ACC to NFL: Miami leads the way
The University of Miami’s football program still does one thing right — produce NFL players.
The Hurricanes, who have five national titles but no ACC titles to their credit, had an ACC-best 39 players on an NFL roster for the opening week of the season.
Miami’s total is second nationally only to Louisiana State (43). The Hurricanes and Florida State (36) are the only two ACC schools among the 10 highest totals in the country.
The SEC, which has the most players in the NFL with 350, has five teams in the top 10 (Auburn is tied for 10th with Ohio State).
The ACC is second among “Power 5” conferences in total players with 269. Of the ACC’s total, there are 37 former players who never competed in a conference game, including former Pittsburgh stars LeSean McCoy and Darrelle Revis, who are featured in the ACC’s commercial touting the conference’s NFL success.
North Carolina leads the in-state contingent with 22 players in the NFL, which ranks fifth in the conference. N.C. State (18), Wake Forest (9) and Duke (8) trail the Tar Heels. Among the 65 schools (including Notre Dame) in a “Power 5” conference, UNC’s total ranks tied for No. 25 nationally.
About the numbers:
All players on the active roster — plus injuries and suspensions — on each team’s official web site for Week 1 of the regular season are counted in the totals. Practice squad players are not.
Players who graduated from one school and transferred to another are counted in both schools (ex. Russell Wilson for N.C. State and Wisconsin). Other transfers are counted only for the player’s last school before the NFL (ex. Cam Newton goes in only Auburn’s total).
The ACC breakdown
Number | Power 5 rank | |
Miami | 39 | T2 |
Florida State | 36 | T6 |
Clemson | 29 | 13 |
Louisville | 23 | T23 |
UNC | 22 | T25 |
N.C. State | 18 | T33 |
Virginia | 18 | T33 |
Virginia Tech | 17 | T36 |
Georgia Tech | 15 | T40 |
Boston College | 15 | T40 |
Pittsburgh | 13 | T49 |
Wake Forest | 9 | T53 |
Duke | 8 | T57 |
Syracuse | 7 | 62 |
Miami being ahead of Florida State, which has had 29 draft picks in the last three years alone, is a surprise.
The Hurricanes have not been the same dominant national program since joining the ACC in 2004. There are still four players on Miami’s list who didn’t play in the ACC, but for the most part, the group has been a part of the ACC struggles.
Despite all the talent, the Canes have never won the Coastal Division and have a 41-37 record in ACC play.
But just looking at Miami’s list, you can see it’s a matter of quantity over quality with the recent additions to the NFL. Running back Duke Johnson (Cleveland) and receiver Phillip Dorsett (Indianapolis) have a chance to break out but there’s a lot of more “who?” (LaDarius Gunter, Chase Ford) than “wow!” on Miami’s list.
Indicative of Miami’s ACC problems, the best player in the group is arguably Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham. The Goldsboro native went to Miami on a basketball scholarship and only played college football for one year before turning into an All-Pro tight end.
Virginia Tech (65 ACC wins since 2004) and Georgia Tech (57 conference wins) are the two teams who win the most with the fewest number of NFL players.
By the way, there’s at least one ACC player on every NFL team and the Buffalo Bills have the most (18).
‘Power 5’ conference breakdown
NFL | Teams | Avg. | |
SEC | 350 | 14 | 25 |
ACC | 269 | 14 | 19.2 |
Big Ten | 248 | 14 | 17.6 |
Pac-12 | 246 | 12 | 20.5 |
Big XII | 151 | 10 | 15.1 |
There are five SEC teams with more than 30 players in the NFL and nine with at least 20.
Of note in LSU’s remarkable total is there is only one quarterback (but two punters!), Tennessee Titans backup Zach Mettenberger. The Tigers have two national titles since 2000, but imagine LSU’s talent with N.C. State’s quarterbacks?
The ACC has the second-highest total, but the Pac-12, with two fewer teams than ACC, has a better average per team (20.5 compared to 19.2). The final days of the Pete Carroll era are still propping up Southern California’s total (37) but Oregon (32) is closing in.
The ACC does have bragging rights over the 14-team Big Ten, at least until Urban Meyer’s current wave of talent from Ohio State crashes into the league.
If the Big 12’s total seems low (there are 10 teams in the league) it’s because Kansas (8), Texas Tech (8) and Iowa State (6) aren’t exactly helping. Iowa State, Indiana and Vanderbilt are tied for the fewest former players in the NFL among Power 5 conferences. Every school in the Power 5 has at least one NFL product.
