Preparing for the NFL is for sure one of the reasons some young men choose to attend one school over another when signing day arrives. Here is a count down of my top ten NFL factories along with some players they have sent to the league.
10. Michigan Wolverines - This traditional powerhouse that has fallen on hard times as of late still churns out NFL talent on a year in and year out basis.
- Jake Long - Miami Dolphins
- Tom Brady - New England Patriots
- Charles Woodson - Green Bay Packers
9. LSU Tigers - It does not seem to matter who the coach is at LSU. Since Nick Saban graced the sideline, the Tigers have recruited well and have produced NFL ready talent
- Glenn Dorsey - Kansas City Chiefs
- JaMarcus Russell - Oakland Raiders
- Joseph Addai - Indianapolis Colts
8. Georgia Bulldogs - One of the underrated schools (and states for that matter) for NFL talent in my opinion. Continuously puts out NFL caliber players at all positions.
- Champ Bailey - Denver Broncos
- Richard Seymour - New England Patriots
- Hines Ward - Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Florida Gators - Year in and year out the Gators have put their boys into the NFL. That being said, with the talent on the team right now, combined with the recent success the Gators have had, don't be surprised if in a few years they rise dramatically on this list.
- Jevon Kearse - Tennessee Titans
- Derrick Harvey - Jacksonville Jaguars
- Fred Taylor - New England Patriots
6. Penn State Nittany Lions - Joe-Pa's staying power and overall success makes the Nittany Lions hard to beat. Add in the fact that Pennsylvania is a hot bed for high school football talent and it makes sense that PSU sends players to the NFL so consistently.
- Larry Johnson - Kansas City Chiefs
- Levi Brown - Arizona Cardinals
- Paul Posluszny - Buffalo Bills
5. Texas Longhorns - They have their pick on just about any high school athlete they want in a great football playing state. They develop those players well and play a good schedule. It makes sense that their players translate into the NFL game as well.
- Vince Young - Tennessee Titans
- Michael Huff - Oakland Raiders
- Shaun Rogers - Cleveland Browns
4. Oklahoma Sooners - Bob Stoops and company are masterful recruiters that have been able to lure great talent to Boomer-Sooner land on a yearly basis. There is little surprise in my book that a lot of that talent translates to the NFL game.
- Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings
- Roy Williams - Dallas Cowboys
- Brodney Pool - Cleveland Browns
3. Miami Hurricanes - Hard times have fallen on the U as of late but their overall pedigree can not be underestimated. It is hard to pick anyone that has put out more All-Pro’s in the NFL than Miami.
- Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens
- Ed Reed - Baltimrore Ravens
- Kellen Winslow Jr. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. Ohio State Buckeyes - Tough to put the Buckeyes at #2 but there is a team that deserves the nod ahead of Jim Tressel and the gang. That being said, year in and year out Ohio State puts out player after player to the NFL…just not at the success rate of the number 1 team...
- A.J. Hawk - Green Bay Packers
- Santonio Holmes - Pittsburgh Steelers
- Nate Clements - San Francisco 49ers
1. USC Trojans - A very close call between the Buckeyes and the Trojans heads West. The overall success in the NFL, especially from the skill positions, is what puts the Trojans ahead of the Buckeyes.
- Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals
- Troy Polamalu - Pittsburgh Steelers
- Reggie Bush - New Orleans Saints
Close but no cigar...
- Notre Dame - A recent drop in draft production puts the Irish out of the top 10
- Florida State - To be honest, a strong argument could be made for FSU to be on this list. They are my personal pick for oversight.
- Alabama - They will return soon since Saban brings in nothing but the best.