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 TE 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
Penn State
Big Ten
19picks
Penn State team hub
-
2
Iowa
Big Ten
18picks
Iowa team hub
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3
Michigan
Big Ten
18picks
Michigan team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
UCLA
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
15 | 1 | 17% | 0 | 4 |
| 5 |
USC
Big Ten · last pick 2015
|
14 | 0 | 214% | 0 | 0 |
| 6 |
Washington
Big Ten · last pick 2024
|
13 | 2 | 00% | 0 | 4 |
| 7 |
Wisconsin
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
13 | 0 | 215% | 0 | 2 |
| 8 |
Ohio State
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
12 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 5 |
| 9 |
Nebraska
Big Ten · last pick 2025
|
10 | 2 | 110% | 0 | 1 |
| 10 |
Maryland
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
9 | 1 | 333% | 0 | 1 |
| 11 |
Oregon
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
9 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 12 |
Michigan State
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
8 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 13 |
Purdue
Big Ten · last pick 2023
|
6 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 14 |
Rutgers
Big Ten · last pick 2015
|
6 | 0 | 117% | 0 | 0 |
| 15 |
Minnesota
Big Ten · last pick 2022
|
5 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 16 |
Indiana
Big Ten · last pick 2026
|
3 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 17 |
Northwestern
Big Ten · last pick 2012
|
2 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–50 of 180 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
Kenyon Sadiq
Idaho Falls, ID
|
Oregon
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | Awaiting debut |
| 2026 |
Marlin Klein
Cologne
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | HOU Houston Texans | Awaiting debut |
| 2026 |
Max Klare
Guilford, IN
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | Awaiting debut |
| 2026 |
Will Kacmarek
Saint Louis, MO
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | Awaiting debut |
| 2026 |
Max Bredeson
Hartland, WI
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | MIN Minnesota Vikings | Awaiting debut |
| 2026 |
Riley Nowakowski
Milwaukee, WI
|
Indiana
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | Awaiting debut |
| 2025 |
Colston Loveland
Gooding, ID
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | CHI Chicago Bears | 16 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2025 |
Tyler Warren
1× Pro Bowl
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | IND Indianapolis Colts | 17 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 2025 |
Terrance Ferguson
Littleton, CO
|
Oregon
Big Ten
|
TE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 14 games 2 career AV |
| 2025 |
Thomas Fidone
Council Bluffs, IA
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
TE | NYG New York Giants | 7 games |
| 2025 |
Moliki Matavao
Henderson, NV
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | NO New Orleans Saints | 6 games |
| 2025 |
Luke Lachey
Columbus, OH
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | HOU Houston Texans | Awaiting debut |
| 2024 |
Theo Johnson
Windsor, ON
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | NYG New York Giants | 27 games · 2 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2024 |
Erick All
Fairfield, OH
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 9 games · 1 yrs as starter 1 career AV |
| 2024 |
AJ Barner
Aurora, OH
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 34 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2024 |
Cade Stover
Mansfield, OH
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | HOU Houston Texans | 24 games · 1 yrs as starter 2 career AV |
| 2024 |
Devin Culp
Spokane, WA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 18 games 1 career AV |
| 2023 |
Sam LaPorta
1× Pro Bowl
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | DET Detroit Lions | 42 games · 3 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 2023 |
Luke Schoonmaker
Hamden, CT
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 51 games 4 career AV |
| 2023 |
Brenton Strange
Parkersburg, WV
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 43 games · 2 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 2023 |
Payne Durham
Suwanee, GA
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
TE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 46 games · 1 yrs as starter 2 career AV |
| 2022 |
Greg Dulcich
Glendale, CA
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 31 games 6 career AV |
| 2022 |
Jeremy Ruckert
Lindenhurst, NY
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | NYJ New York Jets | 58 games · 2 yrs as starter 4 career AV |
| 2022 |
Cade Otton
Tumwater, WA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 63 games · 4 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 2022 |
Jake Ferguson
2× Pro Bowl
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
TE | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 64 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 2022 |
Chig Okonkwo
Powder Springs, GA
|
Maryland
Big Ten
|
TE | TEN Tennessee Titans | 68 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2022 |
Connor Heyward
Duluth, GA
|
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 68 games 3 career AV |
| 2022 |
Ko Kieft
Sioux Center, IA
|
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
TE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 53 games · 1 yrs as starter 1 career AV |
| 2021 |
Pat Freiermuth
Merrimac, MA
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 78 games · 2 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 2021 |
Luke Farrell
Perry, OH
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 83 games 3 career AV |
| 2020 |
Devin Asiasi
Shoreview, CA
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | NE New England Patriots | 22 games |
| 2020 |
Brycen Hopkins
Nashville, TN
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
TE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 39 games 2 career AV |
| 2019 |
T.J. Hockenson
2× Pro Bowl
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | DET Detroit Lions | 97 games · 4 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 2019 |
Noah Fant
Omaha, NE
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 110 games · 5 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 2019 |
Drew Sample
Bellevue, WA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 95 games · 4 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2019 |
Zach Gentry
Albuquerque, NM
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 41 games · 2 yrs as starter 2 career AV |
| 2019 |
Caleb Wilson
Gardena, CA
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 5 games |
| 2018 |
Mike Gesicki
Manahawkin, NJ
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 128 games · 2 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 2018 |
Ian Thomas
Baltimore, MD
|
Indiana
Big Ten
|
TE | CAR Carolina Panthers | 114 games · 3 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 2018 |
Will Dissly
Bozeman, MT
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
TE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 96 games · 5 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2018 |
Troy Fumagalli
Aurora, IL
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 19 games 1 career AV |
| 2017 |
Jake Butt
Pickerington, OH
|
Michigan
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 8 games 1 career AV |
| 2017 |
George Kittle
2× All-Pro
7× Pro Bowl
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
TE | SF San Francisco 49ers | 124 games · 8 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 2016 |
Nick Vannett
Westerville, OH
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 121 games · 3 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2016 |
Thomas Duarte
Fullerton, CA
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 1 games |
| 2015 |
Maxx Williams
Waconia, MN
|
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
TE | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 83 games · 2 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 2015 |
Tyler Kroft
Downingtown, PA
|
Rutgers
Big Ten
|
TE | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 100 games · 2 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 2015 |
Jeff Heuerman
Naples, FL
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 51 games · 3 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 2015 |
Jesse James
Glassport, PA
|
Penn State
Big Ten
|
TE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 104 games · 4 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 2015 |
Randall Telfer
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
|
USC
Big Ten
|
TE | CLE Cleveland Browns | 30 games · 2 yrs as starter |
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: Penn State — 19
- 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?
Penn State leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 19 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.