MAC 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
MAC 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 LB picks out of the MAC · 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
Western Michigan
MAC
5picks
Western Michigan team hub
-
2
Akron
MAC
2picks
Akron team hub
-
3
Bowling Green
MAC
2picks
Bowling Green team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
Buffalo
MAC · last pick 2026
|
2 | 1 | 150% | 0 | 1 |
| 5 |
Miami (OH)
MAC · last pick 2026
|
2 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 1 |
| 6 |
Ohio
MAC · last pick 2018
|
2 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 2 |
| 7 |
Ball State
MAC · last pick 2014
|
1 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
| 8 |
Northern Illinois
MAC · last pick 2009
|
1 | 1 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
| 9 |
Toledo
MAC · last pick 1984
|
1 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 0 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–18 of 18 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
Jackson Kuwatch
Cincinnati, OH
|
Miami (OH)
MAC
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | Awaiting debut |
| 2026 |
Red Murdock
Hopewell, VA
|
Buffalo
MAC
|
LB | DEN Denver Broncos | Awaiting debut |
| 2023 |
Zaire Barnes
Mundelein, IL
|
Western Michigan
MAC
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | 15 games 1 career AV |
| 2019 |
Ulysees Gilbert
Ocala, FL
|
Akron
MAC
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 31 games 2 career AV |
| 2018 |
Quentin Poling
Gomer, OH
|
Ohio
MAC
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 1 games |
| 2017 |
Blair Brown
Moreno Valley, CA
|
Ohio
MAC
|
LB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 28 games 3 career AV |
| 2017 |
Keion Adams
Salisbury, NC
|
Western Michigan
MAC
|
OLB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 2016 |
Jatavis Brown
Belle Glade, FL
|
Akron
MAC
|
OLB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 56 games · 2 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 2014 |
Khalil Mack
3× All-Pro
9× Pro Bowl
|
Buffalo
MAC
|
LB | LV Oakland Raiders | 179 games · 11 yrs as starter 105 career AV |
| 2014 |
Jonathan Newsome
Cleveland, OH
|
Ball State
MAC
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 30 games 4 career AV |
| 2009 |
Larry English
|
Northern Illinois
MAC
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 64 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2006 |
Terna Nande
|
Miami (OH)
MAC
|
LB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 1 games |
| 2004 |
Jason Babin
2× Pro Bowl
|
Western Michigan
MAC
|
LB | HOU Houston Texans | 148 games · 5 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1991 | Terry Crews |
Western Michigan
MAC
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 32 games 2 career AV |
| 1986 | John Offerdahl 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Western Michigan
MAC
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 89 games · 7 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 1984 | Mike Russell |
Toledo
MAC
|
LB | TEN Houston Oilers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1984 | Mark Emans |
Bowling Green
MAC
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1983 | Andre Young |
Bowling Green
MAC
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 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: Western Michigan — 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?
Western Michigan 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.