2021 NFL Draft: 10 Colleges that have produced the most draft picks since 2010
College football is the only assured pathway to the NFL. Teams scout players with potential right from their high school years with the view of recruiting these youngsters to play for them during their college years.
While recruitment is open to all and any college program can recruit a player to play for their team, some programs rank higher than others. Playing at these prestigious universities not only provides youngsters with world-class coaching and training facilities, but it also gives them a higher chance of making it to the NFL.
With the 2021 NFL Draft fast-approaching, we take a look at the top 10 colleges that have produced the most draft picks since 2010, their most notable alumni, the current stars operating in the NFL, and the projected picks for 2021. Buckle up!
2021 NFL Draft: 10 Colleges that have produced the most draft picks since 2010
In descending order:
#10 USC
Draft picks: 51
First-round picks: 8
Notable Alumni: Clay Matthews Sr., Clay Matthews ll, Troy Polamalu, O.J. Simpson, Junior Seau, Marcus Allen, Ronnie Lott
Recent NFL draft picks: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ronald Jones ll, Sam Darnold, Robert Woods
Projected 2021 draft picks: OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, DT Jay Tufele, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DT Marlon Tuipulotu, S Talanoa Hufanga, CB Olaijah Griffin, WR Tyler Vaughns.
#9 Florida State University
Draft picks: 54
First-round picks: 12
Notable Alumni: DT Darnell Dockett, QB Brad Johnson, WR Anquan Boldin, RB Warrick Dunn, WR Fred Biletnikoff, OT Walter Jones, LB Derrick Brooks, DB Deion Sanders
Recent NFL picks: RB Cam Akers, RB Dalvin Cook, DE Brian Burns, Jameis Winston, DB Jalen Ramsey, DB Derwin James
Projected 2021 draft picks: DT Marvin Wilson, WR Tamorrion Terry, S Hamsah Nasirildeen, DL Cory Durden, OL Devontay Love-Taylor.
#8 University of Miami
Draft picks: 56
First-round picks: 4
Notable Alumni: WR Andre Johnson, DT Cortez Kennedy, LB Ted Hendricks, WR Michael Irvin, DT Warren Sapp, S Ed Reed, QB Jim Kelly, C Otto Reed, LB Ray Lewis
Recent NFL draft picks: DE Calais Campbell, DE Olivier Vernon, TE Jimmy Graham, OG Brandon Linder, RB Frank Gore
Projected 2021 draft picks: Edge Gregory Rousseau, Edge Quincey Roche, TE Brevin Jordan.
#7 University of Georgia
Draft picks: 59
First-round picks: 11
Notable Alumni: DE/DT Richard Seymour, RB Terrell Davis, WR Hines Ward, DB Champ Bailey, RB Herschel Walker, RB/QB/DB Charley Trippi, QB Frank Tankerton
Recent NFL draft picks: RB Todd Gurley all, LB Roquan Smith, DT Geno Atkins, WR A.J. Green, RB Nick Chubb, RB D'Andre Swift, K Rodrigo Blankenship, QB Matthew Stafford, G Isaiah Wynn
Projected 2021 draft picks: Edge Azeez Ojulari, CB Eric Stokes, DB Tyson Campbell, OL Trey Hill.
#6 Clemson University
Draft picks: 60
First-round picks: 12
Notable Alumni: DT William Perry, RB Kevin Mack, DT Chester McGlockton, DE Trevor Pryce, LB Levon Kirkland, DE Micheal Dean Perry, DB Brian Dawkins
Recent NFL draft picks: WR DeAndre Hopkins, OB Isaiah Simmons, QB Deshaun Watson, DE Shaq Lawson, DT Christian Wilkins, P Bradley Pinion
Projected 2021 draft picks: QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, OT Jackson Carman, CB Derion Kendrick, WR Justyn Ross, Edge Xavier Thomas.
