The NFL draft has been held annually since 1936. USC has produced the most No. 1 picks with six, including Heisman Trophy winners O.J. Simpson , Carson Palmer and 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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