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.
Here is a ranking of the top ten college football programs based on all-time NFL draft picks.
10
Nebraska Cornhuskers
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.
9
Florida Gators
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.
8
LSU Tigers
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.
7
Penn State Nittany Lions
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.
6
Alabama Crimson Tide
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.
5
Michigan Wolverines
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?
4
Oklahoma Sooners
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.
3
Ohio State Buckeyes
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.
2
USC Trojans
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.
1
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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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