USC Trojans, Notre Dame, Georgia Battle For Most NFL Pro Bowl Selections

The USC Trojans are one of the top schools with the most NFL Pro Bowl selections this season. Where do the Trojans rank compared to the other top schools, and which former stars were selected for the Pro Bowl?

Sep 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Over the years, the USC Trojans have produced several talented players who have gone on to have phenomenal careers in the NFL. As the NFL regular season comes to a close, the NFC and AFC rosters for the Pro Bowl Games are officially set. USC is one of the top schools with the most NFL Pro Bowlers this season. 

Only the Georgia Bulldogs (six), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (five) and Iowa Hawkeyes (five) have more Pro Bowlers this year.

Four former USC players have been selected for this year’s Pro Bowl. Alabama, Florida State, and Oklahoma also have four of their former players as Pro Bowl selections. The former USC stars selected for the Pro Bowl include Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, defensive end Leonard Williams, and Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu. 

Dec 18, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (8) scores on a 47-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter against the Oregon Ducks during the Pac-12 Championship at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Georgia, Notre Dame, and Iowa are the three schools that have the most Pro Bowl selections this season. The Bulldogs lead the way with six Pro Bowl selections, while the Fighting Irish and the Hawkeyes both have five. The four former USC players who were selected for the Pro Bowl have all had phenomenal seasons. Here’s a breakdown of how they’ve played this season and how their careers with USC helped shape them into the NFL talents they are today.

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) celebrates a first down against Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has put together another spectacular season for the Detroit Lions, as he's been selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth consecutive year. This season, St. Brown is fifth in the NFL in receiving, entering week 17 with 98 receptions for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

St. Brown came into the league as an underrated wide receiver, as he was selected at No. 112 overall in the fourth round by the Lions in the 2021 NFL Draft. The skills he developed playing under former USC coach Clay Helton have helped him become one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. In his three seasons with USC from 2018 to 2020, St. Brown collected 178 receptions for 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns. 

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Sam Darnold and Leonard Williams 

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) enters the field for warm ups before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks are currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC, courtesy of former USC quarterback Sam Darnold’s leadership on offense and defensive end Leonard Williams' performance on defense. The Seahawks' No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Williams has been a true veteran leader for Seattle this season, collecting 59 total tackles and seven sacks. 

Leadership is nothing new for Williams, as during his Trojan career from 2012 to 2014, he was one of the top leaders for USC’s defense and a two-time First Team All-American. Williams collected 218 total tackles, 21 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions in his three seasons with the Trojans.

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) runs against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Darnold’s talent as a quarterback at USC helped build him into a quality NFL quarterback, in a career that has featured many ups and downs for the 2018 No. 3 overall pick. After an impressive season with the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold has shown similar success this year for Seattle, after signing in the offseason.

The former USC quarterback is fifth in the NFL in passing yards with 3,703 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. As Seattle aims to lock up the No. 1 seed in the NFC heading into the last two weeks of the regular season, the question is, can Darnold prove the doubters wrong and lead the Seahawks on a playoff run? In his two seasons as a starting quarterback for USC, Darnold had a 21-6 record, throwing for 7,229 yards, 57 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. 

Tuli Tuipulotu 

Nov 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) reacts after a sack against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In his third season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, former USC linebacker Tuil Tuipulotu continues to be among the best young talents at his position. During his three seasons with the Chargers, Tuipulotu has 142 total tackles, 26 sacks, and five forced fumbles. Tuiplulotu is the only Pro Bowl selection this season from USC that has played under Trojans coach Lincoln Riley.

In his three seasons with USC from 2020 to 2022, Tuipulotu recorded 116 total tackles, 21 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Tuipulotu's talent progression from USC to the NFL with the Chargers has been nothing short of phenomenal, which is credited to Riley and his ability to develop NFL-caliber players.