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 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 351–382 of 382 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Chris Hinton 1× All-Pro 7× Pro Bowl |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
T | DEN Denver Broncos | 177 games · 11 yrs as starter 79 career AV |
| 1983 | Todd Blackledge |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
QB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 46 games 12 career AV |
| 1983 | Bruce Matthews HOF 7× All-Pro 14× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | TEN Houston Oilers | 296 games · 19 yrs as starter 138 career AV |
| 1983 | Joey Browner 3× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 145 games · 7 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1983 | Dave Rimington |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
C | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 86 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1983 | Don Mosebar 3× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
C | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 173 games · 11 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1982 | Chip Banks 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 138 games · 10 yrs as starter 73 career AV |
| 1982 | Art Schlichter |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
QB | IND Baltimore Colts | 13 games 4 career AV |
| 1982 | Mike Munchak HOF 2× All-Pro 9× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
G | TEN Houston Oilers | 159 games · 11 yrs as starter 93 career AV |
| 1982 | Marcus Allen HOF 2× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
RB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 222 games · 12 yrs as starter 104 career AV |
| 1982 | Jimmy Williams |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | DET Detroit Lions | 152 games · 10 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 1982 | Luis Sharpe 3× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
T | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 189 games · 13 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 1982 | Sean Farrell |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
G | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 123 games · 8 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1982 | Butch Woolfolk |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
RB | NYG New York Giants | 81 games · 4 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1982 | Ron Hallstrom |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
G | GB Green Bay Packers | 174 games · 9 yrs as starter 50 career AV |
| 1982 | Roy Foster 2× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | MIA Miami Dolphins | 165 games · 8 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1981 | Freeman McNeil 1× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
RB | NYJ New York Jets | 144 games · 8 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 1981 | Kenny Easley HOF 3× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 89 games · 7 yrs as starter 65 career AV |
| 1981 | Ronnie Lott HOF 6× All-Pro 10× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 192 games · 14 yrs as starter 123 career AV |
| 1981 | Mel Owens |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 122 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1981 | Keith Van Horne |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | CHI Chicago Bears | 186 games · 12 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 1981 | Dennis Smith 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 184 games · 13 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1981 | Curt Marsh |
Washington
Big Ten
|
G | LV Oakland Raiders | 45 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1981 | Booker Moore |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 51 games · 2 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1980 | Anthony Munoz HOF 9× All-Pro 11× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 185 games · 12 yrs as starter 138 career AV |
| 1980 | Bruce Clark 1× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DE | GB Green Bay Packers | 113 games · 6 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1980 | Curtis Greer |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DE | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 94 games · 6 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1980 | Junior Miller 2× Pro Bowl |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 71 games · 3 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 1980 | Doug Martin |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 126 games · 7 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 1980 | Brad Budde |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 92 games · 6 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 1980 | Ray Snell |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
G | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 65 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1980 | Charles White 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
RB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 108 games · 3 yrs as starter 30 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.