Where They Hail From? NFL Players By School -- Past and Present

by Michael Bean on Mar 14, 2011 4:16 PM EDT

With just about six weeks until the 2011 NFL Draft, I thought I would take a quick look here at which universities or colleges have sent the most players to the NFL. Let's first take a look at the all time list, then move on to which schools currently have the most players represented in the NFL. I opted to take the top 25 in each category.

Let's take a look at the lists.

**NFL Players By School (All Time)**
Rank	School	No, Players	No. Hall of Famers	Top Performers (TDs)	Most Games Played
1	Notre Dame	503	11	Tim Brown (105)	John Carney (302)
2	USC	438	11	Marcus Allen (145)	Bruce Allen (296)
3	Ohio State	378	6	Chris Carter (131)	Jim Marshall (282)
4	Michigan	332	6	Elroy Hirsch (66)	Mike Kenn (252)
5	Penn State	325	5	Lenny Moore (113)	Matt Bahr (235)
6	Nebraska	312	3	Irving Fryar (88)	Irving Fryar (255)
7	Oklahoma	296	3	Tommy McDonald (85)	Keith Traylor (229)
8	Tennessee	290	2	Stanley Morgan (73)	Reggie White (232)
9	Pittsburgh	278	7	Curtis Martin (100)	Dan Marino (242)
10	LSU	272	3	Jim Taylor (93)	Kevin Mawae (241)
11	Miami	272	4	Edgerrin James (91)	Jeff Feagles (352)
12	ULCA	272	4	Wendell Tyler (66)	Norm Johnson (273)
13	Texas	268	3	Priest Holmes (94)	Steve McMichael (213)
14	Wisconsin	264	4	Elroy Hirsch (66)	Mike Webster (245)
15	Michigan State	261	2	Andre Rison (84)	Morton Anderson (382)
16	Alabama	260	7	Shaun Alexander (112)	Chris Mohr (239)
17	Purdue	254	3	Mile Alstott (71)	Rod Woodson (238)
18	Illinois	249	5	Bobby Mitchell (91)	Doug Dieken (203)
19	Georgia	248	2	Herschel Walker (84)	John Kasay (285)
20	Florida	247	2	Emmit Smith (175)	Lomas Brown (263)
21	Texas A&M	246	1	John David Crow (74)	Jerry Fontenot (239)
22	Washington	240	3	Corey Dillon (89)	Blair Bush (246)
23	Minnesota	233	5	Marion Barber (53)	Carl Eller (225)
24	Florida State	225	2	Fred Biletnikoff (77)	Rohn Stark (223)
25	Arizona State	224	4	Charley Taylor (90)	Jim Jeffcoat (227)

**NFL Players by School (Active)**
Rank	School	No. Active Players
1	Texas	41
2	LSU	40
3	Miami	40
4	USC	39
5	Ohio State	39
6	Michigan	36
7	Florida	36
8	Georgia	35
9	California	33
10	Tennessee	32
11	Penn State	30
12	Florida State	30
13	Iowa	30
14	Nebraska	27
15	Oklahoma	27
16	Alabama	26
17	Auburn	26
18	Notre Dame	25
19	Michigan State	25
20	Georgia Tech	23
21	Maryland	22
22	Oregon	22
23	Virginia Tech	22
24	Purdue	21
25	Fresno State	21

Just a few quick notes about the lists:

It's somewhat interesting to see that despite the rich getting richer, a new batch of schools has made significant inroads in terms of recruiting NFL caliber talent to their campuses. Almost all of them are in the south or the west where the weather's warm and the young co-eds are good looking.
Traditional powers from the Midwest are still doing just fine at producing NFL talent, but schools like Notre Dame, Penn State, and Nebraska have definitely lost a little bit of ground recruiting top-end talent in recent years.
How has Pat Hill kept his job at Fresno State? The Bulldogs have pieced together a few good years, and knocked off some notable giants along the way, but for all that talent that has rolled through Fresno in recent years, the Bulldogs have more or less been a disappointment. Something to be said for unselfishness and teamwork I suppose, as many of Fresno State's guys are junior college transfers or guys who are using their collegiate stop as a springboard to make it to the NFL, and little else.
You know, I may be a bit biased having spent much of my life in Austin, but Texas definitely gets an unfair label as a school that churns out players that aren't mentally ready for the NFL. Sure Vince Young, Ricky Williams and Cedric Benson come to mind as guys whose attitudes have stood in the way of them maximizing their talent, but there's a boatload of current players that are quietly going about their business in the league, and doing so at a very high level.

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Comments

Hail To Pitt!

Good job MB. Interesting about Fresno. Who would have known?

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Mar 14, 2011 4:20 PM EDT reply actions

Fresno

I was surprised as well.

"Canada? I don't even know what street it is on." Al Capone

"Until I came to Canada, I didn't know that snow was a four letter word." Alberto Manuel

"I wouldn't say it's cold but every year Winnipeg's athlete of the year is an ice fisherman." Dale Tallon

"If it wasn't for the anticipated flooding it will bring, Spring could not get here soon enough this year." COSF

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Mar 14, 2011 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Elroy Hirsch is a prolific scorer.

All time leader from Michigan and Wisconsin :)

I have not yet begun to procrastinate.

by NYSteelersFan4 on Mar 14, 2011 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

Crazy Legs?

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Mar 14, 2011 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe so...

But, I guess I was wondering how he could be the leader at both schools. Did he get 66 TD’s at each? My smart-assiness really held back my ability to actually ask that question.

I have not yet begun to procrastinate.

by NYSteelersFan4 on Mar 14, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions

yea thats NFL numbers

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Michael Bean on Mar 14, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Ah... gotcha.

I have not yet begun to procrastinate.

by NYSteelersFan4 on Mar 15, 2011 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions

NFL TDs

I think those are how many TDs they scored in the NFL, not college.
Also, I think those must only include receiving/rushing TDs, not passing TDs, as there are no QBs on that list.

by mjcutri on Mar 14, 2011 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

correct

I could have gone on and on. I arbitrarily chose touchdowns scored. It’d be interesting to see how the QBs stack up by college though

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Michael Bean on Mar 14, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

very cool

I’ve always thought this question, but never really had the time, energy, or resources to look through and see where all these NFL players were coming from…. Thanks for doing the research so i can continue being lazy, hahaha

by Bringin' the Wood(ley) on Mar 14, 2011 5:50 PM EDT reply actions

thats what im here for :)

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Michael Bean on Mar 14, 2011 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Texas

I think Texas gets hurt by having so many big names come out that have disappointed. Wasn’t Michael Huff another example? But, they must be doing something right to have so many active players still around.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Mar 14, 2011 8:24 PM EDT reply actions

yeah

Huff has been disappointing the past few years, but he did great his first year or two I believe.

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Michael Bean on Mar 14, 2011 8:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Ohio speed.

"Carrie, I can't go in there, I'm claustrophobic."
"Well, It's gonna' be a rough half hour for ya then."
-Doug Heffernan coming to grips with the cold reality of an MRI machine

by Jon Ross on Mar 14, 2011 11:45 PM EDT reply actions

Texas weak minded guys?

This is also the same school who turned out the “Big Snack” Casey Hampton, I think he is mentally tough enough! Earl Thomas also seems pretty awesome, their defensive guys are tough the offensive cough Limas Sweed fail to keep up.

by Steel34D on Mar 15, 2011 1:43 AM EDT reply actions

All I care about is that WVU had the best MLB to ever play go to there

I am of course refering to Sam Huff.

Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Jack Butler, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, Andre Reed and Jerry Kramer
"Any statement beginning with the words 'In truth' is almost always a lie." Mordred Deschain
Canal Street Chronicles resident Steelers Fan

by WVPiratesfan on Mar 15, 2011 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

Butkus?

I'm your huckleberry

by CLK47 on Mar 15, 2011 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Butkis didn't change the game

Sam Huff did, Landry invented the 4-3 because he had Huff who could control the middle of the field.

by WVPiratesfan on Mar 15, 2011 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

And because of Jim Brown.

