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 201–250 of 389 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Barry Gardner |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 110 games · 1 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1999 | Larry Atkins |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 49 games 6 career AV |
| 1999 | Rosevelt Colvin |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | 121 games · 5 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1999 | Eric Barton |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Oakland Raiders | 160 games · 8 yrs as starter 50 career AV |
| 1999 | Jay Foreman |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 84 games · 4 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1999 | Kendall Ogle |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 2 games |
| 1999 | Chad Kelsay |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 games |
| 1998 | Casey Dailey |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | 6 games |
| 1998 | Jerry Jensen |
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 10 games |
| 1998 | Ike Reese 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
LB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 144 games 15 career AV |
| 1997 | Mike Vrabel 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 206 games · 10 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 1997 | Pete Monty |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 52 games 5 career AV |
| 1997 | Tarek Saleh |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 59 games 4 career AV |
| 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 | Jon Hesse |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 5 games |
| 1996 | Terry Killens |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | TEN Houston Oilers | 97 games 8 career AV |
| 1996 | Donnie Edwards 1× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 197 games · 11 yrs as starter 83 career AV |
| 1996 | Eric Unverzagt |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
LB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 9 games |
| 1996 | Doug Colman |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 64 games 5 career AV |
| 1996 | Craig Sauer |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
LB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 73 games 9 career AV |
| 1996 | Jeremy Asher |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1995 | Craig Powell |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 14 games |
| 1995 | Brian Williams |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | 81 games · 3 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 1995 | Lorenzo Styles |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 70 games 6 career AV |
| 1995 | Troy Dumas |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 16 games 1 career AV |
| 1995 | Preston Harrison |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1995 | Donta Jones |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 91 games 10 career AV |
| 1995 | Matt Dyson |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Oakland Raiders | 4 games |
| 1995 | Phil Yeboah-Kodie |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | DEN Denver Broncos | 2 games |
| 1995 | Brian Gelzheiser |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1995 | Jeff Kopp |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 63 games 4 career AV |
| 1994 | Trev Alberts |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 29 games 4 career AV |
| 1994 | Jamir Miller 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 121 games · 7 yrs as starter 44 career AV |
| 1994 | Rob Fredrickson |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 128 games · 9 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1994 | Steve Shine |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1994 | Eric Ravotti |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 23 games 3 career AV |
| 1994 | Rob Holmberg |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 112 games 9 career AV |
| 1993 | Steve Tovar |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 121 games · 3 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1993 | Jaime Fields |
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 17 games 2 career AV |
| 1993 | Dave Hoffmann |
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | 1 games |
| 1993 | Rich McKenzie |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 8 games 1 career AV |
| 1993 | Travis Hill |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 21 games 1 career AV |
| 1993 | Lamont Hollinquest |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | 76 games 6 career AV |
| 1993 | Reggie Givens |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 41 games 3 career AV |
| 1992 | Mark D'Onofrio |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | 2 games 1 career AV |
| 1992 | Kurt Barber |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | 50 games 4 career AV |
| 1992 | Keith Goganious |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
LB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 74 games · 2 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 1992 | James Malone |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1992 | Erick Anderson |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 10 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: 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.