The top two conferences in college football dominated the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to a historic extent, yet some of the most prominent programs in those leagues experienced a quiet evening. First-round droughts are in swing at a number of historically successful schools, like Nebraska, which has not produced a Day 1 selection in a decade and a half.
The Cornhuskers are not alone. Of the 25 schools with the most first-rounders in NFL Draft history, six have not produced one in the last five years. Those dry patches coincide, to no surprise, with extended periods of underwhelming play.
Miami, North Carolina and Tennessee were among the traditional NFL talent factories (those who rank in the top 25 most Day 1 picks) that lagged behind their counterparts in recent years, but each of them accounted for a first-round pick on Thursday when the 2025 event kicked off. Others were not so fortunate.
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Below are the most prominent college football programs in active first-round pick slumps.
