1981 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
1981 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 picks from the 1981 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
Pittsburgh
ACC
12picks
Pittsburgh team hub
-
2
USC
Big Ten
9picks
USC team hub
-
3
Ohio State
Big Ten
8picks
Ohio State team hub
Draft pick explorer
Showing 1–50 of 332 picks · filtered.
| Pick | Player | College | Pos | NFL team | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | George Rogers 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
South Carolina
SEC
|
RB | NO New Orleans Saints | 92 games · 6 yrs as starter 46 career AV |
| 1981 | Lawrence Taylor HOF 8× All-Pro 10× Pro Bowl |
North Carolina
ACC
|
LB | NYG New York Giants | 184 games · 13 yrs as starter 146 career AV |
| 1981 | Freeman McNeil 1× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
RB | NYJ New York Jets | 144 games · 8 yrs as starter 75 career AV |
| 1981 | Kenny Easley HOF 3× All-Pro 5× Pro Bowl |
UCLA
Big Ten
|
DB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 89 games · 7 yrs as starter 65 career AV |
| 1981 | E.J. Junior 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Alabama
SEC
|
LB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 170 games · 9 yrs as starter 59 career AV |
| 1981 | Rich Campbell |
California
ACC
|
QB | GB Green Bay Packers | 7 games 2 career AV |
| 1981 | Hugh Green 2× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
LB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 136 games · 8 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 1981 | Ronnie Lott HOF 6× All-Pro 10× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 192 games · 14 yrs as starter 123 career AV |
| 1981 | Mel Owens |
Michigan
Big Ten
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 122 games · 6 yrs as starter 42 career AV |
| 1981 | David Verser |
Kansas
Big 12
|
WR | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 52 games 6 career AV |
| 1981 | Keith Van Horne |
USC
Big Ten
|
T | CHI Chicago Bears | 186 games · 12 yrs as starter 61 career AV |
| 1981 | Randy McMillan |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
RB | IND Baltimore Colts | 88 games · 6 yrs as starter 32 career AV |
| 1981 | David Overstreet |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
RB | MIA Miami Dolphins | 14 games 4 career AV |
| 1981 | Willie Scott |
South Carolina
SEC
|
TE | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 98 games · 3 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1981 | Dennis Smith 6× Pro Bowl |
USC
Big Ten
|
DB | DEN Denver Broncos | 184 games · 13 yrs as starter 74 career AV |
| 1981 | Mark Nichols |
San José State
Mountain West
|
WR | DET Detroit Lions | 76 games · 3 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1981 | Keith Gary |
Oklahoma
SEC
|
DE | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 86 games · 3 yrs as starter 21 career AV |
| 1981 | Donnell Thompson |
North Carolina
ACC
|
DE | IND Baltimore Colts | 147 games · 11 yrs as starter 50 career AV |
| 1981 | Brian Holloway 3× Pro Bowl |
Stanford
ACC
|
T | NE New England Patriots | 102 games · 6 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 1981 | Mark May 1× Pro Bowl |
Pittsburgh
ACC
|
G | WAS Washington Commanders | 159 games · 10 yrs as starter 64 career AV |
| 1981 | Ted Watts |
Texas Tech
Big 12
|
DB | LV Oakland Raiders | 74 games · 2 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1981 | Hanford Dixon 2× All-Pro 3× Pro Bowl | Southern Mississippi | DB | CLE Cleveland Browns | 131 games · 9 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1981 | Curt Marsh |
