Which Colleges Produce The Most NFL Players?
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If you’re interested in playing football at the collegiate level, you might be wondering which colleges produce the most NFL players. Here’s a look at the top 10 schools, according to data from the NFL Players Association.
NFL Players by College
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league. The NFL is the highest professional level of the sport. There are 32 teams in the NFL, and each team has 53 players on its roster. That means there are 1,696 total NFL players. But which colleges produce the most of these professional athletes?
University of Miami
Since the NFL began in 1920, there have been 1,514 players who have come from the University of Miami. That is the most of any college in the country. The school has produced some of the game’s greatest players, including Hall of Famers Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp and Jim Kelly.
Ohio State University
Since the NFL began in 1920, Ohio State University has produced more NFL players than any other college, with 298. The school is followed by Notre Dame (261), USC (243), Miami (203) and Michigan (199). Interestingly, schools from sunny climates dominate the top 10 list — of the 10 schools that have produced the most NFL players, only Penn State is located north of Ohio.
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame has produced more NFL players than any other college, with 247 draft picks since 1936. The school is followed by USC (241) and Miami (215). The next tier of colleges includes Ohio State (188), Oklahoma (183) and Nebraska (177).
NFL Players by Position
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league. It is the most popular sport in the United States. There are 32 teams in the NFL. Each team has 53 players on its roster.
Quarterbacks
Since the NFL draft began in 1936, there have been 1,387 quarterbacks who were drafted or signed as an undrafted free agent. The vast majority of those players (93%) came from just eight college football programs. Here are the colleges that have produced the most NFL quarterbacks:
Running Backs
Running backs are the most important position in football. They are the ones who have to get the tough yards and score the touchdowns. With that being said, here are the top 5 colleges that have produced the most NFL running backs.
1. University of Miami – The University of Miami has produced 28 NFL running backs. They have had greats such as Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis, and Willis McGahee.
2. University of Notre Dame – The University of Notre Dame has produced 27 NFL running backs. Some of their notable players include Josh Adams, Tony Hunter, and Autry Denson.
3. Ohio State University – Ohio State has produced 25 NFL running backs. Some of their most notable players include Ezekiel Elliott, Carlos Hyde, and Beanie Wells.
4. Penn State University – Penn State has produced 23 NFL running backs. Some of their most notable players include Larry Johnson, Ki-Jana Carter, and Duce Staley.
5. University of Alabama – The University of Alabama has produced 21 NFL running backs. Some of their most notable players include Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram, and Trent Richardson.
Wide Receivers
Currently, there are several NFL wide receivers who attended college before being drafted into the NFL. Some of the more notable wide receivers in the NFL today include Julio Jones, DeAndre Hopkins, and Keenan Allen. While all three of these players had successful college careers, they did so at different schools. Julio Jones played for the University of Alabama, DeAndre Hopkins played for Clemson University, and Keenan Allen played for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
So, which colleges have produced the most NFL wide receivers? The answer may surprise you. The top five colleges that have produced the most NFL wide receivers are: 1) The Ohio State University; 2) Stanford University; 3) University of Notre Dame; 4) University of Miami; and 5) Clemson University. Interestingly, all five of these colleges are Division I schools that compete in major athletic conferences.
If you’re wondering why those five colleges top the list, it’s likely because they are all well-known for their successful football programs. These schools have a long history of producing successful NFL players across all positions, not just wide receivers. So, if you’re a talented wide receiver in college today and you want to make it to the NFL, attending one of these five schools could give you a better chance at reaching your dream.
NFL Players by Team
The NFL is a league that is made up of the best football players in the world. These players come from all over the United States and the world to play in the NFL. But, which colleges produce the most NFL players?
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston region. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team plays its home games at Gillette Stadium in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is 28 miles (45 km) southwest of downtown Boston.
The Patriots have appeared in 10 Super Bowls, winning seven of them. The Patriots have had 19 players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and three retired numbers: quarterback Steve Grogan’s No. 14, linebacker Andre Tippett’s No. 56, and placekicker Adam Vinatieri’s No. 4. Corey Dillon holds the franchise record for most rushing yards in a single season (1,631 in 2004), as well as rushing touchdowns in a single season (12 in 2006). Ben Coates is the franchise leader in receptions (490) and receiving yards (5,471). John Stephens is the franchise leader in career rushing yards (4,445).
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have had a total of 246 players drafted into the NFL since 1960. The following is a list of those players, along with the college they played for and the round they were drafted in.
NFL Drafted Players from the Dallas Cowboys:
-Baylor: 13
-Texas: 11
-Texas A&M: 10
-Oklahoma: 8
-Missouri: 6
-TCU: 5
-Arkansas: 4
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in 1933, the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC.
In contrast with their status as perennial also-rans in the pre-merger NFL, where they were mostly overshadowed by the success of the cross-state Philadelphia Eagles, the Steelers of the postwar era are one of the most successful NFL franchises. The team is tied with the New England Patriots for having the most Super Bowl championship titles, with six Lombardi Trophies. They have played in more conference championship games than any other team, and appeared in more AFC Championship Games than any other team. They have an intense rivalry with theRavens, which has been dubbed as one of the best rivalries currently of any sport.