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 DL 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
43picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
Nebraska
Big Ten
38picks
Nebraska team hub
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3
USC
Big Ten
37picks
USC team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Michigan
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
36 | 9 | 411% | 0 | 18 |
| 5 |
Penn State
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
35 | 10 | 26% | 0 | 11 |
| 6 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
28 | 6 | 14% | 0 | 7 |
| 7 |
Iowa
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
26 | 2 | 28% | 0 | 9 |
| 8 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
25 | 6 | 28% | 0 | 7 |
| 9 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2020
|
22 | 2 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 10 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
22 | 4 | 15% | 0 | 7 |
| 11 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
22 | 4 | 29% | 0 | 3 |
| 12 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
20 | 1 | 315% | 0 | 3 |
| 13 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
19 | 3 | 421% | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
11 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 3 |
| 15 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
10 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 3 |
| 16 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
6 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 17 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
4 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 301–350 of 404 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Mike Evans |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DT | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 12 games 1 career AV |
| 1992 | Frank Kmet |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DE | BUF Buffalo Bills | No regular-season snaps |
| 1992 | Derek Steele |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DE | IND Indianapolis Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1992 | Ron Geater |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 3 games |
| 1992 | John MacNeill |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1992 | Matt LaBounty |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DE | SF San Francisco 49ers | 85 games 9 career AV |
| 1991 | Bobby Wilson |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DT | WAS Washington Commanders | 42 games · 2 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 1991 | Don Davey |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DT | GB Green Bay Packers | 92 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1991 | Nolan Harrison |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DE | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 128 games · 4 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1991 | Kenny Walker |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 31 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1991 | Don Gibson |
USC
Big Ten
|
DT | DEN Denver Broncos | No regular-season snaps |
| 1991 | Frank Giannetti |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
NT | IND Indianapolis Colts | 3 games |
| 1991 | Mike Sunvold |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DT | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1991 | John Cook |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DT | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 1991 | Cliff Confer |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DE | SF San Francisco 49ers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Dan Owens |
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | 145 games · 5 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1990 | Dennis Brown |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | SF San Francisco 49ers | 110 games · 3 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1990 | Tim Ryan |
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | CHI Chicago Bears | 58 games 7 career AV |
| 1990 | Travis Davis |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
NT | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 18 games · 1 yrs as starter 3 career AV |
| 1990 | Kent Wells |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DT | WAS Washington Commanders | 6 games 1 career AV |
| 1990 | Jim Szymanski |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 7 games 2 career AV |
| 1990 | Mike Lodish |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
NT | BUF Buffalo Bills | 166 games · 1 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 1990 | Martin Harrison |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | SF San Francisco 49ers | 81 games 10 career AV |
| 1990 | Brent White |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DE | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Warren Powers |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | 51 games · 2 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1989 | Matt Brock |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DE | GB Green Bay Packers | 108 games · 6 yrs as starter 41 career AV |
| 1989 | Jim Wahler |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
NT | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 62 games · 3 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1989 | Lawrence Pete |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
NT | DET Detroit Lions | 61 games · 1 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1989 | Derek MacCready |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Willie Griffin |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Mike Baum |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Neil Smith 1× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 191 games · 11 yrs as starter 96 career AV |
| 1988 | Eric Kumerow |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 42 games 4 career AV |
| 1988 | Rollin Putzier |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DT | GB Green Bay Packers | 16 games 1 career AV |
| 1988 | Tim Rother |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DT | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 20 games 1 career AV |
| 1988 | Gary Hadd |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DT | DET Detroit Lions | 15 games 2 career AV |
| 1988 | Mark Nichols |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DT | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Joe Schuster |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DT | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Pete Curkendall |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DT | BUF Buffalo Bills | No regular-season snaps |
| 1987 | Reggie Rogers |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | 15 games 1 career AV |
| 1987 | Danny Noonan |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DT | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 73 games · 2 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1987 | Tim Johnson |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DT | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 146 games · 7 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 1987 | Jeff Drost |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DT | GB Green Bay Packers | 2 games |
| 1987 | Steve Alvord |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DT | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 27 games · 2 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 1987 | Bruce Mesner |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
NT | BUF Buffalo Bills | 11 games 1 career AV |
| 1987 | Steve Roberts |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | No regular-season snaps |
| 1986 | Jim Skow |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 83 games · 4 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 1986 | Mike Hammerstein |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 56 games 6 career AV |
| 1986 | Mark Walen |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DT | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 24 games 3 career AV |
| 1986 | Matt Koart |
USC
Big Ten
|
DE | GB Green Bay Packers | 6 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 — 43
- 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 43 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.