College Football Programs With the Most Picks in a Single NFL Draft

Ohio State has an excellent 2026 NFL Draft class, but will it prove to be historic? With three Buckeyes likely to go in the top 10 picks on Thursday, OSU fans may place this Buckeye draft class as a historic one. But just how historic can it be-- and what's the competition? Here's the top single-year collegiate Draft classes of all time... and where OSU might fit.

1. 2022 Georgia (15 players drafted)

Georgia did some heavy lifting in the 2022 Draft. Kirby Smart's stars shone early and often, with a record 15 UGA players picked in the Draft, five of them in the first round. All five UGA first-round picks were defensive players, with top pick Travon Walker setting the tone. The other top UGA picks? Jordan Davis (13th), Quay Walker (22nd), Devonte Wyatt (28th), and Lewis Cine (32nd).

George Pickens and James Cook went in the second round and with the sixth round selection of John FitzPatrick, UGA set the new standard.

2t. 2025 Ohio State (14 players drafted)

How appropriate that OSU is looking to compete with... itself from a year ago. Fresh off a CFP crown, OSU came within one pick of the top spot in Draft class history. The Buckeyes ended up with four first-round picks: Emeka Egbuka (19th), Donovan Jackson (24th), Tyleik Williams (28th), and Josh Simmons (32nd).

Three more Buckeyes went in round two: running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson and defensive end JT Tuimoloau. Will Howard's sixth round selection ended the Draft for the Buckeyes and left them just shy of the all-time mark.

2t. 2020 LSU (14 players drafted)

Another champion who sent a ton of players to the pros, LSU started at the top with QB Joe Burrow leading off the 2020 Draft. Four other Tigers went in the first round: K'Lavon Chaisson (20th), Justin Jefferson (22nd), Patrick Queen (28th), and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (32nd).

Grant Delpit and Kristian Fulton were both taken in the second round and it looked as if LSU might set an all-time mark for picks. The seventh-round pick of Stephen Sullivan lifted LSU to what was then a tie for the most prosperous draft class.

2t. 2004 Ohio State (14 players drafted)

In 2004, Ohio State set what was then the standard for best NFL Draft class. While Ohio State had won the BCS title in 2002, their 2023 season came up short of the title-- much like the current Buckeye team.

Ohio State only had three players chosen in the first two rounds of the Draft: Will Smith (18th), Chris Gamble (28th), and Michael Jenkins (29th). But four third-round picks (including punter B.J. Sander) put OSU on a better pace. A pair of seventh-round picks settled OSU then atop the most prosperous Draft classes.

5th. 2025 Georgia and 2024 Michigan (each 13 players)

Two more recent teams just missed the top slots. Michigan had just one first round pick off a CFP title (J.J. McCarthy), but did have three consecutive players picked in the third round. Three UM picks in the last 10 selections of the Draft put UM close to the top classes.

Georgia had a trio of first-round picks and a pair of seventh rounders that put them just outside the top classes as well.

This year's possibilities (Ohio State and others)

Ohio State is the likely candidate here. While OSU could challenge the all-time mark of five first-round picks from a single school, most conventional wisdom is that the Buckeyes end up with around 11 players chosen-- good, but not historic.

Alabama and Miami have long-shot hopes here. Bama had 19 eligible players, with a dozen making it to the NFL Combine. Miami should have several first-round picks and could climb up toward a dozen with some good luck.

While these three schools each represent amazing collections of talent, they're probably stuck outside the ranking of the most prosperous NFL Draft classes ever.

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