(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 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.
20. Christian Ringo (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #210 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
19. Elijah Mitchell (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #194 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
18. Charles Bennett (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #190 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
17. Elijah McGuire (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #188 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
16. C.C. Brown (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #188 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)
15. Simeon Thomas (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #188 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
14. Keno Hills (G)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #179 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
13. Mark Hall (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #169 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
12. Todd Scott (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #163 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (1 Pro Bowls)
11. Hall Davis (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #149 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
10. Kevin Dotson (G)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #135 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
9. Brian Mitchell (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #130 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
8. Ike Taylor (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #125 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)
7. Brandon Stokley (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #105 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)
6. Tracy Walker (S)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #82 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)
5. Chris Gannon (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #73 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
4. Orlando Thomas (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #42 overall in 1995
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)
3. Robert Hunt (G)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #39 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)
2. Anthony Clement (T)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #36 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)
1. Charles Tillman (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (2 Pro Bowls)
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