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

#20. Carl Ford (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #256 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#19. Logan Woodside (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #249 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#18. Treyvon Hester (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #244 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#17. Chester Taylor (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #207 overall in 2002
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Jerry Evans (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 8, #204 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Phoenix Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Bruce Gradkowski (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #194 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Brent Williams (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #192 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Ka'dar Hollman (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #185 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#12. Jalen Parmele (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #176 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#11. Michael Roberts (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #127 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#10. Clarence Love (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #116 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#9. Tony Harris (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #101 overall in 1971
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#8. Nick Kaczur (T)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #100 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Darren Anderson (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #93 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#6. John Saunders (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #87 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#5. Kareem Hunt (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #86 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (1 Pro Bowls)

#4. Curtis Johnson (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #81 overall in 1970
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Diontae Johnson (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #66 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. John Greco (T)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #65 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Dan Williams (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)