via Imago
Credit: Social Media
via Imago
Credit: Social Media
Every year, the NFL Draft serves up a fresh batch of dreams – aspirations of young men looking to etch their names in pro football glory. But before they hear their names called, a long journey unfolds. One paved by colleges both great and small, their legacies intertwined with the lifeblood of the game itself. While the draft’s bright lights shine on the players, it’s these institutions that mold the talent, shaping the next generation of gridiron heroes.
Some colleges have etched their names in history, consistently producing NFL-caliber players year after year. On the other hand, there are those whose contributions are more modest. As American football fans eagerly await the next draft class, it’s worth exploring the colleges that have left an indelible mark on the sport, both in numbers and spirit.
The powerhouse colleges fueling the NFL Draft
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A select group of colleges have established themselves as true powerhouses, consistently supplying the NFL with an influx of talent. Notre Dame leads the pack with an astounding 525 draft picks all-time, closely followed by USC with 523 selections. These numbers are a testament to the rich football traditions and exceptional player development programs at these institutions.
Ohio State, another college football juggernaut, boasts an impressive 485 draft picks, including a remarkable 90 first-round selections, the most by any program ever. The Buckeyes have produced a steady stream of NFL talent, with at least one first-rounder drafted every year since 2015.
Oklahoma, with 414 draft picks, has been a breeding ground for elite quarterbacks. Six former Sooners have been taken as the No. 1 overall pick, including recent standouts like Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield, and Kyler Murray. This underscores the program’s ability to groom signal-callers for success at the next level.
The University of Miami, often referred to as “NFL U,” has seen 358 of its players drafted into the NFL. Remarkably, eight former Hurricanes have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including legendary names like Ray Lewis, Michael Irvin, and Ed Reed. This legacy of excellence is a source of immense pride for the Miami faithful.
The Underdog colleges with the least
While the powerhouse colleges garner much of the attention, some institutions have contributed to the NFL Draft in smaller but no less significant ways. These schools may not boast high numbers, but their presence in the draft is a testament to the unwavering passion and determination of their players.
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Here is a table from the source material listing colleges with the fewest NFL Draft picks:
| 1-5 | 5 | Albion, Augustana (SD), Austin Peay, Cameron, Capital, Centenary, Central Washington, College of Idaho, Compton J.C., Concordia, Delta State, Eastern New Mexico, Elizabeth City State, Evansville, Fort Valley State, Gardner-Webb, Gonzaga, Hamline, Heidelberg, Mesa State, Morningside, Muskingum, N.E. Missouri, Old Dominion, Oregon Tech, Pacific Lutheran, Puget Sound, Slippery Rock, St. Louis, Tarleton State, Towson, Wabash, Waynesburg, West Alabama, Widener, Yankton |
| 4 | Amherst, Ashland, Azusa Pacific, Cal Poly, Canisius, Chattanooga, Concordia (MN), Creighton, Davidson, Denison, East Central (OK), Findlay, Ft. Valley State, Geneva, Harding, Illinois Wesleyan, Knoxville, Kutztown (PA), Manhattan, Mankato State, Missouri Southern State, Missouri Western, Monmouth, New Haven, Northwestern Oklahoma, Parsons, Ripon, Saginaw Valley State, Salem, Shippensburg, South Alabama, Southern Connecticut, Southern Oregon, Southern Utah, St. Joseph’s (IN), Texas Western, Texas-San Antonio, Wagner, Wayne State (NE), Wesleyan, West Virginia Tech, Wheaton, William Penn, Wisconsin-Stout, Wisconsin-Whitewater | |
| 3 | Allen, Bakersfield J.C., Cal State-Humboldt, California (PA), California-Lutheran, California-Riverside, Catholic University, Centre, Charlotte, Chico State, Clarion, Doane, East Central Oklahoma, Eastern Montana, Edward Waters, Emory & Henry, Fayetteville State, Fort Hays State, Franklin & Marshall, Georgia State, Hobart, Lane, Lawrence, Lewis & Clark, Loras, Loyola (LA), Luther, Mars Hill, Michigan Tech, Middle Tennessee, Middlebury, Millersville (PA), Millikin, Missouri State, Missouri-Rolla, Morehouse (GA), Mount Union, N.E. Missouri State, Newberry, None, North Carolina College, Northeast Louisiana, Northwestern (Iowa), NYU, Ottawa (KS), Otterbein, Rochester, San Fernando Valley, Santa Barbara, Shaw, Shurtleff, Simpson, Southeastern Oklahoma, Southwestern Oklahoma State, St. Augustine’s, St. Olaf, Texas State, Tufts, Vermont, West Texas A&M, Western Colorado, Western Ontario, Western Oregon, Williams, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Wisconsin-Superior, Wittenberg, Wofford | |
