How long it's been since each college football team's last first-round NFL Draft picks – SB Nation
All but two Power 5 schools have had first-round picks since 2005. Iowa State hasn’t had one since 1973.
College football is one of America’s least balanced sports. The landscape has clear haves and have-nots, with national championships reserved for a select few recruiting powers.
But in the realm of the NFL Draft, almost every major program has gotten a taste of the top. Some programs churn out far more draftees than others, of course, but all but two Power 5 programs have had a first-round draft pick since 2005. Indiana’s 20-year drought since its last first-rounder in 1994 could end this year with offensive tackle Jason Spriggs, while Iowa State’s 41-year stretch since a pick in 1973 is likely to continue.
Here’s how the country stacks up in recency of first-round selections, by conference:
SEC
Team | Year | Player |
Georgia | 2015 | Todd Gurley, Rams RB |
Kentucky | 2015 | Bud Dupree, Steelers LB |
Missouri | 2015 | Shane Ray, Broncos DL |
Alabama | 2015 | Amari Cooper, Raiders WR |
Texas A&M | 2015 | Cedric Ogbuehi, Bengals OL |
Florida | 2015 | Dante Fowler, Jaguars DL D.J. Humphries, Cardinals OL |
Tennessee | 2014 | Ja’Wuan James, Dolphins OL |
South Carolina | 2014 | Jadeveon Clowney, Texans DL |
LSU | 2014 | Odell Beckham Jr., Giants WR |
Auburn | 2014 | Dee Ford, Chiefs DL |
Mississippi State | 2012 | Fletcher Cox, Eagles DL |
Ole Miss | 2009 | Michael Oher, Ravens OL |
Vanderbilt | 2008 | Chris Wlliams, Bears OL |
Arkansas | 2008 | Darren McFadden, Raiders RB Felix Jones, Cowboys RB |
Every team in the SEC has had someone go in the first round over the past eight drafts, and 11 of 14 teams have had a first rounder in just the past two drafts. That’s an impressive run of top selections.
Ole Miss hasn’t gotten one since 2009, but that’s certainly going to end in the first few moments of this year’s draft, when someone takes tackle Laremy Tunsil.
ACC
Team | Year | Player |
Clemson | 2015 | Vic Beasley, Falcons LB Stephone Anthony, Saints LB |
Florida State | 2015 | Jameis Winston, Buccaneers QB Cameron Erving, Browns OL |
Louisville | 2015 | DeVante Parker, Louisville WR |
Wake Forest | 2015 | Kevin Johnson, Texans DB |
Miami | 2015 | Phillip Dorsett, Colts WR |
Duke | 2015 | Laken Tomlinson, Lions OL |
Notre Dame* | 2014 | Zack Martin, Cowboys OL |
North Carolina | 2014 | Eric Ebron, Lions TE |
Pitt | 2014 | Aaron Donald, Rams DL |
Virginia Tech | 2014 | Kyle Fuller, Bears DB |
Syracuse | 2013 | Justin Pugh, Giants OL |
Boston College | 2012 | Luke Kuechly, Panthers LB |
Georgia Tech | 2010 | Derrick Morgan, Titans DL Demaryius Thomas, Broncos WR |
Virginia | 2009 | Eugene Monroe, Jaguars OL |
NC State | 2006 | Mario Williams, Texans DL Manny Lawson, 49ers DL John McCargo, Bills DL |
The ACC is interesting. Six different teams in this league had first-round picks last year alone, but it’s been a long while for some of the teams near the bottom of the conference.
NC State put an incredible three defensive linemen in the first round in 2006 (including top overall pick Mario Williams) but hasn’t had anyone go higher than 52nd overall in the nine years since then.
*We know.
Big Ten
Team | Year | Player |
Michigan State | 2015 | Trae Waynes, Vikings DB |
Wisconsin | 2015 | Melvin Gordon, Chargers RB |
Iowa | 2015 | Brandon Scherff, Washington OL |
Ohio State | 2014 | Ryan Shazier, Steelers LB Bradley Roby, Broncos DB |
Michigan | 2014 | Taylor Lewan, Titans OL |
Illinois | 2012 | Whitney Mercilus, Texans LB/DE |
Purdue | 2011 | Ryan Kerrigan, Washington LB |
Nebraska | 2011 | Prince Amukamara, Giants DB |
Penn State | 2010 | Jared Odrick, Dolphins DL |
Rutgers | 2010 | Anthony Davis, 49ers OL Devin McCourty, Patriots DB |
Maryland | 2009 | Darrius Heyward-Bey, Raiders WR |
Minnesota | 2006 | Laurence Maroney, Patriots RB |
Northwestern | 2005 | Luis Castillo, Chargers DL |
Indiana | 1994 | Thomas Lewis, Giants WR |
One of these is not like the others.
The Big Ten has generally had at least two teams per year with first-round picks for the last several years, although it’s been a decade since Minnesota and Northwestern had someone taken in the first 32. But the real outlier is Indiana, which trails all Power 5 teams in this department except for Iowa State.
But it’s not like the Hoosiers haven’t had NFL talent. Even though they haven’t landed many blue-chip high school recruits, they’ve sent some really good players to the pros, including a bunch of second-to-fourth-rounders. Tackle Rodger Saffold went 33rd overall to the Rams in 2010, just one spot outside the first round.
