Western Michigan Broncos' 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 Western Michigan Broncos using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Tom Nutten (G)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #221 overall in 1995
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. E.J. Biggers (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #217 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Darius Phillips (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #170 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Steve Hawkins (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #166 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Jaylon Moore (T)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #155 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#15. Paul Hutchins (T)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #152 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#14. Mark Garalczyk (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #146 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#13. Kevin Haverdink (T)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #133 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Willie Beavers (T)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #121 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#11. Tom Toth (G)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #102 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Chukwuma Okorafor (T)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #92 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Joel Smeenge (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #71 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Taylor Moton (G)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #64 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Tony Scheffler (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #61 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. D'Wayne Eskridge (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #56 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#5. Greg Jennings (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #52 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (2 Pro Bowls)

#4. John Offerdahl (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #52 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (5 Pro Bowls)

#3. Louis Delmas (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #33 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Jason Babin (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #27 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (2 Pro Bowls)

#1. Corey Davis (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)