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

#20. Oren Burks (ILB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #88 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#19. Jamie Duncan (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #84 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Corey Harris (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #77 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Earl Bennett (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #70 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Myron Lewis (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #67 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#15. Casey Hayward (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #62 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (2 Pro Bowls)

#14. Zach Cunningham (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #57 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Dayo Odeyingbo (DL)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #54 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#12. Chuck Scott (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #50 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#11. Jamie Winborn (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #47 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Fred Vinson (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #47 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#9. James Manley (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #45 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#8. Joejuan Williams (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #45 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#7. Jordan Matthews (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #42 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Corey Chavous (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #33 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (1 Pro Bowls)

#5. Bob Asher (T)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #27 overall in 1970
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#4. Will Wolford (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 13 (3 Pro Bowls)

#3. Chris Williams (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Jay Cutler (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (1 Pro Bowls)

#1. Leonard Coleman (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1984
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)