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 LB 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.
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1
Ohio State
Big Ten
42picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
Penn State
Big Ten
42picks
Penn State team hub
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3
USC
Big Ten
40picks
USC team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
32 | 3 | 00% | 0 | 6 |
| 5 |
Michigan
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
30 | 3 | 310% | 0 | 11 |
| 6 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
29 | 3 | 517% | 0 | 5 |
| 7 |
Nebraska
Big Ten · last pick 2015
|
28 | 4 | 14% | 0 | 0 |
| 8 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
26 | 1 | 415% | 0 | 9 |
| 9 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
18 | 0 | 16% | 0 | 4 |
| 10 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2011
|
17 | 5 | 318% | 0 | 0 |
| 11 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
17 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 7 |
| 12 |
Iowa
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
16 | 2 | 319% | 1 | 4 |
| 13 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2020
|
15 | 0 | 213% | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
14 | 1 | 321% | 0 | 2 |
| 15 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2017
|
12 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 16 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2018
|
7 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 17 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
4 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 3 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 101–150 of 389 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 |
Josh Kaddu
Vacaville, CA
|
Oregon
Big Ten
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 6 games |
| 2012 |
Nathan Stupar
State College, PA
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Oakland Raiders | 82 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 2011 |
Akeem Ayers
Los Angeles, CA
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 97 games · 4 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 2011 |
Jonas Mouton
Los Angeles, CA
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 3 games |
| 2011 |
Mason Foster
Seaside, CA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 107 games · 6 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 2011 |
Casey Matthews
Agoura Hills, CA
|
Oregon
Big Ten
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 64 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 2011 |
Greg Jones
Cincinnati, OH
|
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 22 games 3 career AV |
| 2011 |
Brian Rolle
Immokalee, FL
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 20 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 2011 |
Ross Homan
Coldwater, OH
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | No regular-season snaps |
| 2011 |
Malcolm Smith
Northridge, CA
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 134 games · 2 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 2010 |
Sean Lee
1× All-Pro
2× Pro Bowl
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 118 games · 7 yrs as starter 53 career AV |
| 2010 |
Pat Angerer
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 54 games · 3 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 2010 |
Donald Butler
Sacramento, CA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 85 games · 5 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 2010 |
NaVorro Bowman
4× All-Pro
3× Pro Bowl
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 99 games · 5 yrs as starter 71 career AV |
| 2010 |
Phillip Dillard
Tulsa, OK
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 7 games |
| 2010 |
A.J. Edds
Greenwood, IN
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 17 games 1 career AV |
| 2010 |
Nate Triplett
|
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
LB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 8 games |
| 2010 |
Austin Spitler
Bellbrook, OH
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 55 games 5 career AV |
| 2010 |
Josh Hull
Millheim, PA
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | LAR St. Louis Rams | 39 games 3 career AV |
| 2009 |
Brian Cushing
1× Pro Bowl
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | HOU Houston Texans | 104 games · 7 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 2009 |
Clay Matthews
1× All-Pro
6× Pro Bowl
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | 156 games · 10 yrs as starter 77 career AV |
| 2009 |
James Laurinaitis
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | LAR St. Louis Rams | 117 games · 7 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 2009 |
Rey Maualuga
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 120 games · 9 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 2009 |
DeAndre Levy
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | DET Detroit Lions | 95 games · 6 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 2009 |
Kaluka Maiava
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 63 games · 1 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 2009 |
Marcus Freeman
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 2009 |
Cody Glenn
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | 19 games 2 career AV |
| 2009 |
Kevin Ellison
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 13 games · 1 yrs as starter 4 career AV |
| 2009 |
Moise Fokou
|
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 73 games · 2 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 2008 |
Keith Rivers
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 74 games · 4 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 2008 |
Dan Connor
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 62 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 2008 |
Shawn Crable
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | NE New England Patriots | 6 games |
| 2008 |
Bruce Davis
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 15 games |
| 2008 |
Cliff Avril
1× Pro Bowl
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
LB | DET Detroit Lions | 140 games · 7 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 2008 |
Stanford Keglar
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
LB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 35 games 3 career AV |
| 2008 |
Thomas Williams
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 15 games 1 career AV |
| 2008 |
Mike Humpal
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 2008 |
Bo Ruud
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | NE New England Patriots | No regular-season snaps |
| 2008 |
Larry Grant
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 68 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 2007 |
Paul Posluszny
1× Pro Bowl
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 145 games · 9 yrs as starter 58 career AV |
| 2007 |
David Harris
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | 164 games · 11 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 2007 |
Stewart Bradley
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 76 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 2007 |
Dallas Sartz
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | No regular-season snaps |
| 2007 |
Tim Shaw
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 80 games 6 career AV |
| 2007 |
Prescott Burgess
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 40 games 2 career AV |
| 2007 |
Oscar Lua
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | NE New England Patriots | No regular-season snaps |
| 2006 |
A.J. Hawk
1× Pro Bowl
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | 159 games · 10 yrs as starter 55 career AV |
| 2006 |
Chad Greenway
2× Pro Bowl
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
LB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 156 games · 10 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 2006 |
Bobby Carpenter
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 93 games 11 career AV |
| 2006 |
D'Qwell Jackson
1× Pro Bowl
|
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 141 games · 9 yrs as starter 61 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 — 42
- 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 42 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.