Which US colleges have produced the most players on the current NFL roster?
Football is America’s most popular sport, with millions of kids across all 50 states dreaming of stepping onto an NFL field for their favorite team. If you want to make it in the big leagues, a spot on your college’s football team is the best way to catch the attention of NFL talent scouts.
Almost all of the best football players in the USA today started their professional careers at college, but not all schools are equal when it comes to creating the next big NFL stars. We’ve taken a look at all the active players in the league today, and put together a ranking of the colleges who have produced the most current NFL players.
Whether you’re looking to kickstart your playing career at the right school, or just curious where your college landed on our list, read on to see the US colleges who have produced the most players on the current NFL roster.
The top 10 colleges to be drafted from in 2025
1. Alabama
The Alabama Crimson Tide is one of the most successful NCAA teams in history, having earned 18 national titles and 34 conference titles since their formation in 1892. With such a strong football program, they’ve produced more current NFL players than any other college in the country, with 73 active competitors having started their careers with the Tide.
Some of their notable alumni include Jalen Hurts, the star quarterback for the reigning NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles squad (which also features five other former Alabama students), and Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young, who was selected first overall in the 2023 NFL draft.
2. Georgia & Ohio State
Tying in second place with 71 active players apiece, the University of Georgia and Ohio State University are both renowned for their football programs. The Ohio State Buckeyes have 9 NCAA titles to their name, with their most recent win coming in 2024, while the Georgia bulldogs have won 4, including back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.
Some of the Bulldogs’ most notable former players include former Super Bowl champion quarterback Matthew Stafford (currently playing for the Los Angeles Rams) and 2022 first overall draft pick Travon Walker, who plays defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes produced current quarterbacks like the New York Jets’ Justin Fields and Houston Texans’ C. J. Stroud.
4. Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines have the most all-time wins in NCAA football history, and have earned 12 national titles since their debut season in 1879. Their fierce rivalry with the Buckeyes has consistently been voted one of the best in US sports, but the University of Michigan’s program falls just short of Ohio State to earn fourth place, having produced 65 active NFL athletes.
Their alumni include Indianapolis Colts defensive end Kwity Paye and Jacksonville Jaguars nickelback Jourdan Lewis. Their only QB in the NFL currently is J. J. McCarthy, who missed his 2024-25 rookie season with a torn meniscus.
5. LSU
Louisiana State University is the home of the LSU Tigers, who have won 4 national titles and 16 conference titles in their 132 year history. Since their foundation, 381 players have been drafted from the Tigers to the NFL, and they currently rank as the team with the fifth most alumni on the active roster (58).
The most notable former LSU player in the league is Joe Burrow, who was drafted first overall as a quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020 and led the team to their 2022 Super Bowl appearance.
6. Notre Dame
With 56 active alumni in the NFL, the University of Notre Dame in Indiana earns sixth place on our list. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have claimed 11 national titles since being founded in 1887, and most recently fought their way to the 2024 national finals before being defeated by the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Their notable former players include Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, and Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson.
7. Texas
The Texas Longhorns have been representing the University of Texas at Austin since 1893, claiming 5 national titles and 33 conference titles in that time. As of 2025, they’re ranked as the team with the seventh-most active NFL players in their alumni – out of 380 players drafted from the Longhorns in history, 54 are current players.
Of their active alumni, the Longhorns have produced two Super Bowl champions: Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo.
8. Penn State
Despite not having claimed a national title since 1986 (their second win), the Penn State Nittany Lions continue to give a platform to rising football stars, having produced 51 players for the current NFL roster in recent years.
Penn State’s active alumni include 2018 second overall pick Saquon Barkley, who win the 2025 Super Bowl as a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills wide receiver K. J. Hamler.
9. Oregon
The only NCAA team in our top 10 to have never claimed a national title, the Oregon Ducks have still proven a force to be reckoned with when it comes to cultivating top talent. 47 players on the active NFL roster started their careers at the University of Oregon, with 254 players selected from the team at the annual NFL draft across its history.
One of their most notable alumni include Marcus Mariota, who was drafted second overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2015. He set numerous franchise records with them over his five year tenure, and now plays for the Washington Commanders. More recently, New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux was drafted fifth overall in 2022, and has since recorded over 120 tackles for the squad.
10. Oklahoma
Rounding out the top 10, the Oklahoma Sooners have drafted 419 players to the NFL across their 130-year history, with 46 players active in the league as of 2025. This puts them just ahead of programs who missed out on our list, like the Florida Gators (43) and the Miami Hurricanes (42) to earn tenth place.
