Conference USA 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
Conference USA 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 RB Day 3 picks out of the Conference USA · 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
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA
5picks
Louisiana Tech team hub
-
2
UTEP
Conference USA
4picks
UTEP team hub
-
3
New Mexico State
Conference USA
3picks
New Mexico State team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Middle Tennessee
Conference USA · last pick 1992
|
2 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
| 5 |
Western Kentucky
Conference USA · last pick 2003
|
2 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
| 6 |
Delaware
Conference USA · last pick 1985
|
1 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
| 7 |
Liberty
Conference USA · last pick 2009
|
1 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–18 of 18 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 |
Jason Huntley
Arlington, TX
|
New Mexico State
Conference USA
|
RB | DET Detroit Lions | 6 games |
| 2018 |
Boston Scott
Baton Rouge, LA
|
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA
|
RB | NO New Orleans Saints | 75 games 11 career AV |
| 2017 |
Aaron Jones
1× Pro Bowl
|
UTEP
Conference USA
|
RB | GB Green Bay Packers | 126 games · 8 yrs as starter 67 career AV |
| 2016 |
Kenneth Dixon
Strong, AR
|
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA
|
RB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 18 games 5 career AV |
| 2010 |
Dennis Morris
Shreveport, LA
|
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA
|
RB | WAS Washington Commanders | No regular-season snaps |
| 2009 |
Rashad Jennings
|
Liberty
Conference USA
|
RB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 93 games · 5 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 2008 |
Marcus Thomas
|
UTEP
Conference USA
|
RB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 3 games |
| 2003 | Jeremi Johnson |
Western Kentucky
Conference USA
|
FB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 96 games · 4 yrs as starter 4 career AV |
| 2001 | Chris Barnes |
New Mexico State
Conference USA
|
RB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | No regular-season snaps |
| 2000 | Paul Smith |
UTEP
Conference USA
|
RB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 79 games 3 career AV |
| 1992 | Joe Campbell |
Middle Tennessee
Conference USA
|
RB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | No regular-season snaps |
| 1990 | Derrick Douglas |
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA
|
RB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 games |
| 1988 | David Smith |
Western Kentucky
Conference USA
|
RB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | No regular-season snaps |
| 1987 | Tony Burse |
Middle Tennessee
Conference USA
|
RB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 12 games |
| 1985 | Dan Reeder |
Delaware
Conference USA
|
RB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 13 games |
| 1985 | Kim Locklin |
New Mexico State
Conference USA
|
RB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1983 | Jessie Clark |
Louisiana Tech
Conference USA
|
RB | GB Green Bay Packers | 88 games · 3 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1982 | Del Thompson |
UTEP
Conference USA
|
RB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 6 games |
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: Louisiana Tech — 5
- 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?
Louisiana Tech leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 5 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.