Arizona State Sun Devils' highest NFL draft picks since 1970

While most colleges and universities field a football team as part of its general athletics program, there are some for which football is more than merely a sport—it's akin almost to a religion. Devotion to the team and its colors is as important to that school's culture as a religious icon is to a believer. These programs actively scout and recruit notable high school players, and are in turn rigorously applied to by matriculating seniors eager to make a name for themselves at the collegiate level.

Among the most notable college football empires are Notre Dame, the universities of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State—the list goes on and on.

But for every touchstone football school, there is an outlier that has produced some of the most successful and cherished players in the game. Think Jackson State, which gave us "Sweetness" himself, Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton. Or Mississippi Valley State, which yielded 3-time Super Bowl champion and #1 Player in NFL History, as voted by the NFL Network, '49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Each year, the college draft serves as a source of renewal to professional football and a testament to the quality of college programs nationwide. With the 2022 NFL draft set to take place April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Stacker compiled a list of the highest NFL draft picks from the Arizona State Sun Devils using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Vernon Maxwell (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #29 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Mark Malone (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #28 overall in 1980
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Erik Flowers (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #26 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#17. Brandon Aiyuk (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #25 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Jim Jeffcoat (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #23 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Shante Carver (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #23 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Adam Archuleta (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Aaron Cox (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Randall McDaniel (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (12 Pro Bowls)

#11. Larry Gordon (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Woody Green (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #16 overall in 1974
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Steve Holden (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #16 overall in 1973
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. John Jefferson (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (4 Pro Bowls)

#7. Leonard Russell (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Levi Jones (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 2002
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Terrell Suggs (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 15 (7 Pro Bowls)

#4. Gerald Riggs (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1982
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (3 Pro Bowls)

#3. Al Harris (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1979
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Mike Haynes (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (9 Pro Bowls)

#1. J.D. Hill (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 1971
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (1 Pro Bowls)