1997 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
1997 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 1997 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
Nebraska
Big Ten
4picks
Nebraska team hub
-
2
Miami
ACC
3picks
Miami team hub
-
3
Ohio State
Big Ten
3picks
Ohio State team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–50 of 52 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Shawn Springs 1× Pro Bowl |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 169 games · 10 yrs as starter 58 career AV |
| 1997 | Bryant Westbrook |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 71 games · 3 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1997 | Tom Knight |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 73 games · 3 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1997 | Michael Booker |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 73 games 9 career AV |
| 1997 | Chad Scott |
Maryland
Big Ten
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 108 games · 5 yrs as starter 41 career AV |
| 1997 | Chris Canty |
Kansas State
Big 12
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 61 games · 1 yrs as starter 9 career AV |
| 1997 | Rob Kelly |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 60 games 8 career AV |
| 1997 | Dexter McCleon |
Clemson
ACC
|
DB | LAR St. Louis Rams | 148 games · 4 yrs as starter 38 career AV |
| 1997 | Sam Madison 2× All-Pro 4× Pro Bowl |
Louisville
ACC
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 173 games · 10 yrs as starter 86 career AV |
| 1997 | Torrian Gray |
Virginia Tech
ACC
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 25 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Mike Logan |
West Virginia
Big 12
|
DB | JAX Jacksonville Jaguars | 116 games · 2 yrs as starter 19 career AV |
| 1997 | Kevin Abrams |
Syracuse
ACC
|
DB | DET Detroit Lions | 32 games 7 career AV |
| 1997 | Mike Minter |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | CAR Carolina Panthers | 148 games · 9 yrs as starter 52 career AV |
| 1997 | Kim Herring |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
DB | BAL Baltimore Ravens | 98 games · 6 yrs as starter 34 career AV |
| 1997 | Darren Sharper 2× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
William & Mary
CAA
|
DB | GB Green Bay Packers | 205 games · 12 yrs as starter 89 career AV |
| 1997 | Ronde Barber HOF 3× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
Virginia
ACC
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 241 games · 15 yrs as starter 109 career AV |
| 1997 | Denard Walker |
LSU
SEC
|
DB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 134 games · 6 yrs as starter 36 career AV |
| 1997 | Ty Howard |
Ohio State
Big Ten
|
DB | ARI Arizona Cardinals | 37 games 4 career AV |
| 1997 | Chris Carter |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | NE New England Patriots | 92 games · 2 yrs as starter 18 career AV |
| 1997 | Kenny Wheaton |
Oregon
Big Ten
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 22 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Tremain Mack 1× Pro Bowl |
Miami
ACC
|
DB | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 44 games 6 career AV |
| 1997 | Antonio Banks |
Virginia Tech
ACC
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 24 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Monty Montgomery |
Houston
Big 12
|
DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | 59 games 10 career AV |
| 1997 | Damien Robinson |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 83 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1997 | Cory Gilliard |
Ball State
MAC
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 1 games |
| 1997 | Jamel Williams |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 35 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Marcus Wimberly |
Miami
ACC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 6 games |
| 1997 | Sam Garnes |
Cincinnati
Big 12
|
DB | NYG New York Giants | 106 games · 7 yrs as starter 37 career AV |
| 1997 | Keith Thibodeaux |
Northwestern State
Southland
|
DB | WAS Washington Commanders | 54 games 4 career AV |
| 1997 | Van Hiles |
Kentucky
SEC
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 16 games 1 career AV |
| 1997 | Eric Stokes |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 11 games |
| 1997 | George McCullough |
Baylor
Big 12
|
DB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 40 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Raymond Austin |
Tennessee
SEC
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | 43 games 3 career AV |
| 1997 | Paul Bradford |
Portland State
Big Sky
|
DB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 15 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Sean Woodson |
Jackson State
SWAC
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Taje Allen |
Texas
SEC
|
DB | LAR St. Louis Rams | 79 games 6 career AV |
| 1997 | Al Harris 2× Pro Bowl |
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Lone Star
|
DB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 194 games · 7 yrs as starter 54 career AV |
| 1997 | Calvin Branch |
Colorado State
Mountain West
|
DB | LV Oakland Raiders | 60 games 3 career AV |
| 1997 | Robert Tate |
Cincinnati
Big 12
|
DB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 116 games · 2 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1997 | Daryl Porter |
Boston College
ACC
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 55 games 6 career AV |
| 1997 | Lee Vaughn |
Wyoming
Mountain West
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Ricky Parker |
San Diego State
Mountain West
|
DB | CHI Chicago Bears | 12 games 1 career AV |
| 1997 | Steve Rosga |
Colorado College
|
DB | NYJ New York Jets | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Hudhaifa Ismaeli |
Northwestern
Big Ten
|
DB | MIA Miami Dolphins | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Carlos Jones |
Miami
ACC
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Armon Williams |
Arizona
Big 12
|
DB | TEN Tennessee Titans | 6 games |
| 1997 | Clarence Thompson | Knoxville | DB | IND Indianapolis Colts | No regular-season snaps |
| 1997 | Chris Bayne |
Fresno State
Mountain West
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 23 games 2 career AV |
| 1997 | Omar Stoutmire |
Fresno State
Mountain West
|
DB | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 136 games · 4 yrs as starter 26 career AV |
| 1997 | Byron Capers |
Florida State
ACC
|
DB | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 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: Nebraska — 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?
Nebraska 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.