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

#20. Dan Morgan (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (1 Pro Bowls)

#19. Dennis Harrah (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1975
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (6 Pro Bowls)

#18. Michael Irvin (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (5 Pro Bowls)

#17. Leon Searcy (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)

#16. Duane Starks (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Jerome Brown (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (2 Pro Bowls)

#14. Ereck Flowers (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Ottis Anderson (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1979
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (2 Pro Bowls)

#12. Antrel Rolle (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (3 Pro Bowls)

#11. Bryant McKinnie (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2002
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (1 Pro Bowls)

#10. Kellen Winslow (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (1 Pro Bowls)

#9. Sean Taylor (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (2 Pro Bowls)

#8. Edgerrin James (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (4 Pro Bowls)

#7. Cortez Kennedy (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (8 Pro Bowls)

#6. Alonzo Highsmith (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Bennie Blades (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#4. Andre Johnson (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (7 Pro Bowls)

#3. Eddie Edwards (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1977
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Russell Maryland (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (1 Pro Bowls)

#1. Vinny Testaverde (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 15 (2 Pro Bowls)