The NFL Draft dates back to February 8th, 1936 when the Philadelphia Eagles selected Downtown Athletic Club Trophy winner (later renamed the Heisman Trophy), Jay Berwanger (RB), out of the University of Chicago with the number one overall pick. There have been 80 NFL drafts following, and there has not been another number one overall pick out of the University of Chicago since. The University of Chicago certainly has nothing to hang their head about. Times have changed and they aren’t quite known to be a football powerhouse. There are 33 other schools who’ve only produced one first overall draft pick and many more who’ve produced zero.
Lets take a look at the schools who’ve produced the most number one overall draft picks:
Notre Dame = 5
- Angelo Bertelli (QB) – 1944
- Frank Dancewicz (QB) – 1946
- Leon Hart (TE/FB) – 1950
- Paul Hornung (HB) – 1957
- Walt Patulski (DE) – 1972
USC = 5
- Ron Yary (T) – 1968
- O.J. Simpson (HB) 1969
- Ricky Bell (RB) – 1977
- Keyshawn Johnson (WR) – 1996
- Carson Palmer (QB) – 2003
Auburn = 4
- Tucker Frederickson (RB) – 1965
- Bo Jackson (RB) – 1986
- Aundray Bruce (LB) – 1988
- Cam Newton (QB) – 2011
Georgia = 4
- Frank Sinkwich (HB) – 1943
- Charley Trippi (HB) – 1945
- Harry Babcock (TE/WR) – 1953
- Matthew Stafford (QB) – 2009
Stanford = 4
- Bobby Garrett (QB) – 1954
- Jim Plunkett (QB) – 1971
- John Elway (QB) – 1983
- Andrew Luck (QB) – 2012
Ohio State = 3
- Tom Cousineau (LB) – 1979
- Dan Wilkinson (DT) – 1994
- Orlando Pace (T) – 1997
Oklahoma = 3
- Lee Roy Selmon (DE) – 1976
- Billy Sims (RB) – 1980
- Sam Bradford (QB) – 2010
Texas
- Tommy Nobis (LB) – 1966
- Earl Campbell (RB) – 1978
- Kenneth Sims (DE) – 1982
Eight other schools tied with two: Cal, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
What school will add a player to the list in 2018? Will USC pull ahead of Notre Dame with their sixth first-overall pick and become the true “First- Pick U”?