#5 University of Oklahoma
Draft picks: 59
First-round picks: 10
Notable Alumni: DT Keith Taylor, DT Tony Casillas, G Ralph Neely, RB Greg Pruitt, TE Keith Jackson, WR Tommy McDonald, DE Leeroy Selmon
Recent NFL draft picks: QB Kyler Murray, TE Mark Andrews, OT Orlando Brown, WR Marquise Brown, RB Joe Mixon, QB Baker Mayfield, WR CeeDee Lamb, RB Adrian Peterson, QB Jalen Hurts, OT Trent Williams
Projected 2021 draft picks: C Creed Humphrey, DE Ronnie Perkins, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, CB Tre Brown.
#4 University of Florida
Draft picks: 67
First-round picks: 13
Notable Alumni: WR Wes Chandler, DE Kevin Carter, RB Fred Taylor, DE Javin Kearse, LB Wilber Brown, DE Jack Youngblood, RB Emmitt Smith
Recent NFL draft picks: OT DJ Humphries, DE Dante Fowler Jr., OC Mike Pouncey, OT Trent Brown, S C.J. Gardner Johnson, OC Maurice Pouncey
Projected 2021 draft picks: QB Kyle Trask, TE Kyle Pitts, WR Kadarius Toney, WR Trevon Grimes, LT Stone Forsyth, C Brett Haggie, K Evan McPherson.
#3 Louisiana State University
Draft picks: 74
First-round picks: 15
Notable Alumni: QB Bert Jones, RB Kevin Faulk, G Alan Faneca, G Kevin Mawae, DB/WR/RB Johhny Robinson, QB Y.A. Tittle, RB Jim Taylor, RB Steve Van Buren
Recent NFL draft picks: CB Patrick Peterson, IB Patrick Queen, CB Tre'Davious White, QB Joe Burrow, WR Jarvis Landry, CB Greedy Williams, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, S Tyrann Mathieu, OG Trai Turner, OB Danielle Hunter, WR Justin Jefferson, OB Kwon Alexander, S Jamal Adams, OC Ethan Pocic, RB Leonard Fournette, IB Devin White
Projected 2021 draft picks: WR Ja'Marr Chase, S Jacoby Stevens, T Tyler Shelvin, WR Terrace Marshall Jr, LB Jabril Cox.
#2 Ohio State University
Draft picks: 72
First-round picks: 18
Notable Alumni: RB Eddie George, WR Chris Carter, DE Jim Marshall, CB Dick LeBeau, OT Orlando Pace, OL Jim Parker, G Bill Willis, WR Paul Warfield
Recent NFL draft picks: RB J.K. Dobbins, WR Curtis Samuel, S Vonn Bell, CB Denzel Ward, RB Ezekiel Elliot, C Corey Linsley, OG Andrew Norwell, S Jordan Fuller, CB Damon Arnette, OB Jerome Baker, S Malcolm Jenkins, CB Marshon Lattimore, WR Michael Thomas, DE Nick Bosa, DE Chase Young, WR Terry McLaurin
Projected 2021 draft picks: QB Justin Fields, G Wyatt Davis, LB Pete Werner, CB Shaun Wade, LB Baron Browning, C Josh Myers, DT Tommy Togiai, RB Trey Sermon, DE Jonathan Cooper.
#1 University of Alabama
Draft Picks: 91
First-round picks: 32
Notable Alumni: QB Joe Namath, WR Ozzie Newsome, LB Cornelius Bennett, OL John Hannah, LB Derrick Thomas, QB Bart Starr
Recent NFL draft picks: RB Mark Ingram, WR Amari Cooper, RB Derrick Henry, RB Kenyan Drake, WR Julio Jones, WR Calvin Ridley, QB Tua Tagovailoa, CB Marlon Humphrey, OT Jedrick Wills Jr., WR Jerry Jeudy, RB Joshua Jacobs, LB Dont'a Hightower, S Xavier McKinney, DT Quinnen Williams, DT Da'Ron Payne
Projected 2021 draft picks: WR Devonta Smith, WR Jaylen Waddle, DB Patrick Surtain ll, QB Mac Jones, DT Christian Barmore, RB Najee Harris, OL Landon Dickerson, OL Alex Leatherwood, LB Dylan Moses (and probably a few others, too).