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 1,301–1,350 of 1,427 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Keith Millard 2× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Washington State
Pac-12
|
DT | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 93 games · 4 yrs as starter 59 career AV |
| 1984 | Jackie Shipp |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 74 games · 3 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1984 | Ron Faurot |
Arkansas
SEC
|
DE | NYJ New York Jets | 20 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1984 | Pete Koch |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
NT | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 58 games · 1 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1984 | Clyde Duncan |
Tennessee
SEC
|
WR | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 19 games |
| 1984 | Don Rogers |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 31 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1984 | Ron Solt 1× Pro Bowl |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
G | IND Indianapolis Colts | 116 games · 8 yrs as starter 43 career AV |
| 1984 | David Lewis |
California
ACC
|
TE | DET Detroit Lions | 47 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 1984 | John Alt 2× Pro Bowl |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
T | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 179 games · 10 yrs as starter 68 career AV |
| 1984 | Terry Taylor |
Southern Illinois
MVFC
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 149 games · 7 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1984 | Louis Lipps 2× Pro Bowl | Southern Mississippi | WR | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 110 games · 7 yrs as starter 54 career AV |
| 1984 | Todd Shell |
BYU
Big 12
|
LB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 38 games · 1 yrs as starter 12 career AV |
| 1984 | Billy Cannon |
Texas A&M
SEC
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 8 games 1 career AV |
| 1984 | Greg Bell 1× Pro Bowl |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
RB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 80 games · 4 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1984 | William Roberts 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
G | NYG New York Giants | 195 games · 11 yrs as starter 65 career AV |
| 1984 | Brian Blados |
North Carolina
ACC
|
T | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 107 games · 4 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 1983 | John Elway HOF 9× Pro Bowl |
Stanford
ACC
|
QB | IND Baltimore Colts | 234 games · 16 yrs as starter 140 career AV |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson HOF 5× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
SMU
ACC
|
RB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 146 games · 10 yrs as starter 92 career AV |
| 1983 | Curt Warner 3× Pro Bowl |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 100 games · 6 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1983 | Chris Hinton 1× All-Pro 7× Pro Bowl |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
T | DEN Denver Broncos | 177 games · 11 yrs as starter 79 career AV |
| 1983 | Billy Ray Smith |
Arkansas
SEC
|
LB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 126 games · 7 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1983 | Jimbo Covert HOF 2× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
T | CHI Chicago Bears | 111 games · 7 yrs as starter 57 career AV |
| 1983 | Todd Blackledge |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
QB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 46 games 12 career AV |
| 1983 | Michael Haddix |
Mississippi State
SEC
|
RB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 120 games · 3 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1983 | Bruce Matthews HOF 7× All-Pro 14× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
G | TEN Houston Oilers | 296 games · 19 yrs as starter 138 career AV |
| 1983 | Terry Kinard 1× Pro Bowl |
Clemson
ACC
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 121 games · 8 yrs as starter 49 career AV |
| 1983 | Tim Lewis |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 51 games · 2 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1983 | Tony Hunter |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
TE | BUF Buffalo Bills | 47 games · 2 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1983 | James Jones |
Florida
SEC
|
FB | DET Detroit Lions | 135 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Jim Kelly HOF 1× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Miami
ACC
|
QB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 160 games · 11 yrs as starter 103 career AV |
| 1983 | Tony Eason |
Illinois College
Midwest
|
QB | NE New England Patriots | 90 games · 3 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 1983 | Mike Pitts |
Alabama
SEC
|
DT | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 169 games · 7 yrs as starter 53 career AV |
| 1983 | Leonard Smith | McNeese St. | DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 138 games · 8 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Willie Gault |
Tennessee
SEC
|
WR | CHI Chicago Bears | 170 games · 9 yrs as starter 56 career AV |
| 1983 | Joey Browner 3× All-Pro 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 145 games · 7 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1983 | Gary Anderson 1× Pro Bowl |
Arkansas
SEC
|
RB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 111 games · 4 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1983 | Gabe Rivera |
Texas Tech
Big 12
|
NT | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 games 1 career AV |
| 1983 | Gill Byrd 2× Pro Bowl |
San José State
Mountain West
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 149 games · 10 yrs as starter 58 career AV |
| 1983 | Jim Jeffcoat |
Arizona State
Big 12
|
DE | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 227 games · 8 yrs as starter 57 career AV |
| 1983 | Ken O'Brien 2× Pro Bowl |
UC Davis
Big Sky
|
QB | NYJ New York Jets | 129 games · 7 yrs as starter 73 career AV |
| 1983 | Dave Rimington |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
C | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 86 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1983 | Don Mosebar 3× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
C | LV Los Angeles Raiders | 173 games · 11 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 1983 | Dan Marino HOF 3× All-Pro 9× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
QB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 242 games · 16 yrs as starter 145 career AV |
| 1983 | Darrell Green HOF 1× All-Pro 7× Pro Bowl |
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Lone Star
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 295 games · 15 yrs as starter 103 career AV |
| 1982 | Kenneth Sims |
Texas
SEC
|
DE | NE New England Patriots | 74 games · 5 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 1982 | Johnie Cooks |
Mississippi State
SEC
|
LB | IND Baltimore Colts | 128 games · 7 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1982 | Chip Banks 1× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 138 games · 10 yrs as starter 73 career AV |
| 1982 | Art Schlichter |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
QB | IND Baltimore Colts | 13 games 4 career AV |
| 1982 | Jim McMahon 1× Pro Bowl |
BYU
Big 12
|
QB | CHI Chicago Bears | 119 games · 9 yrs as starter 57 career AV |
| 1982 | Jeff Bryant |
Clemson
ACC
|
DE | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 175 games · 12 yrs as starter 68 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.