College programs that have produced the most NFL DB draft picks since 1980, with round and career filters.
FantasyHQ
College Football
NFL Draft History by college program
College programs that have produced the most NFL DB draft picks since 1980, with round and career filters.
- Draft picks
- 12,927
- Colleges
- 446
- First-rounders
- 1,427
- Hall of Famers
- 102
- Pro Bowlers
- 1,326
- Drafts covered
- 47
Showing DB first-round picks · 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
Ohio State
Big Ten
17picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
Alabama
SEC
13picks
Alabama team hub
-
3
Texas
SEC
13picks
Texas team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 51–100 of 231 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |
Eli Apple
Voorhees, NJ
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
CB | NYG New York Giants | 104 games · 5 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 2016 |
Vernon Hargreaves III
|
Florida
SEC
|
CB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 69 games · 4 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 2016 |
Karl Joseph
Orlando, FL
|
West Virginia
Big 12
|
S | LV Oakland Raiders | 65 games · 4 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2016 |
Keanu Neal
1× Pro Bowl
|
Florida
SEC
|
S | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 89 games · 3 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 2016 |
William Jackson III
Houston, TX
|
Houston
Big 12
|
CB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 75 games · 4 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 2016 |
Artie Burns
Miami, FL
|
Miami
ACC
|
CB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 90 games · 1 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 2015 |
Trae Waynes
Kenosha, WI
|
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
CB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 79 games · 3 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 2015 |
Kevin Johnson
Clarksville, MD
|
Wake Forest
ACC
|
CB | HOU Houston Texans | 64 games 11 career AV |
| 2015 |
Marcus Peters
2× All-Pro
3× Pro Bowl
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
CB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 116 games · 7 yrs as starter 63 career AV |
| 2015 |
Byron Jones
1× Pro Bowl
|
UConn
FBS Ind.
|
CB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 109 games · 7 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 2015 |
Damarious Randall
Pensacola, FL
|
Arizona State
Big 12
|
S | GB Green Bay Packers | 75 games · 5 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 2014 |
Justin Gilbert
Huntsville, TX
|
Oklahoma State
Big 12
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 35 games 4 career AV |
| 2014 |
Kyle Fuller
1× All-Pro
2× Pro Bowl
|
Virginia Tech
ACC
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 113 games · 5 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 2014 |
Calvin Pryor
Port St. Joe, FL
|
Louisville
ACC
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 46 games · 3 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 2014 |
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
1× Pro Bowl
|
Alabama
SEC
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 98 games · 6 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 2014 |
Darqueze Dennard
Dry Branch, GA
|
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 87 games 13 career AV |
| 2014 |
Jason Verrett
1× Pro Bowl
|
TCU
Big 12
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 41 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 2014 |
Deone Bucannon
Fairfield, CA
|
Washington State
Pac-12
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 84 games · 4 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 2014 |
Jimmie Ward
Mobile, AL
|
Northern Illinois
MAC
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 126 games · 6 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 2014 |
Bradley Roby
Suwanee, GA
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 135 games · 4 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 2013 |
Dee Milliner
Millbrook, AL
|
Alabama
SEC
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 21 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 2013 |
D.J. Hayden
Houston, TX
|
Houston
Big 12
|
DB | LV Oakland Raiders | 92 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2013 |
Kenny Vaccaro
Brownwood, TX
|
Texas
SEC
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 110 games · 7 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 2013 |
Eric Reid
1× Pro Bowl
|
LSU
SEC
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 99 games · 7 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 2013 |
Desmond Trufant
1× Pro Bowl
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 113 games · 8 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 2013 |
Xavier Rhodes
1× All-Pro
3× Pro Bowl
|
Florida State
ACC
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 135 games · 8 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 2013 |
Matt Elam
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
|
Florida
SEC
|
DB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 41 games · 2 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 2012 |
Morris Claiborne
Shreveport, LA
|
LSU
SEC
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 85 games · 5 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 2012 |
Mark Barron
Mobile, AL
|
Alabama
SEC
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 119 games · 7 yrs as starter 58 career AV |
| 2012 |
Stephon Gilmore
2× All-Pro
5× Pro Bowl
|
South Carolina
SEC
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 180 games · 12 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 2012 |
Dre Kirkpatrick
Gadsden, AL
|
Alabama
SEC
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 119 games · 5 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 2012 |
Harrison Smith
1× All-Pro
6× Pro Bowl
|
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 207 games · 13 yrs as starter 72 career AV |
| 2011 |
Patrick Peterson
3× All-Pro
8× Pro Bowl
|
LSU
SEC
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 201 games · 13 yrs as starter 103 career AV |
| 2011 |
Prince Amukamara
Glendale, AZ
|
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 113 games · 8 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 2011 |
Jimmy Smith
Colton, CA
|
Colorado College
|
DB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 128 games · 5 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 2010 |
Eric Berry
3× All-Pro
5× Pro Bowl
|
Tennessee
SEC
|
DB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 89 games · 5 yrs as starter 50 career AV |
| 2010 |
Joe Haden
3× Pro Bowl
|
Florida
SEC
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 158 games · 10 yrs as starter 62 career AV |
| 2010 |
Earl Thomas
3× All-Pro
7× Pro Bowl
|
Texas
SEC
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 140 games · 9 yrs as starter 82 career AV |
| 2010 |
Kareem Jackson
Macon, GA
|
Alabama
SEC
|
DB | HOU Houston Texans | 205 games · 12 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 2010 |
Devin McCourty
2× Pro Bowl
|
Rutgers
Big Ten
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 205 games · 13 yrs as starter 71 career AV |
| 2010 |
Kyle Wilson
Piscataway, NJ
|
Boise State
Mountain West
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 95 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2010 |
Patrick Robinson
Miami, FL
|
Florida State
ACC
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 123 games · 1 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 2009 |
Malcolm Jenkins
3× Pro Bowl
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 199 games · 12 yrs as starter 68 career AV |
| 2009 |
Vontae Davis
2× Pro Bowl
|
Illinois College
Midwest
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 121 games · 8 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 2008 |
Leodis McKelvin
|
Troy
Sun Belt
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 111 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 2008 |
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
2× Pro Bowl
|
Tennessee State
OVC-Big South
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 162 games · 7 yrs as starter 53 career AV |
| 2008 |
Aqib Talib
1× All-Pro
5× Pro Bowl
|
Kansas
Big 12
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 148 games · 9 yrs as starter 68 career AV |
| 2008 |
Mike Jenkins
1× Pro Bowl
|
South Florida
American
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 101 games · 4 yrs as starter 27 career AV |
| 2008 |
Antoine Cason
|
Arizona
Big 12
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 110 games · 4 yrs as starter 27 career AV |
| 2008 |
Kenny Phillips
|
Miami
ACC
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 59 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 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: Ohio State — 17
- 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 17 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.