The University of Oklahoma notably produced the first overall pick in back-to-back drafts: current Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield was first drafted into the league for the Cleveland Browns in 2018 after playing for the sooners, with Kyler Murray being drafted first to the Arizona Cardinals the year after, where he remains to this day.
Which college has produced the most quarterbacks on the current NFL roster?
The quarterback is the most important position on a football team and many of the most famous NFL players in history have made their name in the role, from legends like Brett Favre and Tom Brady, to modern-day greats like Pat Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. Most students who join their college’s team dream of being picked as the star quarterback, so it’s a badge of honor for a college to produce standouts in the role.
The University of Alabama has produced more current NFL quarterbacks than any other college, with five of their former players taking up the position for various teams across the league: Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers), Mac Jones (San Francisco 49ers), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins), and Jalen Milroe (Seattle Seahawks).
They’re followed closely by the University of Oregon, who have produced four active QBs in the NFL, while Ohio State, Tennessee, and Florida all tie in third with three each.
Which college has produced the most wide receivers on the current NFL roster?
While quarterbacks tend to get most of the press and praise, wide receivers also play an essential role on an NFL team, and earn a lot of attention for their catching abilities and playmaking. Most NFL fans consider three-time Super Bowl winner Jerry Rice to be the best of all time in the position, but recent players like Justin Jefferson, A. J. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase have been cited as other standouts in the role.
When it comes to which colleges have produced the most active wide receivers, there’s a tie at the top, as both Ohio State and Ole Miss have provided 10 NFL players each in the role. OSU’s wide receiver alumni include Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders) and Michael Thomas (New Orleans Saints), while the Ole Miss Rebels are the former home of Laquon Treadwell (Indianapolis Colts) and A. J. Brown (Tennessee Titans).
Other colleges with a notable number of wide receivers produced include the University of Texas (9), USC (8), and the University of Alabama (7).
Which college has produced the most defensive ends on the current NFL roster?
A good defensive end needs to be able to apply pressure to the other team’s quarterback and prevent their running backs from getting to the sidelines. It’s a tough position that requires plenty of strength, agility, and versatility. Some of the best defensive ends in history include Reggie White and Deacon Jones, while T. J. Watt and Myles Garrett rank among the best in the role today.
It’s another tie in first for the colleges that have produced the most active NFL defensive ends, as the Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan Wolverines have both produced seven each. The Bulldogs’ alumni include 2022 first overall pick Travon Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Robert Beal Jr. (San Francisco 49ers). Meanwhile, former Michigan players include two-time Super Bowl champion Mike Danna (Kansas City Chiefs) and Kwity Paye (Indianapolis Colts).
Ohio State University finishes as a runner-up on our list with six defensive end alumni active in the NFL, while Clemson and LSU tie on five apiece.
Which college has produced the most tight ends on the current NFL roster?
Most roles in football are quite strongly defined, but a tight end is a hybrid role that serves multiple purposes. They need the catching ability of a receiver, as well as the blocking ability of a lineman. Some of the best tight ends of all time include Tony Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski, while some of the highest ranked players in the role nowadays include George Kittle and Travis Kelce.
The University of Georgia has produced more tight ends active in the NFL than any other US college, with seven currently signed to franchises across the league. Some of these include Charlie Woerner (Atlanta Falcons), Darnell Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers), and Brock Bowers (Las Vegas Raiders).
The rest of the top five colleges are all tied, with Notre Dame, Iowa, Washington and Stamford all having produced six active NFL tight ends.
Which college has produced the most running backs on the current NFL roster?
Speed is essential for a running back, as they’re the position mostly relied on for running with the ball. However, they can also be used to block offensive plays or receive passes, making them another versatile role. Walter Payton and Jim Brown are often named as two of the best players to ever assume the role, with some of the best modern running backs including Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry.
Once again, the University of Georgia takes the crown for producing more active running backs than any other US college. Among the seven NFL running backs to have played for the Georgia Bulldogs are D’Andre Swift (Chicago Bears), Nick Chubb (Houston Texans), and James Cook (Buffalo Bills).
Alabama and Arizona tie in second place, with both universities producing six active running backs in the NFL. Just behind them are North Carolina and Boise State, who tie on five each.
Methodology
Using the ESPN roster list of all current NFL players, we were able to reveal where each star attended college. This enabled us to uncover which college has produced the most current NFL players. This was then broken into positions to reveal which college produces the most quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, and defensive ends.
