Sun Belt 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
Sun Belt 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 picks out of the Sun Belt · 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
Louisiana
Sun Belt
32picks
Louisiana team hub
-
2
Troy
Sun Belt
31picks
Troy team hub
-
3
Marshall
Sun Belt
30picks
Marshall team hub
| # | School | Picks | Rd 1 | Pro Bowlers | HOF | Last 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt · last pick 2019
|
28 | 0 | 27% | 0 | 1 |
| 5 |
Arkansas State
Sun Belt · last pick 2014
|
20 | 0 | 420% | 0 | 0 |
| 6 |
App State
Sun Belt · last pick 2023
|
17 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 7 |
| 7 |
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt · last pick 2020
|
15 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 3 |
| 8 |
James Madison
Sun Belt · last pick 2020
|
15 | 0 | 17% | 1 | 2 |
| 9 |
Coastal Carolina
Sun Belt · last pick 2022
|
9 | 0 | 111% | 0 | 4 |
| 10 |
Georgia State
Sun Belt · last pick 2026
|
5 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 3 |
| 11 |
Old Dominion
Sun Belt · last pick 2023
|
5 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 5 |
| 12 |
South Alabama
Sun Belt · last pick 2023
|
4 | 0 | 00% | 0 | 4 |
Draft pick explorer
Showing 101–150 of 211 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 |
Kevin Payne
|
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 32 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 2007 |
Oren O'Neal
|
Arkansas State
Sun Belt
|
FB | LV Oakland Raiders | 18 games |
| 2007 |
Tyler Thigpen
|
Coastal Carolina
Sun Belt
|
QB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 29 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 2007 |
Ahmad Bradshaw
|
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
RB | NYG New York Giants | 103 games · 3 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 2005 |
DeMarcus Ware
HOF
4× All-Pro
9× Pro Bowl
|
Troy
Sun Belt
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 178 games · 11 yrs as starter 100 career AV |
| 2005 |
Chris Harris
|
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 101 games · 6 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 2005 | C.C. Brown |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
DB | HOU Houston Texans | 83 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 2005 |
Jonathan Goddard
|
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | 1 games |
| 2004 |
Darius Watts
|
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
WR | DEN Denver Broncos | 22 games 4 career AV |
| 2004 |
Corey Williams
|
Arkansas State
Sun Belt
|
DT | GB Green Bay Packers | 126 games · 5 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 2003 | Byron Leftwich |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
QB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 60 games · 3 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 2003 | Charles Tillman 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 168 games · 11 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 2003 | Osi Umenyiora 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
DE | NYG New York Giants | 161 games · 6 yrs as starter 63 career AV |
| 2003 | Chris Crocker |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 151 games · 7 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 2003 | Steve Sciullo |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
G | IND Indianapolis Colts | 28 games · 1 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 2003 | Ike Taylor |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 174 games · 9 yrs as starter 53 career AV |
| 2003 | David Young |
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt
|
DB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 5 games |
| 2003 |
Davern Williams
|
Troy
Sun Belt
|
DT | MIA Miami Dolphins | 3 games 1 career AV |
| 2002 | Adrian Peterson |
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt
|
RB | CHI Chicago Bears | 106 games 11 career AV |
| 2002 | Chris Massey |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
RB | LAR St. Louis Rams | 141 games 13 career AV |
| 2002 | Brad Franklin |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
DB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 4 games |
| 2001 | Paul Toviessi |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
DE | DEN Denver Broncos | No regular-season snaps |
| 2001 | Jonathan Carter |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
WR | NYG New York Giants | 25 games 4 career AV |
| 2000 | Chad Pennington |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
QB | NYJ New York Jets | 89 games · 5 yrs as starter 55 career AV |
| 2000 | Rogers Beckett |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 71 games · 3 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 2000 | Doug Chapman |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
RB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 26 games 3 career AV |
| 2000 | Curtis Keaton |
James Madison
Sun Belt
|
RB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 25 games |
| 2000 | Michael Moore |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
G | WAS Washington Commanders | 8 games 1 career AV |
| 2000 | Kiwaukee Thomas |
Georgia Southern
Sun Belt
|
DB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 110 games 12 career AV |
| 2000 | Pat Dennis |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
DB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 41 games · 1 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 2000 | Mareno Philyaw |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
WR | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 1 games |
| 2000 | James Williams |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
WR | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 30 games 4 career AV |
| 1999 | Marty Booker 1× Pro Bowl |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
WR | CHI Chicago Bears | 157 games · 7 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 1999 | Brandon Stokley |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
WR | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 152 games · 1 yrs as starter 44 career AV |
| 1999 | Marcus Spriggs |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
DT | CLE Cleveland Browns | 18 games 2 career AV |
| 1999 | Lionel Barnes |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
DE | LAR St. Louis Rams | 27 games 3 career AV |
| 1999 | Tony Booth |
James Madison
Sun Belt
|
DB | CAR Carolina Panthers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1998 | Randy Moss HOF 4× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
WR | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 218 games · 12 yrs as starter 124 career AV |
| 1998 | Anthony Clement |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
T | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 128 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1998 | Steve Foley |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 96 games · 5 yrs as starter 30 career AV |
| 1998 | John Wade |
Marshall
Sun Belt
|
C | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 131 games · 7 yrs as starter 43 career AV |
| 1998 | Clifford Ivory |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Pratt Lyons |
Troy
Sun Belt
|
DE | TEN Tennessee Titans | 32 games · 1 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 1997 | Macey Brooks |
James Madison
Sun Belt
|
WR | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 25 games 3 career AV |
| 1997 | Ed Perry |
James Madison
Sun Belt
|
TE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 109 games 2 career AV |
| 1996 | Stepfret Williams |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
WR | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 26 games 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Keno Hills |
Louisiana
Sun Belt
|
G | NO New Orleans Saints | 22 games 3 career AV |
| 1996 | Mike Cawley |
James Madison
Sun Belt
|
QB | IND Indianapolis Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1996 | Carlos Emmons |
Arkansas State
Sun Belt
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 147 games · 8 yrs as starter 54 career AV |
| 1995 | Shawn King |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
DE | CAR Carolina Panthers | 48 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 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: Louisiana — 32
- 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 leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 32 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.