With the NFL draft coming up on Thursday, April 27, many universities will have their football players represented. Check out the top 10 colleges with the most players selected in the NFL draft! 
 
-The Dean's List team 
 
Top 10 lists change every two weeks, so keep checking back!

Total Number of Players Drafted: 522
To this day, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have produced the most NFL draft picks, beating out the University of Southern California by three players. With such a short margin, there is a good chance this will change come the 2023 NFL Draft. The most notable draft pick from Notre Dame is the original G.O.A.T. QB before Tom Brady—Joe Montana, who helped the San Francisco 49ers win four Super Bowls. TE Michael Mayer is expected to be the top draft pick out of Notre Dame for the 2023 draft, according to <a href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Colleges/FBS/IND-(FBS)-FBS/Notre-Dame-Fighting-Irish" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL Draft Buzz</a>.

The University of Notre Dame

Total Number of Players Drafted: 519
The USC Trojans have provided the NFL with many talented players who have played a variety of positions—not to mention some players who have been busts (Arizona Cardinals fans know who we have in mind!). If you grew up during the 2000s and watched NFL football, surely you remember seeing SS Troy Polamalu catch near-impossible interceptions and make hard hits and tackles for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for USC under head coaches Mike Hackett and Pete Carroll. Jordan Addison, who played WR for USC during the 2022 season, is expected to be one of the college’s top picks for the 2023 draft.

University of Southern California

Total Number of Players Drafted: 479
The Ohio State University (OSU) is thirty players behind Notre Dame in the number of players drafted. OSU has 60 players currently playing in the NFL, making it second overall behind The University of Alabama. A few notable players from OSU that are currently playing in the NFL are RB Ezekiel Elliot, QB Justin Fields, DT Cam Heyward, and WR Chris Olave. OSU also has several former star players who have retired from the NFL including RB Archie Griffin, WR Cris Carter, OT Orlando Pace, and RB Eddie George. C.J. Stroud, starting QB for the Buckeyes during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, is expected to be one of the first QBs selected in the draft.

The Ohio State University

Total Number of Players Drafted: 409
Perhaps known for having two team quarterbacks win Heisman trophies in consecutive years (2017 and 2018), the Sooners football team has consistently provided the NFL with quality players at several positions. Yet one former Sooner quarterback—who did not win a Heisman—recently took his team to Superbowl LVII, and has become the highest-paid QB in NFL history—Jalen Hurts. OT Anton Harris is the team’s best prospect according to <a href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Colleges/FBS/Big-12-FBS/Oklahoma-Sooners">NFL Draft Buzz</a>.

University of Oklahoma 

Total Number of Players Drafted: 392
Gerald Ford was a star football player at the University of Michigan in the early 1930s and was even offered to play in the NFL. Instead, he went to law school and eventually became President of the United States after the resignation of Richard Nixon. But Ford is certainly not the most notable football alumnus of Michigan. The admitted G.O.A.T. of the NFL, Tom Brady, played QB for the Wolverines—with competition from other quarterbacks for the starting role—from 1995 to 1999—and was somehow selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. According to <a href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Colleges/FBS/Big-Ten-FBS/Michigan-Wolverines">NFL Draft Buzz</a>, the top prospect out of Michigan for the 2023 Draft is DL Mazi Smith.

University of Michigan

Total Number of Players Drafted: 391
Though Alabama has dominated the college football scene for over a decade in the Nick Saban era, its history of success has not been as long as some of the other teams on this list. Perhaps its dominant status in the 21st century is owed largely to Saban. Under him, Alabama has produced serious threats on both sides of the ball such as RB Derrick Henry, WR Amari Cooper, and RB Najee Harris on offense, along with FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, LB C.J. Mosley, and CB Pat Surtain on defense. Alabama Heisman winner (2021) Bryce Young, considered one of the best quarterbacks in the entire 2023 draft, is expected to be an early pick.

University of Alabama

Total Number of Players Drafted: 375
Penn State can boast of having one of the most tenured and successful college football programs of all time, even if its team hasn’t won many FBS Championships. The late Joe Paterno still remains the winningest head coach in NCAA football after his dismissal from the team in 2011. Since his departure, and with the solidification of James Franklin as head coach, Penn State has produced, among others, wide receiver Chris Godwin, linebacker Micah Parsons, and tight end Pat Freiermuth, each of whom have become top-tier NFL players. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is expected to be the program’s top draft pick in the 2023 Draft, according to <a href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Colleges/FBS/Big-Ten-FBS/Penn-State-Nittany-Lions">NFL Draft Buzz</a>.

Pennsylvania State University

Total Number of Players Drafted: 369
Is it a coincidence that a good deal of NFL receiving talent has come out of LSU’s football program? Odell Beckham Jr., Jamarr Chase, and Justin Jefferson are arguably three of the NFL’s best receivers (now that OBJ is healthy). Not to mention the best quarterback to play for the Tigers in the 21st century—Joe Burrow, who is steadily earning a reputation as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. <a href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Colleges/FBS/SEC-FBS/LSU-Tigers">NFL Draft Buzz</a> has DE BJ Ojulari as LSU’s best prospect for the 2023 Draft.

Louisiana State University

Total Number of Players Drafted: 367
Though lately the Gators have gone through several head coaches after a period of lackluster football, the program overall has been one of the more successful in the history of NCAA football. Players from the program have attained record-breaking success in the NFL, such as RB Emmit Smith. Some players like quarterback Tim Tebow, though successful in college, met with little success in the NFL, and made more impact off the field. Despite their recent performance, the Gators still have several players who’ve declared for the upcoming draft. Quarterback Anthony Richardson, after an impressive display of athleticism at the 2023 Draft Combine, is expected to be one of the top quarterback picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.

University of Florida

Total Number of Players Drafted: 366
With its last national championship in 1997, the Cornhuskers (who have a total of five national championships) have had less success in the 21st century than in the previous under Head Coach Bob Osborne. Ndamakong Suh, a 13-year veteran DT, remains the most prominent of Cornhusker alumni currently in the NFL. WR Trey Palmer is considered the top prospect out of Nebraska for the 2023 NFL Draft, according to <a href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Colleges/FBS/Big-Ten-FBS/Nebraska-Cornhuskers">NFL Draft Buzz</a>.

University of Nebraska

With the NFL draft coming up on Thursday, April 27, many universities will have their football players represented. Check out the top 10 colleges with the most players selected in the NFL draft!

TOP 10 LISTS

Top 10 Colleges with the Most Players Selected in the NFL Draft

Our Mission

educate

restore

motivate

Support Dean's List