| 2 | Albright, Allegheny, Alma, Arkansas-Monticello, Arlington State, Army/Mississippi State, Army/Villanova, Augustana (IL), Bemidji State, Boise J.C., Butler, Cal State-Chico, Cal State-Long Beach, Cal State-Northridge, Cal State-Sacramento, Central Connecticut St., Central Iowa, Chadron State, Charleston, Chicago, Colby, Corpus Christi State, Davis & Elkins, Delaware Valley, Dubuque, East Stroudsburg (PA), Eastern Oregon, Frostburg State (MD), Georgetown (KY), Guilford, Hampden-Sydney, Hastings, Henderson J.C., Huron, Kearney (Neb.), Kenyon, Lake Forest, Lamar Tech, Lamar University, LaVerne, Lock Haven, Louisiana College, Macalester, Mayville, McGill, Mesa Jr. College, Minot State, Mississipi State, Moorhead State, Morris Harvey, Nebraska-Wesleyan, Niagara, North Carolina-Charlotte, Northern State (SD), Ohio Wesleyan, Omaha, Pepperdine, Pittsburg (KS), Platteville (Wis), Pomona, Providence, Redlands, Samford (Ala), San Diego, Savannah State, Shepherd, Sioux Falls, Sonoma State, South Dakota Tech, South Dakota-Springfield, Southern Colorado, St. Benedict’s, St. Cloud State, St. John’s, Stetson, Susquehanna, SW Minnesota, Washington & Jefferson, West Georgia, Western Maryland, Western New Mexico, Westminster (PA), Whitewater, Wiley, Wingate, Winona State, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin-River Falls | |
| 1 | Alabama/Navy, Alberta, Alfred, Anderson, Arkansas A&M, Arkansas City J.C., Arkansas/Navy, Army/Beloit, Army/Colorado College, Army/Houston, Army/Kansas, Army/Kansas State, Army/Missouri, Army/Notre Dame, Army/West Virginia, Army/William Jewell, Arnold, Beloit, Bentley, Bethel, Black Hills State (SD), Bluefield (WV), Bluefield State, Bluffton, Bowdoin, Brandeis, Bridgeport, Butte J.C., Cal Lutheran, Cal Poly-Pomona, Cameron State, Carroll, Carroll College, Carthage, Central Missouri, Chadron St. (Neb.), Cheyney (PA), Claremont Mudd, Coffeyville J.C., College of the Ozarks, Colorado State-Pueblo, Concord, Concordia-St. Paul, Contra Costa J.C., Cornell College (IA), Cortland State, Dakota State, Dakota Wesleyan, De Pauw, Defiance, DePaul, Dickinson, East Illinois Teachers, East New Mexico, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Elizabeth City, Elon College, Eureka (IL), Fairmount (W. Va.), Ferris State, Ferrum, Fort Lewis, Frandlin (Ind.), George Fox (Ore), Georgetown, Gettysburg, Glenville State, Gray’s Harbor J.C., Hanover, Hanover (Ind), Harding College, Haverford, Hinds J.C. (MI), Illinois Normal, Itawamba C.C., Ithaca, J.C. Smith, Jamestown, Johns Hopkins, Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Kansas Wesleyan, Kennesaw State, Kings Point, Kirksville, Knox, Knoxville College, La Verne, Lacrosse, LaCrosse (Wisc), Lakeland (Wis), Lambuth (TN), LaSalle, Lebanon Valley, Lewis, Lincoln (PA), Lindenwood, Long Beach C.C., Los Angeles State, Manitoba, Mansfield, Marietta, Marist, Massachusetts-Boston, Mayville (N.D.), McNeese, Merchant Marine, Mexico City College, Michigan/Wisconsin, Midland (Neb.), Miles, Mississippi Delta, Mississippi/Army, Missouri Valley College, Montana Tech, Montclair State, Moorhead (MN), Mt. San Antonio JC, Navy/Syracuse, NE Oklahoma State, Newberry College, North Park (Ill.), Northeast Missouri, Northeast Missouri State, Northern Montana, Northland, Northwestern State, Norwich, Oklahoma A&M, Olivet (Mich), Ouachita Baptist, Pandhandle State, Panola J.C., Parsons (Iowa), Pasadena C.C., Pasadena City College, Pearl River C.C., Penn/Navy, Peru, Peru State, Philander Smith, Pittsburg State, Pittsburgh State, Pittsburgh State (KS), Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Pomona-Pitzer, Portland, Queens University, Regina, Rensselaer, Robert Morris, Rollins, Rowan, Sacred Heart, San Bernardino Valley, San Diego J.C., Santa Ana, Santa Ana JC, SE Oklahoma State, Shepherd College, Southern Arkansas, Southern Colorado State, Southern Connecticut State, Southwest J.C. (MS), Southwestern, Southwestern (KS), Southwestern (TX), St. Anselm’s, St. Edward’s, St. Francis, St. Francis (IL), St. Francis (NY), St. Lawrence, St. Mary’s (MN), St. Mary’s (TX), St. Pauls, Sterling (KS), Stillman, SW Tennessee, Syracuse/Army, Tarkio, Texas A&M-Commerce, Thiel, Toronto, Towson State, Tulsa/Army, Tusculum, Tyler J.C., Union (NY), Union (TN), Union College, University of the South, Upper Iowa, Upsala, USA, Valley City (ND), Wayne State (MI), Wenatchee Valley J.C., West Liberty, West Virginia State, West Virginia Wesleyan, Western Montana, Western State (CO), Western Washington, Westminster, Whitewater (Wis), Wichita, William Jewell, Wilmington (OH), Wisconsin-Lawrence, Wisconsin-Platteville, Wooster |
Despite the odds, these colleges have produced players who have defied expectations and carved their paths to the NFL. Ricky Williams had an impressive college career at the University of Texas, where he broke numerous records. He was selected in the NFL Draft and went on to have a successful professional career. Similarly, Von Miller from Texas A&M was also a notable draft pick. He has had a successful career in the NFL, becoming one of the league’s top defensive players.
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In the end, the NFL Draft is a celebration of talent, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Whether from a powerhouse college or an underdog institution, every player selected has earned their place among the elite, contributing to the rich tapestry of American football.
