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

#20. Folorunso Fatukasi (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #180 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Dan Orlovsky (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #145 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Anthony Sherman (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #136 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (1 Pro Bowls)

#17. Trevardo Williams (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #124 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Marcus Easley (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #107 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#15. Vince Clements (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #102 overall in 1971
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#14. Tyvon Branch (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #100 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. John Dorsey (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #99 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Matt Peart (T)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #99 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#11. Alfred Fincher (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #82 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#10. Blidi Wreh-Wilson (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #70 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Sio Moore (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #66 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Dwayne Gratz (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #64 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Cody Brown (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #63 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#6. Will Beatty (T)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #60 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Obi Melifonwu (S)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #56 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#4. Kendall Reyes (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #49 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Darius Butler (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #41 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#2. Byron Jones (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #27 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)

#1. Donald Brown (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #27 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)