Colleges with the Most Overall No. 1 Picks in NFL Draft History

The National Football League (NFL) conducts a seven-round collegiate player draft annually in April, with 32 teams getting one pick per round.

In the 2023 NFL Draft, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was chosen as the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, making him the most recent No. 1 overall selection. Young earned Alabama's second-ever No. 1 overall selection and its first since 1948.

The Jaguars selected Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence as the first overall pick in 2021. Joe Burrow was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals as the first overall choice in the 2020 NFL Draft. The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, Burrow, was the third player from LSU to be selected first overall in the draft.

NFL Draft History

The basic idea for an annual draft selection was a result of Stan Kostka's stardom in the early 1930s. As a running back for the University of Minnesota, Kostka had a remarkable collegiate career, helping the Gophers to an undefeated 1934 season.

Each and every NFL team wanted to sign him, and so Kostka waited for the best offer, taking advantage of the fact that there was no draft. He even ran for Mayor of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, while a free agent.

Eventually, Kostka's nine-month NFL delay paid off, and in August 1935, he signed a $5,000 deal with the Brooklyn Dodgers to become the highest-paid player in the league. In reaction to the Stan Kostka bidding war, the NFL introduced the draft in 1936.

Since then, several details have changed, such as team placement and the number of rounds, but the basic process has not changed. In theory, the weakest team should be able to select the best player available; hence, the draft was originally intended to create more competitive parity between the teams.

There are several rules to be followed in draft selections, with statuses like non-playoff teams, conference runners-up, Super Bowl runners-up, Super Bowl champion and eliminated in the wild card and divisional round.

The team that wins the Super Bowl always drafts last, while the team that loses always drafts second to last. To be eligible for the draft, all draftees must have graduated from high school at least three years ago. Teams are able to exchange picks for future draft selections, but they are unable to exchange the rights of players they have already selected.

Also, the rounds' picks per team can be increased by one to four between the third and seventh rounds, but at the end of the round, under the compensatory selections of free agents, these players can also be traded; this began in 2017.

Colleges with Most #1 NFL Draft Picks

Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Southern California have the most #1 NFL draft picks, with five each. Georgia is the most recent addition to the record, with Travon Walker becoming the fifth player to go No. 1 overall pick in 2022.

The colleges with the most number of first overall draft picks are as follows: