Which College Team Produces the Most NFL Players?

Watching NFL games on Sunday can often feel like an SEC reunion. You can bet on a different SEC-led team every week, if you wanted to. These days, more than ever, NFL rosters are filled with players from powerhouse conferences, with almost 90% of the league coming from FBS schools. To no one’s surprise, the SEC leads the way with 348 players in the NFL, including at least 12 players from each of its 14 member schools. But which schools produce the most NFL talent? Let’s crunch the numbers. (All data courtesy of NCAA.com, as of opening week of the 2020 NFL season)

1. Alabama : 56 players

The betting odds were extremely high that Alabama would be number one, and of course, they are by a wide margin. Alabama has always been a major NFL feeder, going back to the days of Joe Namath, Bart Starr, and Ken Stabler, but in 2020, with the Crimson Tide as dominant as any team in the history of college football, it’s hard to find an NFL team with an Alabama player. Pick a position and there’s an Alabama starring in the NFL. Wide receiver? There’s Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Calvin Ridley. Running back Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, and Kenyan Drake? Safety? Minkah Fitzpatrick and Eddie Jackson are stars.

Key players: Julio Jones, Derrick Henry, Tua Tagovailoa

2. Ohio State : 50 players

Ohio State has more star defensive players in the NFL than any other school. Between the Bosa brothers, Chase Young, Denzel Ward, and Marshaon Lattimore, an all-Buckeyes defense could be a formidable foe. The offensive side isn’t too bad either with Michael Thomas, Ezekiel Elliott, and Terry McLaurin leading the way at the skill positions.

Key players: Michael Thomas, Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott

3. LSU : 41 players

Longtime NFL stars Andrew Whitworth and Patrick Peterson have excellent odds of heading to the Hall of Fame when they retire, while the new era of LSU stars in the league are highlighted by rookies Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. In all, an amazing five LSU players were drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In Cleveland alone, you have wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.

Key players: Jamal Adams, Joe Burrow, Odell Beckham Jr.

4. Florida : 39 players 

Florida has not been a title contender for years, but they still recruit the best players from the talent rich state of Florida, which means they’re always stocked with legitimate NFL talent. In 2020, at least one Gator was selected in every round of the 2020 Draft except for the 5th. The elder statesmen of the Gator contingent are three players who were drafted in the 2010 Draft, but are still going strong: Carlos Dunlap, Joe Haden, and Maurkice Pouncey.

Key players: Joe Haden, Trent Brown, Keanu Neal

5. Michigan : 33 players

Michigan has fallen on hard times on the college gridiron, but there’s still a generation of Wolverines in the league. Almost all of the Michigan players who are still-active began play in 2014 or later, but one, Tom Brady himself, has been around since 2000. For a rookie to match that mark they’d need to still be active during the 2040 NFL season.

Key players: Tom Brady, Taylor Lewan, Brandon Graham

T-6. Georgia : 32 players

After a decade or two of relative mediocrity, the Georgia Bulldogs are amongst the college elite again and that is starting to show on NFL Sundays as well. The most prominent Georgia player in the NFL is probably Lions QB Matthew Stafford, but the elder statesman is actually linebacker Thomas Davis, who joined the NFL in 2005, spent most of his career with the Carolina Panthers and is now plying his trade at the age of 37 with the Washington Football Team.

Key players: Matthew Stafford, Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel

T-6. Penn State : 32

Historically the best Penn State pros have been bruisers like Jack Ham, Franco Harris, and Mike Munchak. These days, the best Nittany Lions are skill position guys like receivers Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin and running backs like Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders.

Key players: Saquon Barkley, Sean Lee, Allen Robinson

8. Miami : 30

The ‘Canes might be the biggest surprise on this list as they’ve experienced little success on the field this past decade, so it’s interesting to know that they are still producing NFL talent annually.

What’s interesting is that of the five active Hurricanes to make a Pro Bowl, four started their NFL careers in 2010 or earlier. Only Olivier Vernon has made a Pro Bowl this decade.

Key players: David Njoku, Jimmy Graham, Greg Olsen, Frank Gore

T-9. Clemson : 29

With all of their recent on-field dominance, you would think Clemson would have more NFL representatives, but the Tigers haven’t had the same sustained excellence as Alabama, just yet. DeAndre Hopins leads a group of seven Clemson wide receivers in the league.

Key players: Deshaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins, Grady Jarrett

T-9. Notre Dame : 29

The team that has produced the most NFL players, approximately 600, of any college football school continues to place players in the pros every year. These days Notre Dame has become Offensive Line U, with star blockers Quenton Nelson, Ronnie Stanley, and Zack Nelson among the best at their positions in the league.

Key players: Harrison Smith, Quenton Nelson, Chase Claypool

T-9: Oklahoma : 29

The NFL’s sooner contingent is headlined by a pair of QB’s who were recently drafted first overall, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. Among the old-school Sooners, Adrian Peterson and Trent Williams are now well into their second decades as NFL stars out of Oklahoma.

Key players: Adrian Peterson, Kyler Murray, Lane Johnson, Joe Mixon