First-round NFL draft picks by college program since 1980 — which schools produce the most Round 1 talent.
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College Football
NFL Draft History by college program
First-round NFL draft picks by college program since 1980 — which schools produce the most Round 1 talent.
- Draft picks
- 12,927
- Colleges
- 446
- First-rounders
- 1,427
- Hall of Famers
- 102
- Pro Bowlers
- 1,326
- Drafts covered
- 47
Showing 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
69picks
Ohio State team hub
-
2
Alabama
SEC
67picks
Alabama team hub
-
3
Miami
ACC
58picks
Miami team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1,151–1,200 of 1,427 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Troy Aikman HOF 6× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
QB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 165 games · 12 yrs as starter 96 career AV |
| 1989 | Tony Mandarich |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
T | GB Green Bay Packers | 86 games · 4 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1989 | Barry Sanders HOF 6× All-Pro 10× Pro Bowl |
Oklahoma State
Big 12
|
RB | DET Detroit Lions | 153 games · 10 yrs as starter 120 career AV |
| 1989 | Derrick Thomas HOF 2× All-Pro 9× Pro Bowl |
Alabama
SEC
|
LB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 169 games · 11 yrs as starter 104 career AV |
| 1989 | Deion Sanders HOF 6× All-Pro 8× Pro Bowl |
Florida State
ACC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 188 games · 12 yrs as starter 127 career AV |
| 1989 | Broderick Thomas |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
LB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 144 games · 6 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1989 | Tim Worley |
Georgia
SEC
|
RB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 48 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1989 | Burt Grossman |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
DE | LAC San Diego Chargers | 86 games · 5 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1989 | Sammie Smith |
Florida State
ACC
|
RB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 44 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1989 | Eric Hill |
LSU
SEC
|
LB | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 160 games · 11 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 1989 | Donnell Woolford 1× Pro Bowl |
Clemson
ACC
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 126 games · 9 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 1989 | Trace Armstrong 1× Pro Bowl |
Florida
SEC
|
DE | CHI Chicago Bears | 211 games · 9 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 1989 | Eric Metcalf 2× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Texas
SEC
|
RB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 179 games · 6 yrs as starter 64 career AV |
| 1989 | Jeff Lageman |
Virginia
ACC
|
DE | NYJ New York Jets | 122 games · 7 yrs as starter 44 career AV |
| 1989 | Andy Heck |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
T | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 185 games · 11 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1989 | Hart Lee Dykes |
Oklahoma State
Big 12
|
WR | NE New England Patriots | 26 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1989 | Joe Wolf |
Boston College
ACC
|
T | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 94 games · 2 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1989 | Brian Williams |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
C | NYG New York Giants | 129 games · 4 yrs as starter 27 career AV |
| 1989 | Wayne Martin 1× Pro Bowl |
Arkansas
SEC
|
DE | NO New Orleans Saints | 171 games · 10 yrs as starter 68 career AV |
| 1989 | Steve Atwater HOF 2× All-Pro 8× Pro Bowl |
Arkansas
SEC
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 167 games · 11 yrs as starter 81 career AV |
| 1989 | Bill Hawkins |
Miami
ACC
|
DE | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 42 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1989 | Andre Rison 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
WR | IND Indianapolis Colts | 186 games · 10 yrs as starter 77 career AV |
| 1989 | David Williams |
Florida
SEC
|
T | TEN Houston Oilers | 128 games · 8 yrs as starter 44 career AV |
| 1989 | Tom Ricketts |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
G | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 53 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1989 | Louis Oliver |
Florida
SEC
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 117 games · 7 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 1989 | Cleveland Gary |
Miami
ACC
|
RB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 68 games · 2 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 1989 | Shawn Collins |
Northern Arizona
Big Sky
|
WR | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 49 games · 1 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1989 | Keith DeLong |
Tennessee
SEC
|
LB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 64 games · 3 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 1988 | Aundray Bruce |
Auburn
SEC
|
LB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 151 games · 2 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1988 | Neil Smith 1× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 191 games · 11 yrs as starter 96 career AV |
| 1988 | Bennie Blades 1× Pro Bowl |
Miami
ACC
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 136 games · 9 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1988 | Paul Gruber |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
T | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 183 games · 12 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1988 | Rickey Dixon |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 82 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1988 | Tim Brown HOF 9× Pro Bowl |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
WR | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 255 games · 13 yrs as starter 105 career AV |
| 1988 | Sterling Sharpe HOF 3× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
South Carolina
SEC
|
WR | GB Green Bay Packers | 112 games · 7 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1988 | Dave Cadigan |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | NYJ New York Jets | 82 games · 5 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1988 | Terry McDaniel 5× Pro Bowl |
Tennessee
SEC
|
DB | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 152 games · 9 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1988 | Eric Moore |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
G | NYG New York Giants | 84 games · 5 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1988 | Michael Irvin HOF 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Miami
ACC
|
WR | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 159 games · 10 yrs as starter 104 career AV |
| 1988 | Ken Harvey 4× Pro Bowl |
California
ACC
|
LB | ARI Phoenix Cardinals | 164 games · 9 yrs as starter 65 career AV |
| 1988 | Keith Jackson 3× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
TE | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 129 games · 7 yrs as starter 43 career AV |
| 1988 | Gaston Green 1× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
RB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 58 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1988 | Anthony Miller 5× Pro Bowl |
Tennessee
SEC
|
WR | LAC San Diego Chargers | 155 games · 10 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1988 | Eric Kumerow |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DE | MIA Miami Dolphins | 42 games 4 career AV |
| 1988 | John Stephens 1× Pro Bowl |
Northwestern State
Southland
|
RB | NE New England Patriots | 88 games · 4 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 1988 | Aaron Jones |
Eastern Kentucky
United Athletic Conference
|
DE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 112 games · 2 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1988 | Randall McDaniel HOF 7× All-Pro 12× Pro Bowl |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
G | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 222 games · 14 yrs as starter 129 career AV |
| 1988 | Aaron Cox |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
WR | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 82 games · 1 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1988 | Clifford Charlton |
Florida
SEC
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 31 games 2 career AV |
| 1988 | Lorenzo White 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
RB | TEN Houston Oilers | 107 games · 3 yrs as starter 43 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 — 69
- 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 69 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.