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

#20. Brian Brohm (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #56 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#19. Eric Shelton (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #54 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#18. Sam Madison (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #44 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (4 Pro Bowls)

#17. Carwell Gardner (FB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #42 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Browning Nagle (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #34 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Ernest Givins (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #34 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (2 Pro Bowls)

#14. Teddy Bridgewater (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #32 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (1 Pro Bowls)

#13. Lamar Jackson (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #32 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (2 Pro Bowls)

#12. Eric Wood (C)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #28 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#11. Marcus Smith (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #26 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#10. Ted Washington (NT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #25 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 13 (4 Pro Bowls)

#9. Bruce Armstrong (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #23 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (6 Pro Bowls)

#8. Otis Wilson (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 1980
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)

#7. Calvin Pryor (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #18 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Jaire Alexander (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #18 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (1 Pro Bowls)

#5. DeVante Parker (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#4. Joe Johnson (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (2 Pro Bowls)

#3. Sheldon Rankins (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Mekhi Becton (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Amobi Okoye (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)