College football programs with the most NFL players 2023

In 2023, the most well-represented college football program in the NFL was Alabama, with 57 Crimson Tide players on NFL Week 1 team rosters. College football is seen as the final stepping stone for student athletes before hitting the big time in the NFL. Some of the hottest prospects from college football turn into first round picks in the NFL Draft and are handed lucrative professional contracts by NFL franchises.

Who has the most successful college football program?

While Alabama’s football program was the most well-represented in the NFL in 2023, there are other ways to measure the success of a program. For instance, looking at the college football programs with the most NFL Draft picks in the same year shows Notre Dame at the top, ranked five positions above Alabama. Meanwhile, the college football program which has produced the most Super Bowl players was Miami, which reported 124 graduates participating in the NFL championship game at some point during their careers.

How popular is the NFL Draft?

The National Football League Draft is the official player recruitment meeting for the NFL in the United States. Although any player who has not been in high school for three or more years is eligible to feature in the NFL Draft, the vast majority of those who are featured have participated in a college football program. The event is followed closely by fans of the NFL, with the number of NFL Draft Round One TV viewers in the U.S. amounting to more than 11 million in 2023. When fans were asked why they watched the NFL Draft, most respondents stated that their desire to see who their favorite team picked as the major reason for doing so.