NFL Draft SMQ: Which school produces the most No. 1 picks?

Which colleges are most represented in the NFL Draft?

In total, 53 different schools have contributed No. 1 overall picks in either the NFL Draft or the AFL Draft. When it comes down to which colleges place the most talent first overall in the NFL Draft, there are a few usual suspects that lead the pack. Here is the list of the top five teams in terms of No. 1 selections:

1t. Notre Dame (5)
1t. USC (5)
3t. Auburn (4)
3t. Georgia (4)
3t. Stanford (4)

Neither Notre Dame nor USC is much of a surprise at the top of the list. Both schools have a long tradition of putting players atop the board in the NFL Draft.

The Fighting Irish first placed an athlete atop the draft in 1944, when quarterback Angelo Bertelli was selected first overall by the Boston Yanks. Two years later, the Yanks selected another Irish quarterback when they plucked Frank Dancewicz first overall. End Leon Hart was selected No. 1 overall in 1950 by the Detroit Lions, while halfback Paul Hornung went first to the Green Bay Packers in 1957. Most recently, defensive end Walt Patulski went to the Buffalo Bills with the No. 1 pick in 1972.

USC’s draft excellence started a little later in NFL Draft history

Offensive tackle Ron Yary and running back O.J. Simpson went No. 1 overall in back-to-back years in 1968 and 1969. Another runner, Ricky Bell, went first in 1977 to Tampa Bay. Keyshawn Johnson was a top pick for the Trojans in 1996 when he was picked by the New York Jets. Carson Palmer was the team’s fifth No. 1 overall pick when the Cincinnati Bengals selected the quarterback in 2003.

Auburn and Georgia give the SEC two representatives in the top five. The Pac-12 gets a second representative as well, thanks to Stanford’s well-deserved reputation for churning out top-ranked quarterbacks. The Cardinal have placed four passers No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, most recently Andrew Luck in 2012.