NFL Draft: What are the 10 Best Draft Classes Produced by a College Since 2000?

Ohio State could do something that no program has done in nearly 60 years when the 2026 NFL Draft commences on Thursday. With Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, wide receiver Carnell Tate and safety Caleb Downs all viewed as among the top prospects in this year’s draft, the Buckeyes could become the first program to have four top-10 picks in the NFL Draft since Michigan State did so in 1967. As those four players will almost assuredly be taken in the first round, Ohio State might have another player get selected in the first 32 picks. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald has been featured as a first-round pick in several mock drafts. Suffice it to say, this Ohio State draft class could be among the best a school has produced in a single year. So, that got us thinking: What are the 10 best draft classes ever produced by a college in a single year? Well, we picked the 10 best, all based on college production and with some help from FOX Sports Research. We decided to leave the 2026 Ohio State draft class off this list as we don’t know how many Buckeyes will be drafted this weekend. But don’t fret, Ohio State fans, your team is represented on this list. 10. 2015 Florida State (11 players selected, 2 players in first round) Notable players: Jameis Winston (No. 1 overall pick), Cam Erving (19), Mario Edwards Jr. (35), Eddie Goldman (39), Ronald Darby (50), Nick O’Leary (194), Bobby Hart (226) The Seminoles won a national title in 2013 and took their only 2014 loss in the championship game to Oregon, with Winston winning a Heisman Trophy and becoming the No. 1 overall pick. He started five years in Tampa but couldn’t limit his turnovers, throwing 33 touchdowns to 30 interceptions in 2019 in his last year as a full-time starter. His one Pro Bowl is the only one from this class, but he, Edwards, Goldman and Hall are still active players more than a decade later. 9. 2010 Florida (9 players selected, 3 players in first round) Notable players: Joe Haden (7), Maurkice Pouncey (18), Tim Tebow (25), Carlos Dunlap (54), Brandon Spikes (62), Major Wright (75), Aaron Hernandez (113) The Gators won national championships in 2006 and 2008 behind this group, and made a strong case to win three titles in four years. Tebow, a Heisman winner, never found the same success in the NFL and Hernandez played only three seasons before his arrest and conviction for murder. Pouncey had nine Pro Bowl selections and Haden had three, finishing with 29 career interceptions, while Dunlap quietly got to 100 career sacks. 8. 2006 Ohio State (9 players selected, 5 players in first round) Notable players: A.J. Hawk (5), Donte Whitner (8), Bobby Carpenter (18), Santonio Holmes (25), Nick Mangold (29) As the Buckeyes prepare to potentially have five players go in the first round of this year’s draft, they had five players go in Round 1 20 years ago. In terms of NFL production, the late Nick Mangold headlined the group, earning seven Pro Bowl nods. But Hawk (a two-time All-American), Whitner (All-Big Ten) and Holmes (two-time All-Big Ten) each had productive NFL careers. Hawk and Whitner both played more than 150 games and Holmes was a Super Bowl hero, catching the winning touchdown for the Steelers to beat the Cardinals with 35 seconds left. The 2005 Buckeyes went 10-2 and finished fourth, making the national title game in 2006 only to lose to Florida. 7. 2016 Ohio State (12 players selected, 5 players in first round) Notable players: Joey Bosa (3), Ezekiel Elliott (4), Eli Apple (10), Taylor Decker (16), Darron Lee (20), Michael Thomas (47), Vonn Bell (61), Nick Vannett (94), Cardale Jones (139) Ten years after it had five players go in the round of the 2006 NFL Draft, Ohio State had five players go in the first round in the 2016 draft. That group of first-rounders, plus the likes of Thomas, helped the Buckeyes win a national title in 2014 and went 12-1 in 2015, but fell short of going back-to-back. Still, seven of these players were named an All-American at some point during their time at Ohio State. In terms of NFL production, Bosa has made five Pro Bowls and six players from this class have at least 100 career games. Elliott and Thomas were both dominant early on, with three Pro Bowls in their first four seasons, but none after that. That 2015 Buckeyes team included future stars in Joe Burrow, Terry McLaurin and Marshon Lattimore as freshmen. 6. 2020 LSU (14 players selected, 5 players in first round) Notable players: Joe Burrow (1), K’Lavon Chaisson (20), Justin Jefferson (22), Patrick Queen (28), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (32), Grant Delpit (44), Kristian Fulton (61), Damien Lewis (69), Lloyd Cushenberry III (83) One of the most dominant college football teams of all-time created one of the best draft classes for a program ever. LSU went 15-0 to win the national title in 2019, and Burrow and Jefferson are now NFL superstars, making a combined $415 million on their second pro contracts. Delpit, meanwhile, was a star in college, earning the Thorpe Award for the nation’s best defensive back in 2019. As evidenced by Burrow’s and Jefferson’s contracts, this draft class has translated well in the NFL. The combined career Approximate Value for this class is 346, according to Pro Football Reference. For context, it’s quickly approaching the combined AV of the 2002 Miami (Fla.) class (357), which holds the record. That 2019 Tigers team was supremely talented, with future top-five picks like wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and cornerback Derek Stingley also on the roster, and Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady there as passing game coordinator. 5. 2018 Alabama (12 players selected, 4 players in first round) Notable players: Minkah Fitzpatrick (11), Da’Ron Payne (13), Rashaan Evans (22), Calvin Ridley (26), Ronnie Harrison (93), Da’Shawn Hand (114), Anthony Averett (118), JK Scott (172), Bradley Bozeman (215) Alabama won national titles in 2015 and 2017 with a wealth of future NFL talent, as evidenced by the draft class it put out in 2018. Fitzpatrick was the headliner of this group in college and the NFL. He won the Bendarik and Thorpe Awards in college before earning five Pro Bowl nods in his NFL career. Several other players from this Alabama group were named first or second-team All-SEC as well. Ridley has had a strong NFL career, but the depth of this class has also stood out. Bozeman, a sixth-round pick, just retired after eight seasons, and Hand and Scott are still playing as third-day picks. The Tide’s draft class didn’t include three future NFL starting quarterbacks from 2017 in Jalen Hurts, Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, along with underclassmen like Quinnen Williams and Josh Jacobs. 4. 2002 Miami (Fla.) (11 players selected, 5 players in first round) Notable players: Bryant McKinnie (7), Jeremy Shockey (14), Phillip Buchanon (17), Ed Reed (24), Mike Rumph (27), Clinton Portis (51) As we mentioned earlier, this college class is the best in terms of NFL production, according to Pro Football Reference’s AV stat. McKinnie, Shockey and Portis were each stars in college and the NFL. Of course, Reed had a Hall of Fame NFL career after being named a first-team All-American twice at Miami. McKinnie played 179 games, Shockey had 547 catches and Portis rushed for just under 10,000 yards. Not only did Miami go 12-0 in winning a national title in 2001, but it also held eight of 12 opponents to seven points or fewer, with only one victory decided by single digits (see their 2004 draft haul as part of that). 3. 2022 Georgia (15 players selected, 5 players in first round) Notable players: Travon Walker (1), Jordan Davis (13), Quay Walker (22), Devonte Wyatt (28), George Pickens (52), James Cook (63), Nakobe Dean (83), Jamaree Salyer (195) Another ridiculously deep group. The 15 total draft picks from the Dawgs are a record for one school in one draft, and the five first-rounders are one off the record. All five first-rounders were on defense, and that doesn’t include Dean, who was an All-American in college. The two Walkers, Davis and Dean have signed free-agent deals worth a combined $264 million. Georgia won the 2021 national championship thanks to that defense, but that offense had some playmakers, too. Cook has now been a success in the NFL, getting a $48 million contract a year ago, and Pickens is in line for a megadeal at some point soon. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken is now the Cleveland Browns’ head coach, too. Freshmen on that 2021 team included Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, Broderick Jones, Amarius Mims and Kamari Lassiter, all future top-50 picks. 2. 2021 Alabama (10 players selected, 6 players in first round) Notable players: Jaylen Waddle (6), Pat Surtain II (9), DeVonta Smith (10), Mac Jones (15), Alex Leatherwood (17), Najee Harris (24), Landon Dickerson (37), Christian Barmore (38) Eight players from one school in the top 40 picks is incredible, but it makes sense considering how dominant this Alabama group was. The Crimson Tide went undefeated in 2020 and won the national championship, winning all but one of its 13 games by double-digits. Smith won the Heisman Trophy that year, while Jones set the single-season record for completion percentage at the time. In terms of pro production, Alabama’s 2021 class has logged an AV of 265 in just five seasons, which is an impressive number. Waddle, Surtain, Smith, Dickerson and Barmore have already signed extensions worth a combined $396 million. 1. 2004 Miami (Fla.) (9 players selected, 6 players in first round) Notable players: Sean Taylor (5), Kellen Winslow (6), Jonathan Vilma (12), DJ Williams (17), Vernon Carey (19), Vince Wilfork (21) The six first-rounders are still tied for the most by one school in one draft. Even though this Miami class is the only one in the top six of this list to ot win a national championship in the preceding college season, this Canes group was still dominant in college. They helped the program win the national title in 2001 before going 11-2 under Larry Coker in 2003. Brock Berlin was at quarterback and Jarrett Payton led the 2003 team in rushing, showcasing how talented this group was. Five of the six Canes players taken in the first round were named an All-American in 2003. The only one of that group who wasn’t named an All-American, Wilfork, arguably had the best NFL career of the group, though. Wilfork had five Pro Bowl nods, but Vilma had three. Taylor was also a two-time Pro Bowler before he was tragically shot and killed at 24 after only four seasons in the NFL.