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 TE 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
Penn State
Big Ten
19picks
Penn State team hub
-
2
Iowa
Big Ten
18picks
Iowa team hub
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3
Michigan
Big Ten
18picks
Michigan team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
15 | 1 | 17% | 0 | 4 |
| 5 |
USC
Big Ten · last pick 2015
|
14 | 0 | 214% | 0 | 0 |
| 6 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2024
|
13 | 2 | 00% | 0 | 4 |
| 7 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
13 | 0 | 215% | 0 | 2 |
| 8 |
Ohio State
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
12 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 5 |
| 9 |
Nebraska
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
10 | 2 | 110% | 0 | 1 |
| 10 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
9 | 1 | 333% | 0 | 1 |
| 11 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
9 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 12 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
8 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 13 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
6 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2015
|
6 | 0 | 117% | 0 | 0 |
| 15 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
5 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 16 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
3 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 17 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2012
|
2 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 101–150 of 180 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Tracey Wistrom |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No regular-season snaps |
| 2002 | Matt Murphy |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
TE | DET Detroit Lions | 28 games |
| 2001 | Tony Stewart |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 115 games · 1 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 2000 | Aaron Shea |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | CLE Cleveland Browns | 65 games 6 career AV |
| 2000 | Austin Wheatley |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | NO New Orleans Saints | 4 games |
| 2000 | Jay Tant |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
TE | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 5 games |
| 1999 | Jerame Tuman |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 123 games · 2 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1999 | Jed Weaver |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
TE | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 90 games · 2 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1999 | Billy Miller |
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 114 games 18 career AV |
| 1999 | Sheldon Jackson |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 45 games · 1 yrs as starter |
| 1998 | Cam Cleeland |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | NO New Orleans Saints | 89 games · 5 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1998 | Jeremy Brigham |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | LV Oakland Raiders | 47 games 3 career AV |
| 1998 | Blake Spence |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 18 games |
| 1997 | John Allred |
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | CHI Chicago Bears | 53 games 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Rickey Dudley |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | LV Oakland Raiders | 108 games · 5 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 1996 | Marco Battaglia |
Rutgers
Big Ten
|
TE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 96 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1996 | Ernie Conwell |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | LAR St. Louis Rams | 125 games · 7 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1996 | Johnny McWilliams |
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 74 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1996 | Scott Slutzker |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | IND Indianapolis Colts | 41 games 1 career AV |
| 1996 | Jay Riemersma |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 112 games · 4 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1995 | Kyle Brady |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 197 games · 13 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1995 | Mark Bruener |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 188 games · 10 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 1995 | Michael Roan |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
TE | TEN Houston Oilers | 62 games · 1 yrs as starter 4 career AV |
| 1995 | Eric Bjornson |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 82 games · 2 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 1994 | Bradford Banta |
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | IND Indianapolis Colts | 156 games |
| 1993 | Tony McGee |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 156 games · 10 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1993 | Troy Drayton |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 122 games · 6 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1993 | Mitch Lyons |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
TE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 90 games · 1 yrs as starter 3 career AV |
| 1993 | Frank Wycheck 3× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
TE | WAS Washington Commanders | 155 games · 9 yrs as starter 43 career AV |
| 1992 | Johnny Mitchell |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 57 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1992 | Aaron Pierce |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | NYG New York Giants | 82 games · 3 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 1992 | Nate Turner |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 28 games |
| 1992 | Kevin Smith |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 15 games |
| 1991 | Duane Young |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
TE | LAC San Diego Chargers | 73 games · 4 yrs as starter 3 career AV |
| 1991 | Randy Austin |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | No regular-season snaps |
| 1991 | Michael Titley |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Charles Arbuckle |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | NO New Orleans Saints | 42 games 2 career AV |
| 1990 | Derrick Walker |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | LAC San Diego Chargers | 129 games · 6 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1990 | Scott Galbraith |
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | CLE Cleveland Browns | 118 games · 2 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1990 | Ken Clark |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | IND Indianapolis Colts | 34 games · 1 yrs as starter 4 career AV |
| 1990 | Craig Hudson |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
TE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | No regular-season snaps |
| 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 | Paul Green |
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 49 games · 1 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1989 | Bob Mrosko |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | TEN Houston Oilers | 42 games · 1 yrs as starter 1 career AV |
| 1989 | Todd Millikan |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Alex Higdon |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 3 games |
| 1988 | Ferrell Edmunds 2× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 89 games · 4 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1988 | Keith Neubert |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 17 games · 1 yrs as starter 2 career AV |
| 1987 | Derek Tennell |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 75 games 3 career AV |
| 1987 | Rod Jones |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | NYG New York Giants | 9 games 1 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 — 19
- 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 19 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.