 | Damon Denson |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
G | NE New England Patriots | 14 games 3 career AV |
| 1997 | Derrick Mason 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
WR | TEN Tennessee Titans | 230 games · 11 yrs as starter 86 career AV |
| 1997 | Pete Monty |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 52 games 5 career AV |
| 1997 | Darnell Autry |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
RB | CHI Chicago Bears | 24 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 1997 | Chris Dishman |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
G | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 98 games · 4 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1997 | Damien Robinson |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 83 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1997 | Tarek Saleh |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 59 games 4 career AV |
| 1997 | Nicky Sualua |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
RB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 26 games |
| 1997 | Jamel Williams |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 35 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Eric Stokes |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 11 games |
| 1997 | Tim Scharf |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | John Fiala |
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 75 games 6 career AV |
| 1997 | Steve Lee |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
RB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Matt Finkes |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DE | CAR Carolina Panthers | 8 games 1 career AV |
| 1997 | Nigea Carter |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
WR | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Hudhaifa Ismaeli |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Tony Graziani |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
QB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 18 games 3 career AV |
| 1997 | Matt Keneley |
USC
Big Ten
|
DT | NYG New York Giants | 7 games |
| 1997 | Chris Miller |
USC
Big Ten
|
WR | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | William Carr |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DT | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Jon Hesse |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 5 games |
| 1997 | Wally Richardson |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
QB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 1 games |
| 1996 | Donnie Edwards 1× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 197 games · 11 yrs as starter 83 career AV |
| 1996 | Ricky Whittle |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
RB | NO New Orleans Saints | 10 games 1 career AV |
| 1996 | Norbert Davidds-Garrido |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | CAR Carolina Panthers | 68 games · 3 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1996 | Jon Runyan 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
T | TEN Houston Oilers | 207 games · 12 yrs as starter 79 career AV |
| 1996 | Aaron Graham |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
C | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 92 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1996 | Brian Milne |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 63 games · 2 yrs as starter 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Chris Darkins |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 14 games 1 career AV |
| 1996 | Eric Unverzagt |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 9 games |
| 1996 | Mercury Hayes |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
WR | NO New Orleans Saints | 13 games 1 career AV |
| 1996 | Jason Maniecki |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DT | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 18 games 1 career AV |
| 1996 | Christian Peter |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DT | NE New England Patriots | 81 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1996 | Jermaine Lewis 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
WR | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 111 games · 2 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 1996 | Kerwin Waldroup |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | 40 games · 3 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1996 | Doug Colman |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 64 games 5 career AV |
| 1996 | Tony Veland |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 27 games 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Craig Sauer |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
LB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 73 games 9 career AV |
| 1996 | Keith Conlin |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
T | IND Indianapolis Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1996 | Scott Greene |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
RB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 34 games · 1 yrs as starter 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Leon Neal |
Washington
Big Ten
|
RB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 1 games |
| 1996 | Stephen Pitts |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | SF San Francisco 49ers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1996 | Marco Rivera 3× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
G | GB Green Bay Packers | 155 games · 9 yrs as starter 67 career AV |
| 1996 | Jeremy Asher |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1996 | Mike Archie |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | TEN Houston Oilers | 23 games |
| 1996 | Kyle Wachholtz |
USC
Big Ten
|
QB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1996 | Jay Riemersma |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 112 games · 4 yrs as starter 19 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: Penn State — 140
- 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?
Penn State leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 140 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.