When recruits are choosing the place they wish to play college football, the overwhelming majority of them prioritize which program will give them the perfect path to the NFL.
Many coaches have been capable of assist fulfill these desires, however a choose few have been elite at getting their gamers drafted within the first spherical over time. Getting into the 2025 NFL Draft, eleven school soccer head coaches have a minimum of 20 gamers chosen within the first spherical.
Georgia’s Kirby Good and Ohio State‘s Ryan Day might be part of that listing quickly. Good has seen 16 of his Bulldogs get chosen in Spherical 1 since he grew to become their head coach in 2016, with linebacker Jalon Walker, edge rusher and security Malaki Starks being considered as potential first-round picks within the 2025 NFL Draft. Day, in the meantime, has coached 10 first-round picks since turning into Ohio State’s head coach in 2019, with offensive sort out Josh Simmons, extensive receiver Emeka Egbuka, offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, edge rusher JT Tuimoloau, defensive sort out Tyleik Williams and working again TreVeyon Henderson every being featured as first-round picks forward of this 12 months’s draft.
For now, Good and Day are on the skin wanting in. Listed below are the highest 10 coaches at producing first-round picks.
High 10 coaches who’ve coached most first-round NFL picks
T-9. Tom Osborne: 20
As Osborne turned Nebraska right into a powerhouse throughout his 25-year stint (1973-97), he coached numerous first-round expertise over time. Large receiver Irving Fryar was the No. 1 total decide within the 1984 NFL Draft and one among seven gamers that was a top-five decide that Osborne coached at Nebraska. Neil Smith was arguably the perfect off the bench, with the defensive finish recording six Professional Bowls after the Chiefs chosen him with the second total decide in 1988.
T-9. John Cooper: 20
Cooper’s Ohio State groups within the Nineteen Nineties have been loaded with NFL expertise and future Corridor of Famers. Defensive sort out Dan Wilkinson (1994) and offensive sort out Orlando Tempo (1997) have been the No. 1 total picks of their respective draft years. Six extra of Cooper’s gamers at Ohio State have been chosen within the prime 10, together with extensive receivers Joey Galloway and Terry Glenn. Corridor of Fame guard Randall McDaniel additionally grew to become a first-round decide after Cooper coached him at Arizona State.
T-9. Larry Coker: 20
Coker coached a number of of essentially the most NFL-talent-infused groups in school soccer at Miami. Naturally, a bunch of these gamers grew to become first-round picks. Whereas he by no means coached a participant who grew to become the No. 1 total decide, the first-round picks that Coker coached at Miami grew to become Professional Soccer Corridor of Famers (Andre Johnson, Ed Reed, Devin Hester). Ten different gamers coached by Coker that have been chosen within the first spherical additionally grew to become Professional Bowlers. Within the 2004 NFL Draft, six Miami gamers have been drafted within the first spherical, which is tied for essentially the most all-time from one faculty.
8. Lou Holtz: 21
Holtz’s teaching profession is generally related to Notre Dame as he helped return the Fighting Irish to prominence within the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, however the nationwide championship-winning coach coached up first-round picks at three stops. At Arkansas, he helped make defensive sort out Dan Hampton turn into the fourth total decide within the 1979 NFL Draft. At South Carolina, Holtz coached defensive finish John Abraham, who was the thirteenth total decide within the 2000 NFL Draft. In fact, many of the first-round picks Holtz coached got here throughout his stint at Notre Dame. 13 of his former Combating Irish gamers have been first-round picks, with Corridor of Famer Tim Brown being chief amongst them.
T-6. John Robinson: 22
In two separate stints as USC’s head coach, Robinson coached 22 first-round picks over 12 seasons. Two of them have been No. 1 total picks (RB Ricky Bell in 1977, WR Keyshawn Johnson in 1996), with seven of Robinson’s different USC gamers being chosen within the prime 5. The group of gamers Robinson chosen who have been picked within the prime 5 contains Corridor of Famers Anthony Munoz and Tony Boselli. Corridor of Famer Ronnie Lott was additionally a first-round decide coached by Robinson.
T-6. Mack Brown: 22
Brown coached first-round picks throughout each of his stints at UNC and through his reign at Texas. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive finish Greg Ellis was taken with the eighth total decide within the 1998 NFL Draft after enjoying for Brown, whereas Drake Maye will possible be the final participant coached by Brown to be a first-round decide. Amongst Brown’s former Texas gamers, Vince Younger was additionally the third decide within the draft, like Maye. However Ricky Williams, Leonard Davis, Casey Hampton, Roy Williams, Brian Orakpo and Earl Thomas have been among the many gamers who performed for Brown at Texas that have been first-round picks and have become Professional Bowlers.
5. City Meyer: 23
Meyer made Florida and Ohio State factories for NFL prospects throughout his time at every program. With the Gators, he helped mould Reggie Nelson, Percy Harvin, Joe Haden and the Pouncey twins (Maurkice and Mike) into first-round picks. He coached one other pair of brothers into top-three picks at Ohio State, with Joey and Nick Bosa every being a top-three decide of their respective draft years. Ryan Shazier, Ezekiel Elliott, Taylor Decker, Denzel Ward, Chase Young and Joe Burrow are additionally among the many group of gamers who grew to become first-round picks after Meyer coached them at OSU.
4. Woody Hayes: 27
Fairly presumably no faculty has developed NFL expertise higher than Ohio State, so it is no shock to see three Ohio State coaches on this listing. Tom Cousineau was the one former participant of Hayes to be chosen with the No. 1 total decide, because the Buffalo Bills drafted the linebacker first in 1979. There have been 4 years within the Nineteen Seventies when a number of Ohio State gamers have been chosen within the first spherical.
3. Bobby Bowden: 32
Bowden loved an excessive amount of success throughout his time at Florida State, successful two nationwide titles because the Seminoles grew to become perennial contenders over 25 years on the helm. However he acquired some assist from marquee NFL expertise alongside the best way, too. Deion Sanders was essentially the most distinguished participant beneath Bowden who grew to become a first-round decide, however Corridor of Famers Derrick Brooks and Walter Jones and three-time Professional Bowler Warrick Dunn are among the many others on that listing.
2. Joe Paterno: 33
Similar to Bowden, Paterno coached up numerous first-round picks at one cease whereas making his program a close to perennial contender. Franco Harris grew to become a Corridor of Famer after the Pittsburgh Steelers chosen him with the thirteenth total decide within the 1973 NFL Draft. Mike Munchak additionally grew to become a Corridor of Famer after the Houston Oilers took him with the eighth total decide in 1982. Eleven different former Nittany Lions gamers who have been first-round picks grew to become Professional Bowlers after enjoying for Paterno, however neither of them have been Ki-Jana Carter and Courtney Brown, who’re the one former Penn State gamers to be taken with the primary total decide.
1. Nick Saban: 52
Saban is the one coach who might legitimately discipline a full crew of gamers who grew to become first-round picks after enjoying school soccer for him. He coached Plaxico Burress to turn into a first-round decide throughout his time at Michigan State, with three of his former Spartans gamers turning into first-round picks. Dwayne Bowe was essentially the most notable participant Saban coached at LSU who later grew to become a first-round decide. In fact, Saban’s time at Alabama is the place most individuals will affiliate with him. Twenty gamers Saban coached at Alabama who have been first-round picks additionally grew to become Professional Bowlers, and that does not embody the likes of DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle. They have been part of the 2021 NFL Draft, with Alabama tying the report for many first-round picks in a single draft class that 12 months with six.
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