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.
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1
Ohio State
Big Ten
57picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
USC
Big Ten
42picks
USC team hub
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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 401–450 of 460 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Devon Mitchell |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 26 games · 2 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 1986 | Donald Brown |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 18 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1986 | Matt Johnson |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1986 | Mike Zordich |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 185 games · 8 yrs as starter 47 career AV |
| 1986 | Elbert Watts |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 9 games 1 career AV |
| 1986 | Zeph Lee |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 24 games 4 career AV |
| 1985 | Richard Johnson |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 98 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1985 | Don Anderson |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 16 games 1 career AV |
| 1985 | Terry Lewis |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 10 games 1 career AV |
| 1985 | Ron Pitts |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 66 games 11 career AV |
| 1985 | Bret Clark |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 29 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1985 | Ken Stills |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 77 games · 4 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1985 | Andre Harris |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1985 | Chris Sydnor |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | No regular-season snaps |
| 1985 | Kerry Glenn |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 74 games 9 career AV |
| 1985 | Mike Pendleton |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1985 | Kevin Brown |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | No regular-season snaps |
| 1985 | Lonnie Young |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 147 games · 8 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1985 | Herb Welch |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 79 games 9 career AV |
| 1984 | Don Rogers |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 31 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1984 | Evan Cooper |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 85 games · 2 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1984 | Mark Robinson |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 88 games · 3 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 1984 | Harry Hamilton |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 98 games · 6 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 1984 | Shaun Gayle 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 160 games · 7 yrs as starter 45 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 | Keith Bostic 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 96 games · 6 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1983 | Ray Horton |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 147 games · 6 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1983 | Jimmy Turner |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 64 games 6 career AV |
| 1983 | Steve Brown |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 119 games · 7 yrs as starter 30 career AV |
| 1983 | Vince Newsome |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 141 games · 6 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1983 | Matt Vanden Boom |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | No regular-season snaps |
| 1983 | Troy West |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 3 games 1 career AV |
| 1983 | David Greenwood |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 27 games · 1 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1983 | Bill Stapleton |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | No regular-season snaps |
| 1983 | Jimmy Thomas |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1982 | Jim Burroughs |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | IND Baltimore Colts | 30 games · 2 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 1982 | Rodney Lewis |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 27 games 4 career AV |
| 1982 | Paul Lankford |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 130 games · 5 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1982 | Brian Carpenter |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 35 games · 1 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1982 | Von Mansfield |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 10 games 2 career AV |
| 1982 | Tom Morris |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 20 games 2 career AV |
| 1982 | Matt Bradley |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1982 | Joe Turner |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 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 | Dennis Smith 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 184 games · 13 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1981 | Russell Gary |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 80 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1981 | Lloyd Burruss 1× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 145 games · 8 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 1981 | Todd Bell 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 103 games · 4 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1981 | Sam Johnson |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 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.