Big Ten programs ranked by NFL draft picks since 1980 — first-rounders, Pro Bowl alumni, and recent draft classes.
FantasyHQ
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 251–300 of 382 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Eddie George 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
RB | TEN Houston Oilers | 141 games · 8 yrs as starter 76 career AV |
| 1996 | Jeff Hartings 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
C | DET Detroit Lions | 162 games · 11 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1996 | John Michels |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | GB Green Bay Packers | 24 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1996 | Andre Johnson |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
T | WAS Washington Commanders | 3 games |
| 1995 | Ki-Jana Carter |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 59 games 11 career AV |
| 1995 | Tony Boselli HOF 3× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 91 games · 6 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 1995 | Kerry Collins 2× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
QB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 198 games · 11 yrs as starter 83 career AV |
| 1995 | Joey Galloway |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
WR | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 198 games · 11 yrs as starter 78 career AV |
| 1995 | Kyle Brady |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 197 games · 13 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1995 | J.J. Stokes |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
WR | SF San Francisco 49ers | 118 games · 3 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1995 | Tyrone Wheatley |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
RB | NYG New York Giants | 124 games · 4 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1995 | Napoleon Kaufman |
Washington
Big Ten
|
RB | LV Oakland Raiders | 91 games · 3 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1995 | Ty Law HOF 2× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 203 games · 12 yrs as starter 88 career AV |
| 1995 | Korey Stringer 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
T | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 93 games · 6 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 1995 | Mark Bruener |
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 188 games · 10 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 1995 | Craig Powell |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 14 games |
| 1995 | Trezelle Jenkins |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
T | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 9 games 1 career AV |
| 1994 | Dan Wilkinson |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DT | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 195 games · 12 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1994 | Willie McGinest 2× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | NE New England Patriots | 212 games · 13 yrs as starter 76 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 | Johnnie Morton |
USC
Big Ten
|
WR | DET Detroit Lions | 182 games · 11 yrs as starter 69 career AV |
| 1994 | Rob Fredrickson |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 128 games · 9 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1994 | Thomas Lewis |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
WR | NYG New York Giants | 34 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1994 | Derrick Alexander |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
WR | CLE Cleveland Browns | 126 games · 7 yrs as starter 56 career AV |
| 1993 | Curtis Conway |
USC
Big Ten
|
WR | CHI Chicago Bears | 167 games · 10 yrs as starter 62 career AV |
| 1993 | Lincoln Kennedy 1× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Washington
Big Ten
|
T | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 169 games · 9 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1993 | Steve Everitt |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
C | CLE Cleveland Browns | 103 games · 6 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 1993 | Robert Smith 2× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
RB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 98 games · 6 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1993 | O.J. McDuffie |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
WR | MIA Miami Dolphins | 116 games · 5 yrs as starter 44 career AV |
| 1992 | Steve Emtman |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | IND Indianapolis Colts | 50 games · 1 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1992 | Desmond Howard 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
WR | WAS Washington Commanders | 156 games · 1 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1992 | Troy Vincent 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 207 games · 13 yrs as starter 90 career AV |
| 1992 | Johnny Mitchell |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 57 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1992 | Dana Hall |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 91 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1992 | Vaughn Dunbar |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
RB | NO New Orleans Saints | 39 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 1992 | Alonzo Spellman |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DE | CHI Chicago Bears | 123 games · 5 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1992 | Tommy Maddox |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
QB | DEN Denver Broncos | 92 games · 2 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1991 | Eric Turner 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 109 games · 7 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 1991 | Bruce Pickens |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 48 games 4 career AV |
| 1991 | Mike Croel |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | DEN Denver Broncos | 102 games · 6 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1991 | Pat Harlow |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | NE New England Patriots | 105 games · 6 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1991 | Bobby Wilson |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DT | WAS Washington Commanders | 42 games · 2 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 1991 | Vinnie Clark |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 83 games · 3 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1991 | Todd Marinovich |
USC
Big Ten
|
QB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 8 games 3 career AV |
| 1991 | Jarrod Bunch |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
FB | NYG New York Giants | 48 games · 2 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 1990 | Blair Thomas |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | NYJ New York Jets | 64 games · 3 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1990 | Junior Seau HOF 6× All-Pro 12× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 268 games · 16 yrs as starter 133 career AV |
| 1990 | Mark Carrier 3× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 168 games · 11 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 1990 | Percy Snow |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 40 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 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.