Texas A&M Aggies' 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 Texas A&M Aggies using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Reggie Brown (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Robert Jackson (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 1977
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Kevin Smith (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Ty Warren (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Aaron Glenn (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (3 Pro Bowls)

#15. Patrick Bates (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Jacob Green (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 1980
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (2 Pro Bowls)

#13. Bubba Bean (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Richmond Webb (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (7 Pro Bowls)

#11. Larry Stegent (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1970
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#10. Sam Adams (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (3 Pro Bowls)

#9. Ryan Tannehill (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#8. Mike Evans (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (3 Pro Bowls)

#7. Jake Matthews (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (1 Pro Bowls)

#6. Curtis Dickey (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1980
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Ray Childress (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (5 Pro Bowls)

#4. Von Miller (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (8 Pro Bowls)

#3. Luke Joeckel (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Quentin Coryatt (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Myles Garrett (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (3 Pro Bowls)