Washington
Big Ten
|
G | LV Oakland Raiders | 45 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1981 | James Brooks 4× Pro Bowl |
Auburn
SEC
|
RB | LAC San Diego Chargers | 162 games · 8 yrs as starter 82 career AV |
| 1981 | Bobby Butler |
Florida State
ACC
|
DB | ATL Atlanta Falcons | 169 games · 9 yrs as starter 45 career AV |
| 1981 | Howard Richards |
Missouri
SEC
|
G | DAL Dallas Cowboys | 69 games · 1 yrs as starter 16 career AV |
| 1981 | Leonard Mitchell |
Houston
Big 12
|
DE | PHI Philadelphia Eagles | 89 games · 4 yrs as starter 22 career AV |
| 1981 | Booker Moore |
Penn State
Big Ten
|
RB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 51 games · 2 yrs as starter 6 career AV |
| 1981 | Russell Gary |
Nebraska
Big Ten
|
DB | NO New Orleans Saints | 80 games · 4 yrs as starter 29 career AV |
| 1981 | Marion Barber Jr. |
Minnesota
Big Ten
|
RB | NYJ New York Jets | 85 games · 1 yrs as starter 5 career AV |
| 1981 | David Hughes |
Boise State
Mountain West
|
RB | SEA Seattle Seahawks | 74 games · 1 yrs as starter 15 career AV |
| 1981 | Dave Young |
Purdue
Big Ten
|
TE | NYG New York Giants | 25 games · 1 yrs as starter 1 career AV |
| 1981 | Neil Lomax 2× Pro Bowl |
Portland State
Big Sky
|
QB | ARI St. Louis Cardinals | 108 games · 7 yrs as starter 70 career AV |
| 1981 | James Wilder 1× Pro Bowl |
Missouri
SEC
|
RB | TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 129 games · 7 yrs as starter 63 career AV |
| 1981 | Gary Lewis | Texas-Arlington | TE | GB Green Bay Packers | 44 games 2 career AV |
| 1981 | John Harty |
Iowa
Big Ten
|
NT | SF San Francisco 49ers | 42 games · 1 yrs as starter 11 career AV |
| 1981 | Cris Collinsworth 3× Pro Bowl |
Florida
SEC
|
WR | CIN Cincinnati Bengals | 107 games · 7 yrs as starter 63 career AV |
| 1981 | Mike Singletary HOF 7× All-Pro 10× Pro Bowl |
Baylor
Big 12
|
LB | CHI Chicago Bears | 179 games · 12 yrs as starter 124 career AV |
| 1981 | Mardye McDole |
Mississippi State
SEC
|
WR | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 26 games |
| 1981 | Eric Wright 1× All-Pro 2× Pro Bowl |
Missouri
SEC
|
DB | SF San Francisco 49ers | 110 games · 6 yrs as starter 62 career AV |
| 1981 | Joe Delaney 1× Pro Bowl |
Northwestern State
Southland
|
RB | KC Kansas City Chiefs | 23 games · 2 yrs as starter 17 career AV |
| 1981 | Clay Brown |
BYU
Big 12
|
TE | DEN Denver Broncos | 4 games |
| 1981 | Jim Collins 1× Pro Bowl |
Syracuse
ACC
|
LB | LAR Los Angeles Rams | 93 games · 4 yrs as starter 40 career AV |
| 1981 | Anthony Washington |
Fresno State
Mountain West
|
DB | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers | 57 games 8 career AV |
| 1981 | Robin Sendlein |
Texas
SEC
|
LB | MIN Minnesota Vikings | 72 games 8 career AV |
| 1981 | Curtis Green |
Alabama State
SWAC
|
DE | DET Detroit Lions | 123 games · 2 yrs as starter 24 career AV |
| 1981 | Tony Collins 1× Pro Bowl |
East Carolina
American
|
RB | NE New England Patriots | 103 games · 6 yrs as starter 47 career AV |
| 1981 | Howie Long HOF 2× All-Pro 8× Pro Bowl |
Villanova
CAA
|
DE | LV Oakland Raiders | 179 games · 11 yrs as starter 95 career AV |
| 1981 | Chris Williams |
LSU
SEC
|
DB | BUF Buffalo Bills | 21 games 5 career AV |
| 1981 | Byron Franklin |
Auburn
SEC
|
WR | BUF Buffalo Bills | 77 games · 1 yrs as starter 16 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: Pittsburgh — 12
- 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?
Pittsburgh leads FantasyHQ’s archive with 12 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.