Arkansas Razorbacks' 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 Arkansas Razorbacks using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Greg Koch (T)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #39 overall in 1977
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Steve Korte (C)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #38 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. R.C. Thielemann (G)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #36 overall in 1977
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (3 Pro Bowls)

#17. Ike Forte (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Hunter Henry (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Henry Ford (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #26 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Ahmad Carroll (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #25 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Felix Jones (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #22 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Matt Jones (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #21 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Steve Atwater (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (8 Pro Bowls)

#10. Frank Ragnow (C)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (1 Pro Bowls)

#9. Gary Anderson (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (1 Pro Bowls)

#8. Wayne Martin (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (1 Pro Bowls)

#7. Shawn Andrews (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #16 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (2 Pro Bowls)

#6. Steve Little (K)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#5. Ron Faurot (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#4. Jamaal Anderson (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Billy Ray Smith (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Darren McFadden (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Dan Hampton (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 1979
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (4 Pro Bowls)