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25 College football programs with the most all-time NFL Draft picks

By Michael Collins

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Joey Bosa (Ohio State) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the San Diego Chargers as the number three overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Joey Bosa (Ohio State) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the San Diego Chargers as the number three overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Malik Zaire (8) Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Malik Zaire (8) Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

First Overall Picks: Walt Patulski (1972), Paul Hornung (1957), Leon Hart (1950), Frank (Boley) Dancewicz (1946), Angelo Bertelli (1944)

Other Notable First Round Picks: Tyler Eifert (2013), Jeff Faine (2003), Renaldo Wynn (1997), Bryant Young (1994), Jeff Burris (1994), Rick Mirer (1993), Jerome Bettis (1993), Tim Brown (1988), Greg Bell (1984), George Kunz (1969), Jack Snow (1965), Nick Pietrosante (1959), Frank Varrichione (1955), John Lattner (1954), Johnny Lujack (1946)

While Notre Dame has certainly accumulated a lot of draft picks over the years, there have been more than a few players coming from South Bend (particularly quarterbacks) who never panned out.

One of the greatest quarterbacks to emerge from Fighting Irish lore – Joe Montana – wasn’t even a first-round pick, going with the 26th pick in the third round to the San Francisco 49ers. The “sure thing” quarterback names (Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen, Rick Mirer, et al) just really never materialized into NFL stars.

But if you look at some of the names on the list of notable players to come out of Notre Dame, you end up with a whos-who of Hall of Fame talent, particularly in the Irish glory years.

Next: Trojans

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