Which colleges have the most No. 1 NFL draft picks?
The NFL draft has been held annually since 1936. The 2025 event will take place at Lambeau Field from April 24-26.
USC has produced the most all-time 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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