Which College Football Team Has Produced The Most NFL Draft Picks?

Ahead of the 2023 college football season, we’re taking a look at the program which has produced the most NFL Draft picks and sent their finest talent to the national stage.

College football programs are reliant on attracting, recruiting and developing the best players who are then shipped off to the NFL Draft. This is the biggest factor to consider when judging the success and effectiveness of any school’s program.

See below which schools have produced the most NFL talent.

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Which College Football Team Has Produced The Most NFL Draft Picks?

Notre Dame is the college football program that has produced the most NFL Draft picks, accumulating a staggering 525 over the years. The Fighting Irish narrowly edge out USC in second place, who have had 523 selections to the national football league.

Five former Notre Dame players have gone No. 1 overall; Angelo Bertelli (1944), Frank Dancewicz (1946), Leon Hart (1950), Paul Hornung (1957) and Walt Patulski (1972).

The Irishers have turned out a draft class of six or more players six times in the last decade, and are tied with Georgia for third overall with nine selections in the 2021 NFL Draft.

In second place, USC are one of two programs to turn out more than 500 draft picks in history. They’re also second with 84 first-round selections and have produced five No. 1 picks; Ron Yary (1968), O.J. Simpson (1969), Ricky Bell (1977), Keyshawn Johnson (1996) and Carson Palmer (2003).

Current quarterback and reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams is primed to go first overall next year, which would be another historic feat for the Trojans.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have consistently produced NFL Draft talent for decades and rank third with 485. They saw 10 players go in the 2021 NFL Draft and have produced first-rounders in every event since 2015. Ohio State have produced the most first-round picks ever with 90.

In fourth comes Oklahoma with 414. Six former Sooners have been selected first overall, including three quarterbacks since 2010; Sam Bradford, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. The program is top-10 among schools with 50 first-round picks all-time.

In a tie for fifth sit Michigan (401) and Alabama. Michigan’s NFL talent is headlined by the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, Tom Brady who was taken in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. The Wolverines have produced 28 picks in the last three seasons and led the Big Ten with nine in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Alabama produced a school-record six first-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft and had 10 players go overall in each of the last two drafts, sharing the lead with Georgia. The Crimson Tide’s first No. 1 overall selection came in the form of quarterback Bryce Young this year and the school has totaled 46 first-rounders since 2000.

Check out the top 15 listed below:

• 1. Notre Dame – 525
• 2. USC – 523
• 3. Ohio State – 485
• 4. Oklahoma – 414
• 5. Michigan – 401
• 5. Alabama – 401
• 7. Penn State – 381
• 8. LSU – 375
• 9. Florida – 372
• 10. Georgia – 371
• 11. Nebraska – 368
• 12. Tennessee – 360
• 13. Miami – 358
• 14. Texas – 357
• 15. UCLA – 337