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

#20. John Williams (FB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (2 Pro Bowls)

#19. John Reaves (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#18. Kenyatta Walker (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Glenn Cameron (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1975
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. James Jones (FB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Trace Armstrong (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#14. Vernon Hargreaves III (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Wilber Marshall (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (3 Pro Bowls)

#12. Travis Taylor (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Fred Taylor (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#10. C.J. Henderson (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Derrick Harvey (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Ike Hilliard (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Joe Haden (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (3 Pro Bowls)

#6. Lomas Brown (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 17 (7 Pro Bowls)

#5. Kevin Carter (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1995
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (2 Pro Bowls)

#4. Kyle Pitts (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (1 Pro Bowls)

#3. Wes Chandler (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (4 Pro Bowls)

#2. Gerard Warren (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Dante Fowler (OLB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)