I have not yet begun to procrastinate.

by NYSteelersFan4 on Mar 15, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Had more to do with the poassing game becoming more of a weapon

because most teams ran the 5-2 at that time and had other teams throw all over them.

by WVPiratesfan on Mar 15, 2011 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Doomsday D was created to counter Paul Browns ‘crazy’ passing offense, which was really the first example of the ‘west coast offense’.

Brown was taunted by one coach for being too pass happy. The next time his team faced the Browns Paul ran the ball, on every single down, not one passing play all game, and still won.

by alistar7 on Mar 16, 2011 3:15 AM EDT up reply actions

FYI

Actually, Fresno State recruits very, very few junior college players. It’s something some criticize Pat Hill for, but he gets about one JC guy every two years on average. Thinking off the top of my head, I don’t think a single Fresno State player in the NFL is a JC guy.

They’re also not springboard guys. Most are recruits that are developed once they get to campus. They have talent for sure, but these guys pretty much all have the “Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred” mentality. That’s why they all come back for games all the time.

Check out the latest Fresno State chatter on the Bulldog Bounce blog at http://www.BulldogBounce.blogspot.com.

by FSDogs1 on Mar 15, 2011 10:56 AM EDT reply actions

I love how Fresno state schedules

whoever, whenever. They are not afraid of playing the big boys, which can’t hurt recruiting.

by WVPiratesfan on Mar 15, 2011 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions

Qualifying

Actually that’s not the case. It may have been in the past, but Fresno State stopped accepting partial qualifiers years ago. While academics were an issue in the program in the mid ’90s, Hill has turned it in to consistently a top performing school in the West (look at the APR). Ever noticed the thumbs up patches Fresno State wears on their jerseys? Each player who achieves a 3.0 or better gets the patch. Thumbs up in Fresno State tradition means “Turn Up the Dial” and is a common fan/band theme when opposing teams enter the stadium and on third downs, etc.

Out of all the current NFL ‘Dogs, I believe only 2-3 came in as partial qualifiers (off top of my head). And I had class with 2 of them an can tell you from what I observed they put in an effort in the classroom. Clint Stitser, the Bengals’ kicker, earned the President’s Medal.

Check out the latest Fresno State chatter on the Bulldog Bounce blog at http://www.BulldogBounce.blogspot.com.

by FSDogs1 on Mar 16, 2011 4:28 AM EDT up reply actions

to be honest

I was somewhat talking out my butt there, but I don’t think it’s inaccurate to say that Fresno gets some of the guys who couldn’t qualify for Pac 10 schools.

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Michael Bean on Mar 16, 2011 1:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Recruiting

Yep, that’s actually Fresno State’s top recruiting edge. Hill never ever promises a guy early playing time or a starting job. Never has. He tells kids if they come to Fresno State they will get te opportunity to EARN a job in practice, will be put in position for classroom success with Academic Gameplan, and will play some of the most storied programs year after year and be on national TV often. This year, the new starting QB will be Derek Carr, younger bro of David, who was recruited by Texas and LSU and offered by most every Pac 10 school.

Notable ’Dogs (past/present) who went to NFL: Trent Dilfer, David Carr, Logan Mankins, Lorenzo Neal, Henry Ellard, Stephone Paige, Jahine Arnold, David Dunn, Ryan Mathews, Bernard Berrian, JD Williams, James Sanders, Richard Marshall, Clifton Smith, Tom Brandstater, Seyi Ajirotutu, Marlon Moore, Dwayne Wright, Ron Rivers, Malcolm Floyd, Bryan Robinson, Stephen Spach, Bear Pascoe, Robert Malone, Clint Stitser, Chris Denman, Ryan Wendell, Cory Hall, Omar Stoutmire, etc…

Just last week, 16 of them showed up at Senior Night for the basketball team and were honored at halftime, after organizing a food donation in Fresno.

Check out the latest Fresno State chatter on the Bulldog Bounce blog at http://www.BulldogBounce.blogspot.com.

by FSDogs1 on Mar 15, 2011 3:57 PM EDT reply actions