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

#20. Keith Jackson (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (5 Pro Bowls)

#19. Jammal Brown (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (2 Pro Bowls)

#18. David Overstreet (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1981
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#17. Billy Brooks (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Rick Bryan (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Roy Williams (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2002
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (5 Pro Bowls)

#14. Adrian Peterson (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (7 Pro Bowls)

#13. Steve Zabel (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1970
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Rickey Dixon (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Cedric Jones (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Joe Washington (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (1 Pro Bowls)

#9. Trent Williams (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (9 Pro Bowls)

#8. Lane Johnson (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (3 Pro Bowls)

#7. Gerald McCoy (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (6 Pro Bowls)

#6. Tony Casillas (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Billy Sims (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1980
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (3 Pro Bowls)

#4. Lee Roy Selmon (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (6 Pro Bowls)

#3. Sam Bradford (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Baker Mayfield (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Kyler Murray (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (2 Pro Bowls)