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

#20. Solomon Page (G)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #55 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. John Thornton (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #52 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Mike Fox (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #51 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Barrett Green (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #50 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Mike Logan (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #50 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Jerry Porter (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #47 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Pat White (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #44 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#13. Oliver Luck (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #44 overall in 1982
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#12. Geno Smith (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #39 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Darryl Talley (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #39 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (2 Pro Bowls)

#10. Charles Fisher (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #33 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#9. Reggie Rembert (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #28 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#8. Anthony Becht (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #27 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Bruce Irvin (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Karl Joseph (S)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: Oakland Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Renaldo Turnbull (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (1 Pro Bowls)

#4. Tavon Austin (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Brian Jozwiak (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#2. Kevin White (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#1. Adam Jones (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (1 Pro Bowls)