Rutgers Scarlet Knights' 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 Rutgers Scarlet Knights using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Michael Burton (FB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #168 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Mike McMahon (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #149 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#18. Dan Gray (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #123 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#17. Khaseem Greene (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #117 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Chris Brantley (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #108 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#15. Duron Harmon (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #91 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Leonte Carroo (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #86 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#13. Tyler Kroft (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #85 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Jeremy Zuttah (G)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #83 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (1 Pro Bowls)

#11. Mohamed Sanu (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #83 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Logan Ryan (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #83 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. L.J. Smith (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #61 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Ray Rice (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #55 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (3 Pro Bowls)

#7. Bill Pickel (NT)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #54 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Kemoko Turay (OLB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #52 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#5. Brian Leonard (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #52 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#4. Marco Battaglia (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #39 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Kenny Britt (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #30 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Devin McCourty (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #27 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (2 Pro Bowls)

#1. Anthony Davis (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)