(Stacker) — While most colleges and universities field a football team as part of its general athletics program, there are some for which football is more than merely a sport – it’s akin almost to a religion.
Devotion to the team and its colors is as important to that school’s culture as a religious icon is to a believer.
These programs actively scout and recruit notable high school players, and are in turn rigorously applied to by matriculating seniors eager to make a name for themselves at the collegiate level.
Among the most notable college football empires are Notre Dame, the universities of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State—the list goes on and on.
But for every touchstone football school, there is an outlier that has produced some of the most successful and cherished players in the game. Think Jackson State, which gave us “Sweetness” himself, Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton. Or Mississippi Valley State, which yielded 3-time Super Bowl champion and #1 Player in NFL History, as voted by the NFL Network, ‘49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice.
Each year, the college draft serves as a source of renewal to professional football and a testament to the quality of college programs nationwide. With the 2022 NFL draft set to take place April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Stacker compiled a list of the highest NFL draft picks from the LSU Tigers using data from Pro Football Reference . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.
20. Anthony McFarland (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)
19. Michael Clayton (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)
18. Michael Brockers (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (0 Pro Bowls)
17. A.J. Duhe (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1977
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)
16. Odell Beckham Jr. (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (3 Pro Bowls)
15. Charles Alexander (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 1979
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)
14. Eric Hill (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Phoenix Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (0 Pro Bowls)
13. Barkevious Mingo (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)
12. LaRon Landry (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)
11. Morris Claiborne (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)
10. Jamal Adams (S)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (3 Pro Bowls)
9. Patrick Peterson (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (8 Pro Bowls)
8. Glenn Dorsey (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)
7. Devin White (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)
6. Ja’Marr Chase (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (1 Pro Bowls)
5. Leonard Fournette (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)
4. Tyson Jackson (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)
3. Bert Jones (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1973
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (1 Pro Bowls)
2. JaMarcus Russell (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)
1. Joe Burrow (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)
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