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

#20. George Andrews (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 1979
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Johnny Mitchell (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Jimmy Williams (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1982
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Jason Peter (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Adam Carriker (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Danny Noonan (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Jerry Tagge (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Michael Booker (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#12. Junior Miller (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1980
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (2 Pro Bowls)

#11. Lawrence Phillips (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Grant Wistrom (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Broderick Thomas (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Trev Alberts (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#7. John Dutton (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1974
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (3 Pro Bowls)

#6. Mike Croel (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Bruce Pickens (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#4. Neil Smith (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (6 Pro Bowls)

#3. Dean Steinkuhler (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Ndamukong Suh (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (5 Pro Bowls)

#1. Irving Fryar (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 13 (5 Pro Bowls)