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Key Takeaways
- The USC Trojans are responsible for sending plenty of talented players to the NFL, including 14 Hall of Famers.
- Notre Dame has had more players taken in the NFL draft than any other program, leads, including legends like Joe Montana and Alan Page.
- Several Hall of Famers and Super Bowl champions once suited up for the Miami Hurricanes.
When evaluating a college football program’s prestige, several criteria come to mind.
For many, it’s national and conference championships, followed by total victories and winning percentage. For others, Heisman Trophy winners and All-Americans go a long way in establishing the hierarchy. However, it would be remiss to ignore how the aims of these institutions have changed over the years.
As the NFL has morphed into a multibillion-dollar enterprise, most student-athletes arrive at their respective schools with hopes of reaching the pros. These players are betting on their coaching staff and teams to not only get them to the professional level but also help develop them so they can be the best version of themselves when they get there.
Over the years, these five programs have accomplished this better than anyone else.
1 USC Trojans
USC has put several all-time greats into the NFL
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
The USC Trojans have plenty of unofficial titles. With the NCAA reinstating Reggie Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy, the Trojans are now the only school with eight winners. Additionally, the school has landed on our all-time Running Back U and Wide Receiver U rankings.
So, it’s only fitting that USC takes the top spot on the NFLU list. The fact that the Trojans are tied with Notre Dame for the most Hall of Famers with 14 only helps the argument.
These include 
Cincinnati Bengals tackle Anthony Munoz, 
Houston Oilers guard Bruce Matthews, and 
San Francisco 49ers safety Ronnie Lott. All three of these players are considered by many to be the greatest of all time at their respective positions.
Running back has also been a point of strength for the Trojans, with greats such as Marcus Allen, who did the bulk of his damage with the 
Los Angeles Raiders and, of course, O.J. Simpson of the 
Buffalo Bills starring at USC.
The one position that has eluded USC, at least at the professional level, is quarterback. Carson Palmer had a nice run with the Bengals and 
Arizona Cardinals, but he makes for an unimpressive QB1 entry for a school that has produced so many historically great players. Perhaps 
Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams will change that.
2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame has put the most players in the NFL
Bob Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who as of 2024 have had 569 players drafted, the most of any college football program, are a near mandatory inclusion.
Notre Dame has been a power on the college football scene for decades, with championships dating back to the 1920s. Longtime 49ers quarterback Joe Montana marks the most noteworthy Notre Dame product.
Montana won four Super Bowls and two NFL MVPs in his career and is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Alan Page, who starred on the 
Minnesota Vikings defensive line, is perhaps the most dominant Notre Dame alum, making nine Pro Bowls and becoming the first defensive player (and still only one of two) to win NFL MVP.
Tim Brown, Dave Casper, Art Donovan, George Connor, Jerome Bettis, Paul Hornung, and George Trafton are additional members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While the Irish haven’t won a national championship since 1988, they’ve stayed relevant and have continued to produce NFL players at a high clip. Today, 
Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin is the best player to come from South Bend, having made nine All-Pro teams in his first 10 seasons.
3 Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Miami has put stars into the league in spurts
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Whereas USC and Notre Dame have had well over 500 players drafted to the NFL, the Miami Hurricanes have 384, the fewest of any team on this list. While the Hurricanes lack the volume of other schools, they’ve more than made up for it in high-end talent.
The 1990s and early 2000s saw many of Miami’s best products come through, such as 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp, 
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and his future Baltimore teammate Ed Reed, 
Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James, who was joined by wide receiver Reggie Wayne years later, and 
Houston Texans wideout Andre Johnson.
Five of these six players are currently in the Hall of Fame and Wayne, the one exception (for now), ranks in the top 10 in league history in both career receptions and receiving yards. Jim Otto has the most First-Team All-Pro selections of any Miami alum with 10, all of which came with the Oakland Raiders.
Jim Kelly, who helped the Bills reach four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s, is the Hurricanes’ most notable quarterback and is also a member of the Hall of Fame. Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin, also a Hall of Famer, was the first Miami wideout to reach NFL stardom and won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys.
Atlanta Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell is the most decorated Miami player in the NFL today, with six Pro Bowls and a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2017.
4 Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State has excelled at producing wideouts and linemen
Paul Chapman-USA TODAY Sports
The Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines both had strong claims to the fourth spot.
Ultimately, Ohio State’s strength in the trenches gives it a slight edge over its bitter rival. The lineage of great Buckeyes offensive linemen is headlined by Colts tackle and guard Jim Parker, who made eight All-Pro First-Teams, the most of any Ohio State alum, and won two NFL Championships.
Other notable offensive linemen include 
Cleveland Browns teammates Lou Groza, who eventually became a kicker, and guard Bill Willis. Orlando Pace of the 
St. Louis Rams had possibly the best collegiate career of any Buckeye lineman and was selected first overall in 1997 before carving out a Hall of Fame career.
Cris Carter and Paul Warfield are the Buckeyes’ two most successful wide receivers, with each making eight Pro Bowls. Warfield won two Super Bowls with the 
Miami Dolphins, while Carter caught 1,101 passes with the Vikings.
Ohio State has put 10 players into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, tied with Pitt for fourth all-time. With current stars such as Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, 49ers edge Nick Bosa, and Arizona Cardinals wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. on the rise, the Buckeyes will be well represented for the foreseeable future.
5 Michigan Wolverines
Michigan has climbed into the top five this century
MPS-USA TODAY Sports
The Michigan Wolverines trail only USC and Notre Dame with 11 Hall of Fame alums. Those 11 include 
New England Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who won seven Super Bowls and three regular-season MVPs. Brady’s legacy alone gets the Wolverines a long way toward making the list.
Additionally, Charles Woodson made history at Michigan, becoming the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy in 1997. He played 18 years in the NFL for the Raiders and 
Green Bay Packersand compiled nine Pro Bowls and 65 interceptions.
The Wolverines also produced Hall of Fame offensive linemen in Tom Mack and Dan Dierdorf of the Rams and the 
Seattle Seahawks’ Steve Hutchinson. Michigan saw 13 of its players selected in the 2024 draft, a new program record.
With Brady now retired, it will be up to the next generation to uphold Michigan’s status as one of the premier schools for developing NFL talent.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.
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