Top ten college football programs ranked by all-time NFL draft picks. Where is Ohio State?
It sure seems like this NFL draft news cycle has been circulating longer than any in recent memory, but that’s probably just me aging and becoming grumpy. Part of the news is centered around C.J. Stroud and other Ohio State players that could hear their names called beginning on Thursday night, and we’ve been following right along with you.
But when it comes to the draft, the Buckeye program is one of the best at churning out NFL widgets. OSU has produced the most first-round NFL draft picks of all time and is among the top five in all-time draft picks in totality.
And the Buckeyes aren’t the only program that has fared well in sending players to the league. Big Ten programs like Michigan, Penn State, and Nebraska have also done very well. And of course, the SEC teams have been crankin’ too.
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Here is a ranking of the top ten college football programs based on all-time NFL draft picks.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jan. 2, 2006; Tempe, AZ USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker (47) A.J. Hawk talks with Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback (10) Brady Quinn following the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State won 34-20. Photo By Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2006 Matt Cashore
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
522
The Narrative
Notre Dame used to be a bigger draft monster than it is today. The Fighting Irish have picked up a wee bit recently and is still on top of the ranking with the next team nipping at its heels.
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USC Trojans
Nov 7, 2009; Tempe, AZ, USA; Southern California Trojans coach Pete Carroll reacts after the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. USC defeated Arizona State 14-9. Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
519
The Narrative
USC has always sent a lot of players to the NFL but really had it cranked up under Pete Carroll in the early 2000s. Since then, there’s been a bit of a tail-off, but that looks to be ready to pick up again under Lincoln Riley.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) heads to the locker room following the Buckeyes’ 22-10 victory against the Northwestern Wildcats during the Big Ten Championship football game on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
479
The Narrative
No program in the history of college football has been as consistent as Ohio State. There hasn’t really been too much of a downturn and that means NFL players are sent to the league on almost a yearly basis. Things are still plugging away and the gap is closing with the only two teams ahead of the Buckeyes on this list.
Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma helmets are seen before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Oklahoma won 16-13. USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
409
The Narrative
There’s an even larger gap between Ohio State and Oklahoma, but the Sooners have seen their fair share of players taken in the NFL draft and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
Michigan Wolverines
Sep 7, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines former player Braylon Edwards on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Stadium. Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
392
The Narrative
Michigan seems to send a lot of players to the NFL every year but the pipeline got a little dry when things took a turn south for a couple of decades. Now, things seem to be cranked up again. Will it last?
Alabama Crimson Tide
Oct 8, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
391
The Narrative
Alabama is in its golden age and has sent a slew of talent to the NFL under head coach Nick Saban. There’s still a long way to go to catch the top three on this list, but the gap is closing with no real slowdown in sight.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Dec 28, 2019; Arlington, Texas, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin celebrates with wide receiver Jahan Dotson (5) and quarterback Sean Clifford (14) after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Memphis Tigers at AT&T Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
375
The Narrative
The third team from the Big Ten on this list, Penn State always seems to have a decent amount of NFL talent on the roster. If anything James Franklin has improved the top-end talent coming to Happy Valley, so we shouldn’t see too much of a halt in momentum in the near future.
LSU Tigers
Quarterback Joe Burrow scores a touchdown as The LSU Tigers take on The Clemson Tigers in the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship. Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
369
The Narrative
It’s a little surprising LSU isn’t even higher on this list and that’s mainly because the consistency isn’t there. The Tigers have been really, really good, but have had some downturns that have resulted in fewer players going in the draft during certain periods in their history.
Florida Gators
September 5, 2008; Gainesville FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow (15) celebrates with teammates after he scored a touchdown during the first half against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
367
The Narrative
It should be no surprise that the Gators send a lot of players to the NFL in the talent-rich state of Florida. In many ways, you’d expect UF to be higher but then you realize that the high level of success really ramped up in the 90s through today. The momentum has been lost a little recently, but don’t be surprised to see that get going again.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Oct 6, 2018; Madison, WI, USA; A Nebraska Cornhuskers helmet sits on the sidelines during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Number of All-Time NFL draft picks
366
The Narrative
Boy was Nebraska a monster in the 90s but it’s been more than that. The ‘Huskers used to send more to the league than they do now but are still in the top ten. That may not last though with Georgia coming on strong in the No. 11 spot.
