The SEC and Big Ten flexed their muscles at last month’s NFL Draft and accounted for far more players selected than their Power Four counterparts. Ohio State paced all schools with 14 selections while Georgia was just behind on the leaderboard. Those two programs and a myriad of their conference rivals are also responsible for a large percentage of the league’s total active players.
That is not to say that the other power conferences and even a handful of prominent Group of Five programs do not hold up their end of the bargain, though. Cam Ward, for example, went No. 1 overall in this year’s draft after playing his college ball in the ACC, Pac-12 and FCS.
The reality is that most of the top talent flocks to the two most powerful leagues in college football, though, and that is reflected in the NFL. According to Spotrac’s database of active players and contracts, the top five programs in active players are all from the SEC and Big Ten.
Get the latest football and recruiting scoop on your favorite college team today.
Here are the top 20 college football programs with the most active NFL players in 2025:
