The matchup is set for Super Bowl LIX as the Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans. One of the biggest factors in these teams reaching this point has been their ability to evaluate, draft, and develop players from the college level. Each and every player in this game had a unique path to this point with one of the most important parts of their journey being playing at the collegiate level.
Let’s take a look at which college football programs have the most players in Super Bowl LIX.
NOTE: Consists of players from active roster, A player who played for multiple schools during his college career is considered as being from last college they attended before entering the league (e.g. Jalen Hurts = Oklahoma)
Chiefs:
- Hollywood Brown, WR (2017-2018)
- Creed Humphrey, OL (2017-2020)
- Wanya Morris, OL (2021-2022)
- Samaje Perine, RB (2014-2016)
- James Winchester, LS (2008-2011)
Eagles:
- Jalen Hurts, QB (2019)
- Lane Johnson, OL (2009-2012)
The Sooners come in with the most players in the big game thanks to five Kansas City players, but the biggest name of them all is in Philly with Jalen Hurts who began his college career at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma where he had a Heisman finalist season.
Chiefs:
- Malik Herring, DE (2017-2020)
Eagles:
- Jalen Carter, DT (2020-2022)
- Lewis Cine, S (2019-2021)
- Jordan Davis, DT (2018-2021)
- Kelee Ringo, CB (2020-2022)
- Nolan Smith Jr., LB (2019-2022)
No surprise that Georgia will be well represented with the amount of guys Eagles GM Howie Roseman has drafted from those spectacular Bulldog defenses in recent years.
Eagles:
- Landon Dickerson, OL (2019-2020)
- Eli Ricks, CB (2022)
- DeVonta Smith, WR (2017-2020)
- Tyler Steen, OL (2022)
The NFL factory that Nick Saban built will be represented by only Eagles, but it is important to note that Smith is the only one of these guys who began and ended his college career in Tuscaloosa.
Chiefs:
- D.J. Humphries, OL (2012-2014)
- Jawaan Taylor, OL (2016-2018)
Eagles:
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S (2016-2018)
- Fred Johnson, OL (2015-2018)
Although they have not been known for great success as of late, Florida does produce pro talent as they were tied for tenth at the beginning of the season for most players on NFL rosters.
Quick Hits:
- 6 programs tied for fifth with 3 players: Clemson, Florida State, Michigan, Penn State, Texas, and Memphis who had the most from any non Power 4 program.
- Taking realignment into account: SEC has the most with 33 players, followed by Big Ten (22) and ACC (17)
- 7 players come from the non-FBS level including the Chiefs Tershawn Wharton (Missouri S&T) and Joshua Williams (Fayetteville St.) from Division II.
- Only 1 player from 2024 national champion Ohio State (Paris Campbell)