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 1,251–1,300 of 1,427 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Mike Sherrard |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
WR | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 105 games · 2 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 1986 | Eric Dorsey |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
DE | NYG New York Giants | 89 games · 4 yrs as starter 27 career AV |
| 1986 | Will Wolford 3× Pro Bowl |
Vanderbilt
SEC
|
T | BUF Buffalo Bills | 191 games · 13 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 1986 | Tim McGee |
Tennessee
SEC
|
WR | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 134 games · 6 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1986 | Mike Haight |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
G | NYJ New York Jets | 63 games · 3 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 1986 | Mike Schad | Queens (Canada) | G | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 62 games · 4 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1986 | Bob Buczkowski |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
DE | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 21 games 3 career AV |
| 1986 | Rod Jones |
SMU
ACC
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 144 games · 7 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1986 | Reggie Dupard |
SMU
ACC
|
RB | NE New England Patriots | 51 games 7 career AV |
| 1986 | Neal Anderson 4× Pro Bowl |
Florida
SEC
|
RB | CHI Chicago Bears | 116 games · 7 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 1985 | Bruce Smith HOF 8× All-Pro 11× Pro Bowl |
Virginia Tech
ACC
|
DE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 279 games · 18 yrs as starter 152 career AV |
| 1985 | Bill Fralic 2× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
G | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 132 games · 9 yrs as starter 59 career AV |
| 1985 | Ray Childress 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Texas A&M
SEC
|
DT | TEN Houston Oilers | 163 games · 10 yrs as starter 90 career AV |
| 1985 | Chris Doleman HOF 2× All-Pro 8× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
DE | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 232 games · 13 yrs as starter 114 career AV |
| 1985 | Duane Bickett 1× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 175 games · 9 yrs as starter 64 career AV |
| 1985 | Lomas Brown 1× All-Pro 7× Pro Bowl |
Florida
SEC
|
T | DET Detroit Lions | 263 games · 17 yrs as starter 98 career AV |
| 1985 | Ken Ruettgers |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | GB Green Bay Packers | 156 games · 9 yrs as starter 55 career AV |
| 1985 | Ron Holmes |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DE | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 102 games · 6 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 1985 | Kevin Allen |
Indiana
Big Ten
|
T | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 16 games 2 career AV |
| 1985 | Al Toon 1× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
WR | NYJ New York Jets | 107 games · 8 yrs as starter 56 career AV |
| 1985 | Richard Johnson |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DB | TEN Houston Oilers | 98 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1985 | Jim Lachey 3× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
T | LAC San Diego Chargers | 131 games · 9 yrs as starter 77 career AV |
| 1985 | Eddie Brown 1× Pro Bowl |
Miami
ACC
|
WR | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 102 games · 7 yrs as starter 57 career AV |
| 1985 | Derrick Burroughs |
Memphis
American
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 58 games · 3 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1985 | Ethan Horton 1× Pro Bowl |
North Carolina
ACC
|
TE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 116 games · 5 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 1985 | Jerry Rice HOF 10× All-Pro 13× Pro Bowl |
Mississippi Valley State
SWAC
|
WR | SF San Francisco 49ers | 303 games · 18 yrs as starter 160 career AV |
| 1985 | Kevin Brooks |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DT | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 69 games · 3 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1985 | Freddie Joe Nunn |
Ole Miss
SEC
|
DE | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 157 games · 8 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 1985 | George Adams |
Kentucky
SEC
|
RB | NYG New York Giants | 76 games · 1 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1985 | Darryl Sims |
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
DE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 58 games 9 career AV |
| 1985 | Jerry Gray 4× Pro Bowl |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 134 games · 7 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 1985 | William Perry |
Clemson
ACC
|
DT | CHI Chicago Bears | 138 games · 9 yrs as starter 48 career AV |
| 1985 | Jessie Hester |
Florida State
ACC
|
WR | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 147 games · 7 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 1985 | Alvin Toles |
Tennessee
SEC
|
LB | NO New Orleans Saints | 55 games · 1 yrs as starter 10 career AV |
| 1985 | Emanuel King |
Alabama
SEC
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 67 games · 2 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1985 | Steve Sewell |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
RB | DEN Denver Broncos | 94 games 25 career AV |
| 1985 | Lorenzo Hampton |
Florida
SEC
|
RB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 70 games · 3 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 1985 | Trevor Matich |
BYU
Big 12
|
C | NE New England Patriots | 148 games 16 career AV |
| 1984 | Irving Fryar 5× Pro Bowl |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
WR | NE New England Patriots | 255 games · 13 yrs as starter 80 career AV |
| 1984 | Dean Steinkuhler |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
T | TEN Houston Oilers | 100 games · 5 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 1984 | Carl Banks 1× All-Pro 1× Pro Bowl |
Michigan State
Big Ten
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 173 games · 10 yrs as starter 68 career AV |
| 1984 | Kenny Jackson |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
WR | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 102 games · 4 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1984 | Bill Maas 2× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
NT | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 130 games · 8 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 1984 | Mossy Cade |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 30 games · 1 yrs as starter 8 career AV |
| 1984 | Ricky Hunley |
Arizona
Big 12
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 91 games · 2 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1984 | Leonard Coleman |
Vanderbilt
SEC
|
DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 49 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1984 | Rick Bryan |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
DE | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 109 games · 6 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 1984 | Russell Carter |
SMU
ACC
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 64 games · 3 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1984 | Wilber Marshall 2× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Florida
SEC
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | 179 games · 10 yrs as starter 99 career AV |
| 1984 | Alphonso Carreker |
Florida State
ACC
|
DE | GB Green Bay Packers | 94 games · 6 yrs as starter 36 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.