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 DB 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
57picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
USC
Big Ten
42picks
USC team hub
-
3
Nebraska
Big Ten
40picks
Nebraska team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Penn State
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
37 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 15 |
| 5 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
34 | 3 | 39% | 0 | 10 |
| 6 |
Michigan
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
31 | 6 | 310% | 2 | 11 |
| 7 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
30 | 4 | 413% | 1 | 3 |
| 8 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
30 | 4 | 620% | 0 | 13 |
| 9 |
Iowa
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
26 | 1 | 415% | 0 | 9 |
| 10 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
22 | 3 | 15% | 0 | 8 |
| 11 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
22 | 3 | 29% | 0 | 5 |
| 12 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
21 | 2 | 00% | 0 | 5 |
| 13 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
19 | 1 | 15% | 0 | 8 |
| 14 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2024
|
16 | 1 | 319% | 1 | 3 |
| 15 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
13 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 16 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
12 | 1 | 18% | 0 | 5 |
| 17 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
8 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 301–350 of 460 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Ty Howard |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 37 games 4 career AV |
| 1997 | Kenny Wheaton |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 22 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Damien Robinson |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 83 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1997 | Jamel Williams |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 35 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Eric Stokes |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 11 games |
| 1997 | Hudhaifa Ismaeli |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1996 | Alex Molden |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 98 games · 3 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1996 | Lawyer Milloy 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 234 games · 14 yrs as starter 78 career AV |
| 1996 | Tyrone Williams |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 120 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1996 | Chris Darkins |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 14 games 1 career AV |
| 1996 | Tony Veland |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 27 games 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Eric Smedley |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 42 games 2 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 | Marlon Kerner |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 43 games 6 career AV |
| 1995 | Michael Senters |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DB | CAR Carolina Panthers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1995 | Carl Greenwood |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 24 games 2 career AV |
| 1995 | Lance Brown |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 58 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1995 | Tito Paul |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 67 games 7 career AV |
| 1995 | Kenny Gales |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 1995 | Barron Miles |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1995 | Chad Cota |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 125 games · 5 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1995 | Herman O'Berry |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR St. Louis Rams | 9 games |
| 1994 | Toby Wright |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 59 games · 3 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1994 | Jason Sehorn |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 117 games · 5 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 1994 | John Reece |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 5 games |
| 1994 | Shelly Hammonds |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 1 games |
| 1994 | Myron Bell |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 112 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1994 | Marvin Goodwin |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | No regular-season snaps |
| 1993 | Carlton Gray |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 102 games · 4 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1993 | Roger Harper |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 56 games · 3 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 1993 | Mike Middleton |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | No regular-season snaps |
| 1993 | Corwin Brown |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 120 games · 1 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1993 | Tyrone Hughes 1× Pro Bowl |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 81 games 11 career AV |
| 1993 | Eric Castle |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 53 games 3 career AV |
| 1993 | Othello Henderson |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 21 games 2 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 | Dana Hall |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 91 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1992 | Tyrone Legette |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 91 games 7 career AV |
| 1992 | Dion Lambert |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 31 games 4 career AV |
| 1992 | Sean Lumpkin |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 67 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1992 | Alan Haller |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 games |
| 1992 | Matt Darby |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 81 games · 3 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1992 | Curtis Cotton |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1992 | Calvin Holmes |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1992 | Darren Perry |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 126 games · 8 yrs as starter 50 career AV |
| 1992 | Leonard Humphries |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 13 games 1 career AV |
| 1992 | Muhammad Oliver |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 21 games 1 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 | Vinnie Clark |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 83 games · 3 yrs as starter 21 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 — 57
- 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 57 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.