Which colleges have the most No. 1 NFL draft picks?

ByKeith Jenkins ESPN logo
Saturday, September 7, 2024

The NFL draft has been held annually since 1936. USC has produced the most No. 1 picks with six, including Heisman Trophy winners O.J. Simpson, Carson Palmerand Caleb Williams.

Here's a look at the schools that have produced the most top NFL draft picks.

USC: 6

OT Ron Yary (1968), HB O.J. Simpson (1969), HB Ricky Bell (1977), WR Keyshawn Johnson (1996), QB Carson Palmer (2003), QB Caleb Williams (2024)

Georgia: 5

HB Frank Sinkwich (1943), HB Charley Trippi (1945), OE Harry Babcock (1953), QB Matthew Stafford (2009), DE Travon Walker (2022)

Notre Dame: 5

QB Angelo Bertelli (1944), QB Frank Dancewicz (1946), OE Leon Hart (1950), HB Paul Hornung (1957), DE Walt Patulski (1972)

Oklahoma: 5

DE Lee Roy Selmon (1976), HB Billy Sims (1980), QB Sam Bradford (2010), QB Baker Mayfield (2018), QB Kyler Murray (2019)

Auburn: 4

HB Tucker Frederickson (1965), HB Bo Jackson (1986), LB Aundray Bruce (1988), QB Cam Newton (2011)

Stanford: 4

QB Bobby Garrett (1954), QB Jim Plunkett (1971), QB John Elway (1983), QB Andrew Luck (2012)

LSU: 3

TE Billy Cannon (1960), QB JaMarcus Russell (2007), QB Joe Burrow (2020)

Ohio State: 3

LB Tom Cousineau (1979), DT Dan Wilkinson (1994), OT Orlando Pace (1997)

Texas: 3

LB Tommy Nobis (1966), HB Earl Campbell (1978), DE Kenneth Sims (1982)

9 schools tied with 2

Here's the full list of players who have been selected first overall in the NFL draft:

2024: QB Caleb Williams, USC, Chicago Bears

2023: QB Bryce Young, Alabama, Carolina Panthers

2022: DE Travon Walker, Georgia, Jacksonville Jaguars

2021: QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, Jacksonville Jaguars

2020: QB Joe Burrow, LSU, Cincinnati Bengals

2019: QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma, Arizona Cardinals

2018: QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma, Cleveland Browns

2017: DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M, Cleveland Browns

2016: QB Jared Goff, Cal, Los Angeles Rams

2015: QB Jameis Winston, Florida State, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2014: DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina, Houston Texans

2013: OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan, Kansas City Chiefs

2012: QB Andrew Luck, Stanford, Indianapolis Colts

2011: QB Cam Newton, Auburn, Carolina Panthers

2010: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, St. Louis Rams

2009: QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia, Detroit Lions

2008: OT Jake Long, Michigan, Miami Dolphins

2007: QB JaMarcus Russell, LSU, Oakland Raiders

2006: DE Mario Williams, North Carolina State, Houston Texans

2005: QB Alex Smith, Utah, San Francisco 49ers

2004: QB Eli Manning, Ole Miss, San Diego Chargers

2003: QB Carson Palmer, USC, Cincinnati Bengals

2002: QB David Carr, Fresno State, Houston Texans

2001: QB Michael Vick, Virginia Tech, Atlanta Falcons

2000: DE Courtney Brown, Penn State, Cleveland Browns

1999: QB Tim Couch, Kentucky, Cleveland Browns

1998: QB Peyton Manning, Tennessee, Indianapolis Colts

1997: OT Orlando Pace, Ohio State, St. Louis Rams

1996: WR Keyshawn Johnson, USC, New York Jets

1995: HB Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State, Cincinnati Bengals

1994: DT Dan Wilkinson, Ohio State, Cincinnati Bengals

1993: QB Drew Bledsoe, Washington State, New England Patriots

1992: DE Steve Emtman, Washington, Indianapolis Colts

1991: DT Russell Maryland, Miami, Dallas Cowboys

1990: QB Jeff George, Illinois, Indianapolis Colts

1989: QB Troy Aikman, UCLA, Dallas Cowboys

1988: LB Aundray Bruce, Auburn, Atlanta Falcons

1987: QB Vinny Testaverde, Miami, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1986: HB Bo Jackson, Auburn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1985: DE Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech, Buffalo Bills

1984: WR Irving Fryar, Nebraska, New England Patriots

1983: QB John Elway, Stanford, Baltimore Colts

1982: DE Kenneth Sims, Texas, New England Patriots

1981: HB George Rogers, South Carolina, New Orleans Saints

1980: HB Billy Sims, Oklahoma, Detroit Lions

1979: LB Tom Cousineau, Ohio State, Buffalo Bills

1978: HB Earl Campbell, Texas, Houston Oilers

1977: HB Ricky Bell, USC, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1976: DE Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1975: QB Steve Bartkowski, Cal, Atlanta Falcons

1974: DE Ed Jones, Tennessee State, Dallas Cowboys

1973: DE John Matuszak, Tampa, Houston Oilers

1972: DE Walt Patulski, Notre Dame, Buffalo Bills

1971: QB Jim Plunkett, Stanford, New England Patriots

1970: QB Terry Bradshaw, Louisiana Tech, Pittsburgh Steelers

1969: HB O.J. Simpson, USC, Buffalo Bills

1968: OT Ron Yary, USC, Minnesota Vikings

1967: DE Bubba Smith, Michigan State, Baltimore Colts

1966: LB Tommy Nobis, Texas, Atlanta Falcons

1965: HB Tucker Frederickson, Auburn, New York Giants

1964: WR Dave Parks, Texas Tech, San Francisco 49ers

1963: QB Terry Baker, Oregon State, Los Angeles Rams

1962: HB Ernie Davis, Syracuse, Washington

1961: HB Tommy Mason, Tulane, Minnesota Vikings

1960: TE Billy Cannon, LSU, Los Angeles Rams

1959: QB Randy Duncan, Iowa, Green Bay Packers

1958: QB King Hill, Rice, Chicago Cardinals

1957: HB Paul Hornung, Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers

1956: DB Gary Glick, Colorado A&M, Pittsburgh Steelers

1955: QB George Shaw, Oregon, Baltimore Colts

1954: QB Bobby Garrett, Stanford, Cleveland Browns

1953: OE Harry Babcock, Georgia, San Francisco 49ers

1952: QB Billy Wade, Vanderbilt, Los Angeles Rams

1951: HB Kyle Rote, SMU, New York Giants

1950: OE Leon Hart, Notre Dame, Detroit Lions

1949: C/LB Chuck Bednarik, Penn, Philadelphia Eagles

1948: HB/WR Harry Gilmer, Alabama, Washington

1947: HB Bob Fenimore, Oklahoma A&M, Chicago Bears

1946: QB Frank Dancewicz, Notre Dame, Boston Yanks

1945: HB Charley Trippi, Georgia, Chicago Cardinals

1944: QB Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame, Boston Yanks

1943: HB Frank Sinkwich, Georgia, Detroit Lions

1942: HB Bill Dudley, Virginia, Pittsburgh Steelers

1941: HB Tom Harmon, Michigan, Chicago Bears

1940: FB/HB George Cafego, Tennessee, Chicago Cardinals

1939: C Ki Aldrich, TCU, Chicago Cardinals

1938: FB Corbett Davis, Indiana, Cleveland Rams

1937: FB Sam Francis, Nebraska, Philadelphia Eagles

1936: HB Jay Berwanger, Chicago, Philadelphia Eagles

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