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 first-round 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
69picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
USC
Big Ten
56picks
USC team hub
-
3
Michigan
Big Ten
37picks
Michigan team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Penn State
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
36 | 36 | 1233% | 1 | 9 |
| 5 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2024
|
26 | 26 | 415% | 0 | 8 |
| 6 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2024
|
24 | 24 | 1146% | 3 | 4 |
| 7 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2017
|
22 | 22 | 941% | 1 | 2 |
| 8 |
Iowa
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
20 | 20 | 945% | 0 | 6 |
| 9 |
Nebraska
Big Ten · last pick 2011
|
20 | 20 | 420% | 0 | 0 |
| 10 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
20 | 20 | 840% | 0 | 9 |
| 11 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2016
|
17 | 17 | 424% | 0 | 0 |
| 12 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
9 | 9 | 333% | 0 | 3 |
| 13 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
6 | 6 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
6 | 6 | 233% | 0 | 3 |
| 15 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
6 | 6 | 467% | 1 | 1 |
| 16 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2021
|
5 | 5 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 17 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2010
|
3 | 3 | 133% | 0 | 0 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 151–200 of 382 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 |
Sedrick Ellis
|
USC
Big Ten
|
DT | NO New Orleans Saints | 70 games · 5 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 2008 |
Keith Rivers
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 74 games · 4 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 2008 |
Jonathan Stewart
1× Pro Bowl
|
Oregon
Big Ten
|
RB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 134 games · 5 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 2008 |
Sam Baker
|
USC
Big Ten
|
T | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 70 games · 3 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 2008 |
Lawrence Jackson
|
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 69 games · 2 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 2008 |
Dustin Keller
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 72 games · 3 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 2007 |
Joe Thomas
HOF
6× All-Pro
10× Pro Bowl
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
T | CLE Cleveland Browns | 167 games · 10 yrs as starter 85 career AV |
| 2007 |
Levi Brown
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
T | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 81 games · 5 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 2007 | Ted Ginn Jr. |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
WR | MIA Miami Dolphins | 193 games · 7 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 2007 |
Adam Carriker
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DE | LAR St. Louis Rams | 65 games · 3 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 2007 |
Leon Hall
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 152 games · 6 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 2007 |
Anthony Spencer
1× Pro Bowl
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DE | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 104 games · 4 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 2007 |
Anthony Gonzalez
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
WR | IND Indianapolis Colts | 40 games · 1 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2006 |
Reggie Bush
|
USC
Big Ten
|
RB | NO New Orleans Saints | 134 games · 8 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 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 |
Vernon Davis
2× Pro Bowl
|
Maryland
Big Ten
|
TE | SF San Francisco 49ers | 198 games · 11 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 2006 |
Donte Whitner
2× Pro Bowl
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 157 games · 10 yrs as starter 47 career AV |
| 2006 |
Matt Leinart
|
USC
Big Ten
|
QB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 33 games · 1 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 2006 |
Haloti Ngata
2× All-Pro
5× Pro Bowl
|
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DT | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 180 games · 12 yrs as starter 100 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 |
Tamba Hali
5× Pro Bowl
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 177 games · 10 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 2006 |
Laurence Maroney
|
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
RB | NE New England Patriots | 49 games 26 career AV |
| 2006 |
Santonio Holmes
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
WR | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 112 games · 6 yrs as starter 47 career AV |
| 2006 |
Marcedes Lewis
1× Pro Bowl
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 290 games · 15 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 2006 |
Nick Mangold
2× All-Pro
7× Pro Bowl
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
C | NYJ New York Jets | 164 games · 11 yrs as starter 73 career AV |
| 2005 |
Braylon Edwards
1× Pro Bowl
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
WR | CLE Cleveland Browns | 112 games · 5 yrs as starter 41 career AV |
| 2005 |
Mike Williams
|
USC
Big Ten
|
WR | DET Detroit Lions | 56 games · 2 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 2005 |
Shawne Merriman
1× All-Pro
3× Pro Bowl
|
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 75 games · 4 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 2005 |
Erasmus James
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DE | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 28 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 2005 |
Fabian Washington
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Oakland Raiders | 81 games · 4 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 2005 |
Luis Castillo
|
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DE | LAC San Diego Chargers | 82 games · 6 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 2005 |
Marlin Jackson
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 56 games · 2 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 2005 |
Mike Patterson
|
USC
Big Ten
|
DT | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 147 games · 6 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 2004 |
Robert Gallery
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
T | LV Oakland Raiders | 104 games · 7 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 2004 |
Reggie Williams
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
WR | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 79 games · 3 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 2004 |
Lee Evans
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
WR | BUF Buffalo Bills | 118 games · 7 yrs as starter 47 career AV |
| 2004 |
Will Smith
1× Pro Bowl
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DE | NO New Orleans Saints | 139 games · 7 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 2004 |
Kenechi Udeze
|
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 51 games · 3 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 2004 |
Chris Perry
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
RB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 35 games 9 career AV |
| 2004 |
Chris Gamble
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 123 games · 8 yrs as starter 44 career AV |
| 2004 |
Michael Jenkins
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
WR | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 130 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 2003 |
Carson Palmer
3× Pro Bowl
|
USC
Big Ten
|
QB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 182 games · 12 yrs as starter 107 career AV |
| 2003 | Charles Rogers |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
WR | DET Detroit Lions | 15 games 4 career AV |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kennedy |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DT | LAR St. Louis Rams | 92 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2003 | Michael Haynes |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DE | CHI Chicago Bears | 43 games 8 career AV |
| 2003 | Troy Polamalu HOF 4× All-Pro 8× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 158 games · 10 yrs as starter 96 career AV |
| 2003 |
Bryant Johnson
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
WR | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 139 games · 4 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 2003 | Dallas Clark 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | IND Indianapolis Colts | 143 games · 9 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 2003 | Larry Johnson 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 85 games · 4 yrs as starter 51 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 — 69
- 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 69 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.