College programs that have produced the most NFL LB 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 LB 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 LB 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
Alabama
SEC
43picks
Alabama team hub
-
2
Ohio State
Big Ten
42picks
Ohio State team hub
-
3
Penn State
Big Ten
42picks
Penn State team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 201–250 of 1,691 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Blake Cashman
Eden Prairie, MN
|
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
LB | NYJ New York Jets | 71 games · 3 yrs as starter 25 career AV |
| 2019 |
Cameron Smith
Roseville, CA
|
USC
Big Ten
|
LB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 5 games |
| 2019 |
E.J. Speed
|
Tarleton State
United Athletic Conference
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 108 games · 3 yrs as starter 20 career AV |
| 2019 |
D'Andre Walker
Fairburn, GA
|
Georgia
SEC
|
LB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 1 games |
| 2019 |
Cole Holcomb
New Smyrna Beach, FL
|
North Carolina
ACC
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | 72 games · 3 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 2019 |
David Long
Cincinnati, OH
|
West Virginia
Big 12
|
LB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 80 games · 2 yrs as starter 23 career AV |
| 2019 |
Emeke Egbule
Galena Park, TX
|
Houston
Big 12
|
LB | LAC Los Angeles Chargers | 32 games 2 career AV |
| 2019 |
Ulysees Gilbert
Ocala, FL
|
Akron
MAC
|
LB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 31 games 2 career AV |
| 2019 |
Deshaun Davis
Mobile, AL
|
Auburn
SEC
|
LB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | No regular-season snaps |
| 2019 |
Ty Summers
San Antonio, TX
|
TCU
Big 12
|
LB | GB Green Bay Packers | 89 games 6 career AV |
| 2019 |
Kaden Elliss
Chicago, IL
|
Idaho
Big Sky
|
LB | NO New Orleans Saints | 99 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 2019 |
Dakota Allen
Humble, TX
|
Texas Tech
Big 12
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 38 games 2 career AV |
| 2018 |
Roquan Smith
3× All-Pro
4× Pro Bowl
|
Georgia
SEC
|
ILB | CHI Chicago Bears | 125 games · 8 yrs as starter 84 career AV |
| 2018 |
Tremaine Edmunds
2× Pro Bowl
|
Virginia Tech
ACC
|
ILB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 119 games · 8 yrs as starter 62 career AV |
| 2018 |
Leighton Vander Esch
1× Pro Bowl
|
Boise State
Mountain West
|
OLB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 71 games · 5 yrs as starter 35 career AV |
| 2018 |
Rashaan Evans
Auburn, AL
|
Alabama
SEC
|
ILB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 87 games · 4 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 2018 |
Shaquille Leonard
3× All-Pro
3× Pro Bowl
|
South Carolina State
MEAC
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 75 games · 5 yrs as starter 60 career AV |
| 2018 |
Harold Landry
1× Pro Bowl
|
Boston College
ACC
|
OLB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 113 games · 6 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 2018 |
Uchenna Nwosu
Carson, CA
|
USC
Big Ten
|
OLB | LAC Los Angeles Chargers | 107 games · 3 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 2018 |
Kemoko Turay
Newark, NJ
|
Rutgers
Big Ten
|
OLB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 41 games 5 career AV |
| 2018 |
Fred Warner
4× All-Pro
4× Pro Bowl
|
BYU
Big 12
|
OLB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 121 games · 7 yrs as starter 82 career AV |
| 2018 |
Jerome Baker
Cleveland, OH
|
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
OLB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 121 games · 6 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 2018 |
Malik Jefferson
Mesquite, TX
|
Texas
SEC
|
OLB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 38 games 3 career AV |
| 2018 |
Oren Burks
Fairfax Station, VA
|
Vanderbilt
SEC
|
ILB | GB Green Bay Packers | 125 games · 1 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 2018 |
Dorian O'Daniel
Olney, MD
|
Clemson
ACC
|
OLB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 58 games 5 career AV |
| 2018 |
Josey Jewell
Decorah, IA
|
Iowa
Big Ten
|
ILB | DEN Denver Broncos | 90 games · 5 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 2018 |
Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Bowling Green, KY
|
Western Kentucky
Conference USA
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | 65 games 5 career AV |
| 2018 |
Kenny Young
New Orleans, LA
|
UCLA
Big Ten
|
LB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 63 games · 1 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 2018 |
Marquis Haynes
Jacksonville, FL
|
Ole Miss
SEC
|
OLB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 73 games 7 career AV |
| 2018 |
Shaquem Griffin
St. Petersburg, FL
|
UCF
Big 12
|
OLB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 46 games 4 career AV |
| 2018 |
Ja'Whaun Bentley
Glenarden, MD
|
Purdue
Big Ten
|
ILB | NE New England Patriots | 83 games · 4 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 2018 |
Micah Kiser
Baltimore, MD
|
Virginia
ACC
|
ILB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 36 games 8 career AV |
| 2018 |
Genard Avery
Grenada, MS
|
Memphis
American
|
LB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 63 games · 2 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 2018 |
Jermaine Carter Jr.
|
Maryland
Big Ten
|
LB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 72 games · 2 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 2018 |
Christian Sam
Allen, TX
|
Arizona State
Big 12
|
ILB | NE New England Patriots | No regular-season snaps |
| 2018 |
Jacob Martin
Aurora, CO
|
Temple
American
|
LB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 119 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 2018 |
Chris Covington
Chicago, IL
|
Indiana
Big Ten
|
LB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 8 games |
| 2018 |
Shaun Dion Hamilton
Montgomery, AL
|
Alabama
SEC
|
LB | WAS Washington Commanders | 46 games 8 career AV |
| 2018 |
Jack Cichy
Somerset, WI
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
ILB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 games |
| 2018 |
Peter Kalambayi
Matthews, NC
|
Stanford
ACC
|
LB | HOU Houston Texans | 41 games 3 career AV |
| 2018 |
Azeem Victor
Compton, CA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
LB | LV Oakland Raiders | No regular-season snaps |
| 2018 |
Keishawn Bierria
Carson, CA
|
Washington
Big Ten
|
ILB | DEN Denver Broncos | 21 games 1 career AV |
| 2018 |
Matthew Adams
Missouri City, TX
|
Houston
Big 12
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 98 games · 1 yrs as starter 14 career AV |
| 2018 |
Devante Downs
Mountlake Terrace, WA
|
California
ACC
|
LB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 36 games 6 career AV |
| 2018 |
Quentin Poling
Gomer, OH
|
Ohio
MAC
|
LB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 1 games |
| 2018 |
Leon Jacobs
San Pedro, CA
|
Wisconsin
Big Ten
|
OLB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 29 games · 1 yrs as starter 7 career AV |
| 2018 |
Travin Howard
Longview, TX
|
TCU
Big 12
|
OLB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 29 games 3 career AV |
| 2018 |
Andre Smith
Jacksonville, FL
|
North Carolina
ACC
|
ILB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 62 games 6 career AV |
| 2018 |
Zaire Franklin
1× Pro Bowl
|
Syracuse
ACC
|
LB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 132 games · 5 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 2018 |
Kendall Donnerson
Chicago, IL
|
Southeast Missouri State
OVC-Big South
|
OLB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
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: Alabama — 43
- 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?
Alabama leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 43 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.