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 351–400 of 460 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Mike Dumas |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 102 games · 4 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1991 | Steve Jackson |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 118 games · 1 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1991 | Merton Hanks 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 137 games · 7 yrs as starter 64 career AV |
| 1991 | Charles Mincy |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 114 games · 3 yrs as starter 30 career AV |
| 1991 | David Key |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 3 games |
| 1991 | Tripp Welborne |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 2 games |
| 1991 | Tahaun Lewis |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 9 games 1 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 | Latin Berry |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 32 games 2 career AV |
| 1990 | Harlon Barnett |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 99 games · 4 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 1990 | Chris Oldham |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 155 games 17 career AV |
| 1990 | Le-Lo Lang |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 54 games 6 career AV |
| 1990 | Ernest Spears |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 16 games 1 career AV |
| 1990 | Derrick Kelson |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Daryl Reed |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Ventson Donelson |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Carnell Lake 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 185 games · 11 yrs as starter 83 career AV |
| 1989 | Darryl Henley |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 76 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1989 | David Arnold |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 15 games 1 career AV |
| 1989 | Thom Kaumeyer |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 8 games 1 career AV |
| 1989 | Gary Wilkerson |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Chris Hale |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 43 games 4 career AV |
| 1989 | Tony Zackery |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 19 games 1 career AV |
| 1989 | Tim Jackson |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 1 games |
| 1989 | Gary Gooden |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1989 | Marcus Turner |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 86 games 10 career AV |
| 1989 | J.B. Brown |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 166 games · 7 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 1988 | Anthony Newman |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 178 games · 7 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1988 | William White |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 170 games · 8 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1988 | Cris Dishman 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 199 games · 11 yrs as starter 78 career AV |
| 1988 | Dennis Price |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 31 games 3 career AV |
| 1988 | James Washington |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 114 games · 5 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 1988 | Ray Jackson |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Eric Hickerson |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | No regular-season snaps |
| 1988 | Brian Washington |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 124 games · 8 yrs as starter 47 career AV |
| 1987 | Rod Woodson HOF 6× All-Pro 11× Pro Bowl |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 238 games · 15 yrs as starter 142 career AV |
| 1987 | Nate Odomes 2× Pro Bowl |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 115 games · 7 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1987 | Brian Davis |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 87 games · 1 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1987 | Tim McDonald 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 191 games · 12 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 1987 | Lou Brock |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 4 games |
| 1987 | Cliff Hicks |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 98 games 8 career AV |
| 1987 | Len Bell |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 1 games |
| 1987 | Garland Rivers |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 2 games |
| 1987 | Sonny Gordon |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 7 games |
| 1987 | Tim Peoples |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1987 | Chuckie Miller |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 3 games 1 career AV |
| 1987 | Bobby Taylor |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1987 | Sid Lewis |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 2 games |
| 1986 | Vestee Jackson |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 119 games · 5 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 1986 | Brad Cochran |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | No regular-season snaps |
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.