1980 NFL Draft broken down by the college programs that produced each pick — first-rounders, conference totals, and the full board.
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College Football
NFL Draft History by college program
1980 NFL Draft broken down by the college programs that produced each pick — first-rounders, conference totals, and the full board.
- Draft picks
- 12,927
- Colleges
- 446
- First-rounders
- 1,427
- Hall of Famers
- 102
- Pro Bowlers
- 1,326
- Drafts covered
- 47
Showing DB picks from the 1980 draft · 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
Texas
SEC
4picks
Texas team hub
-
2
Colorado College
3picks
Colorado College team hub
-
3
Oklahoma
SEC
3picks
Oklahoma team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–50 of 59 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Mark Haynes 2× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
Colorado College
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 127 games · 7 yrs as starter 66 career AV |
| 1980 | Roland James |
Tennessee
SEC
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 145 games · 8 yrs as starter 50 career AV |
| 1980 | Johnnie Johnson |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 124 games · 7 yrs as starter 51 career AV |
| 1980 | Don McNeal |
Alabama
SEC
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 110 games · 4 yrs as starter 30 career AV |
| 1980 | Roynell Young 1× Pro Bowl |
Alcorn State
SWAC
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 117 games · 8 yrs as starter 54 career AV |
| 1980 | Derrick Hatchett |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | IND Baltimore Colts | 49 games · 4 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1980 | Willie Teal |
LSU
SEC
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 80 games · 4 yrs as starter 31 career AV |
| 1980 | Mark Lee |
Washington
Big Ten
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 165 games · 10 yrs as starter 56 career AV |
| 1980 | Darrol Ray |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 72 games · 5 yrs as starter 30 career AV |
| 1980 | Dave Waymer 1× Pro Bowl |
Notre Dame
FBS Ind.
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 197 games · 11 yrs as starter 68 career AV |
| 1980 | Earl Jones |
Norfolk State
MEAC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 57 games 6 career AV |
| 1980 | LeRoy Irvin 2× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Kansas
Big 12
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 159 games · 8 yrs as starter 76 career AV |
| 1980 | Larry Carter |
Kentucky
SEC
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Ricky Churchman |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 19 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1980 | Jesse Johnson |
Colorado College
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 45 games 3 career AV |
| 1980 | Mike Jolly |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 35 games 4 career AV |
| 1980 | Larry Flowers |
Texas Tech
Big 12
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 67 games 6 career AV |
| 1980 | Bob Gregor |
Washington State
Pac-12
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 30 games 5 career AV |
| 1980 | Bill Hurley |
Syracuse
ACC
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 23 games 4 career AV |
| 1980 | Mark Streeter |
Arizona
Big 12
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Bryan Hicks | McNeese St. | DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 39 games · 2 yrs as starter 13 career AV |
| 1980 | Tony Blount |
Virginia
ACC
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 3 games |
| 1980 | Jeff Pyburn |
Georgia
SEC
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Keith Lee |
Colorado State
Mountain West
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 68 games 8 career AV |
| 1980 | Mike Harden |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 158 games · 9 yrs as starter 54 career AV |
| 1980 | Kenny Johnson |
Mississippi State
SEC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 127 games · 5 yrs as starter 39 career AV |
| 1980 | Herb Williams |
Southern
SWAC
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 19 games 2 career AV |
| 1980 | Jo Heath |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 27 games 2 career AV |
| 1980 | Mike Davis |
Colorado College
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Mike Guess |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Kirk Collins |
Baylor
Big 12
|
DB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 29 games 5 career AV |
| 1980 | Bud Hebert |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 10 games 2 career AV |
| 1980 | Terrell Ward |
San Diego State
Mountain West
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Kenny Hill |
Yale
Ivy League
|
DB | LV Oakland Raiders | 110 games · 4 yrs as starter 28 career AV |
| 1980 | Dupree Branch |
Colorado State
Mountain West
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Tim Smith |
Oregon State
Pac-12
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Vic Minor |
UL Monroe
Sun Belt
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 20 games 1 career AV |
| 1980 | Jeff Allen |
UC Davis
Big Sky
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 25 games · 1 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1980 | Derrick Goddard |
Drake
Pioneer Football League
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Ted Walton |
UConn
FBS Ind.
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Greg Bright |
Morehead State
Pioneer Football League
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 20 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1980 | Kent Davis |
Southeast Missouri State
OVC-Big South
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Woodrow Wilson |
NC State
ACC
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Donnie Henderson |
Utah State
Mountain West
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Jafus White |
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Lone Star
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Walt Bellamy |
VMI
Southern Conference
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Willie Stephens |
Texas Tech
Big 12
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Wayne Smith |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 108 games · 6 yrs as starter 33 career AV |
| 1980 | Delrick Brown |
Houston
Big 12
|
DB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | No regular-season snaps |
| 1980 | Mike Babb |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 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: Texas — 4
- 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?
Texas leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 4 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.