Big 12
Team | Year | Player |
Texas | 2015 | Malcom Brown, Patriots DL |
West Virginia | 2015 | Kevin White, Bears WR |
Oklahoma State | 2014 | Justin Gilbert, Browns DB |
TCU | 2014 | Jason Verrett, Chargers DB |
Oklahoma | 2013 | Lane Johnson, Eagles OL |
Baylor | 2012 | Kendall Wright, Titans WR |
Texas Tech | 2009 | Michael Crabtree, 49ers WR |
Kansas State | 2009 | Josh Freeman, Buccaneers QB |
Kansas | 2008 | Aqib Talib, Buccaneers DB |
Iowa State | 1973 | George Amundson, Oilers RB |
It isn’t surprising that Iowa State would be the least recent school to have a first-round pick out of the Big 12, but there is still a wild difference between the Cyclones and their peers.
No Power 5 team is even with 20 years of Iowa State’s dry spell on the first-round pick circuit, and unlike the next-closest team (Indiana), the Cyclones haven’t had a lot of mid-round picks to make up for it. Tackle Kelechi Osemele went 60th overall to the Ravens in 2012, making him the sixth-highest picked Cyclone ever and the highest since 1990. Amundson is the only first-rounder in program history, and the team that picked him doesn’t currently exist with the same name. After 1990, just three Cyclones have gone in the first three rounds.
Pac-12
Team | Year | Player |
Stanford | 2015 | Andrus Peat, Saints OL |
Oregon | 2015 | Marcus Mariota, Titans QB Arik Armstead, 49ers DL |
Washington | 2015 | Danny Shelton, Browns DL Marcus Peters, Chiefs DB Shaq Thompson, Panthers LB |
USC | 2015 | Leonard Williams, Jets DL Nelson Agholor, Eagles WR |
Arizona State | 2015 | Damarious Randall, Packers DB |
Washington State | 2014 | Deone Bucannon, Cardinals DB |
Oregon State | 2014 | Brandin Cooks, Saints WR |
UCLA | 2014 | Anthony Barr, Vikings LB |
Utah | 2013 | Star Lotulelei, Panthers DL |
Cal | 2011 | Cameron Jordan, Saints DL |
Colorado | 2011 | Nate Solder, Patriots OL Jimmy Smith, Ravens DB |
Arizona | 2008 | Antoine Cason, Chargers DB |
Everyone’s had a pick since 2008, matching the Pac-12 with the SEC for the shortest window of time to have gotten every school involved in the first 32 selections. Arizona’s run of no first-rounders since 2008 will probably continue this year, as will Colorado’s since 2011. Cal’s streak from the same year should end with quarterback Jared Goff.
All the non-power FBS schools who have had first-rounders since Iowa State’s last one in 1973
Connecticut | 2015 | Byron Jones, Cowboys DB |
Central Florida | 2015 | Brashad Perriman, Ravens WR |
Buffalo | 2014 | Khalil Mack, Raiders LB |
Northern Illinois | 2014 | Jimmie Ward, 49ers DB |
BYU | 2013 | Ezekiel Ansah, Lions DL |
Houston | 2013 | D.J. Hayden, Raiders DB |
Central Michigan | 2013 | Eric Fisher, Raiders OL |
Boise State | 2012 | Shea McClellin, Bears DL Doug Martin, Buccaneers RB |
Memphis | 2012 | Dontari Poe, Chiefs DL |
Temple | 2011 | Muhammad Wilkerson, Jets DL |
Fresno State | 2010 | Ryan Mathews, Chargers RB |
Idaho | 2010 | Mike Iupati, 49ers OL |
South Florida | 2010 | Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants DL |
East Carolina | 2008 | Chris Johnson, Titans RB |
Troy | 2008 | Leodis McKelvin, Bills DB |
Miami (Ohio) | 2004 | Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers QB |
Tulane | 2004 | J.P. Losman, Bills QB |
Western Michigan | 2004 | Jason Babin, Texans DL |
Marshall | 2003 | Byron Leftwich, Jaguars QB |
Hawaii | 2002 | Ashley Lelie, Broncos WR |
New Mexico | 2000 | Brian Urlacher, Bears LB |
Louisiana Tech | 1999 | Troy Edwards, Steelers WR |
San Diego State | 1998 | Kyle Turley, Saints OL |
Toledo | 1993 | Dan Wlliams, Broncos DL |
Colorado State | 1987 | Kelly Stouffer, Cardinals QB |
SMU | 1986 | Rod Jones, Buccaneers DB Reggie Dupard, Patriots RB |
Nevada | 1984 | Tony Zendejas, Washington K Al Williams, Lions WR |
Texas State | 1984 | Ricky Sanders, Patriots WR |
San Jose State | 1983 | Gill Byrd, Chargers DB |
Rice | 1980 | Earl Cooper, 49ers RB/DB |
Tulsa | 1977 | Steve August, Seahawks OL |
Wyoming | 1976 | Aaron Kyle, Cowboys DB Lawrence Gaines, Lions RB |
Not even counting Notre Dame, that’s 32 Group of 5 and independent FBS teams with a more recent first-round pick than the Cyclones. Matt Campbell is not stepping into an easy job.