In case you’re curious, Notre Dame ranks 12th on the national list with 30 players in the NFL. Connecticut (from the American Athletic), with 18, has the most of any school outside of a Power 5 conference. Montana, a Division I-AA program with nine former players in the pros, has more NFL products than nine Power 5 teams, including Duke and Syracuse and outpaces Appalachian State (6) and East Carolina (5).
School | Conference | No. |
1. LSU | SEC | 43 |
T2. Miami | ACC | 39 |
T2. Florida | SEC | 39 |
T4. Alabama | SEC | 37 |
T4. USC | Pac-12 | 37 |
T6. Florida State | ACC | 36 |
T6. Georgia | SEC | 36 |
8. Oklahoma | Big XII | 35 |
9. Oregon | Pac-12 | 32 |
T10. Ohio State | Big Ten | 31 |
T10. Auburn | SEC | 31 |
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By ACC school
Boston College (15)
Anthony Castonzo, T, Indianapolis
Gosder Cherilus, T, Tampa Bay
Kasim Edebali, LB, New Orleans
Andy Gallik, C, Tennessee
*Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Indianapolis
Mark Herzlich, LB, N.Y. Giants
Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina
Ifeanyi Momah, TE, Arizona
Tyler Murphy, WR, Pittsburgh
Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, Seattle
Ryan Quigley, P, N.Y. Jets
B.J. Raji, DT, Green Bay
Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta
Ian Silberman, OL, San Francisco
Andre Williams, RB, N.Y. Giants
Clemson (29)
Dwayne Allen, TE, Indianapolis
Stephone Anthony, LB, New Orleans
Tavaris Barnes, DE, New Orleans
Vic Beasley, DE, Atlanta
Andre Branch, DE, Jacksonville
Jaron Brown, WR, Arizona
Kourtnei Brown, LB, Tampa Bay
Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh
Chandler Catanzaro, K, Arizona
Kavell Conner, LB, San Diego
Chris Clemons, S, Arizona
Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona
Marcus Gilchrist, S, N.Y. Jets
Malliciah Goodman, DE, Atlanta
Chris Hairston, T, San Diego
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston
Adam Humphries, WR, Tampa Bay
Grady Jarrett, DT, Atlanta
Jarvis Jenkins, DT, Chicago
Bryon Maxwell, CB, Philadelphia
Bradley Pinion, P, San Francisco
Cody Sensabaugh, CB, Tennessee
Tyler Shatley, G, Jacksonville
C.J. Spiller, RB, New Orleans
Tony Steward, LB, Buffalo
Brandon Thomas, G, San Francisco
Brandon Thompson, DT, Cincinnati
Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo
Charlie Whitehurst, QB, Tennessee
Duke (8)
Kenny Anunike, DE, Denver
Ross Cockrell, CB, Pittsburgh
Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington
Cooper Helfet, TE, Seattle
Sean Renfree, QB, Atlanta
Vincent Rey, LB, Cincinnati
Juwan Thompson, RB, Denver
Laken Tomlinson, G, Detroit
FSU (36)
Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina
Nigel Bradham, LB, Buffalo
Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco
Terrence Brooks, S, Baltimore
Tank Carradine, DT, San Francisco
Antonio Cromartie, CB, N.Y. Jets
Ronald Darby, CB, Buffalo
Mario Edwards, DE, Oakland
Cameron Erving, C, Cleveland
Andre Fluellen, DT, Buffalo
Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta
Graham Gano, K, Carolina
Eddie Goldman, DT, Chicago
Rashad Greene, WR, Jacksonville
Letroy Guion, DT, Green Bay
Bobby Hart, G, N.Y. Giants
Rodney Hudson, C, Oakland
Tre Jackson, G, New England
Sebastian Janikowski, K, Oakland
Timmy Jernigan, DT, Baltimore
Christian Jones, LB, Chicago
Lamarcus Joyner, CB, St. Louis
E.J. Manuel, QB, Buffalo
Xavier Rhodes, CB, Minnesota
Patrick Robinson, CB, San Diego
Garrison Sanborn, LS, Buffalo
Telvin Smith, LB, Jacksonville
Bryan Stork, C, New England
Chris Thompson, RB, Washington
Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh
Menelik Watson, T, Oakland
Karlos Williams, RB, Buffalo
P.J. Williams, CB, New Orleans
Vince Williams, LB, Pittsburgh
Bjoern Werner, LB, Indianapolis
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay
Georgia Tech (15)
Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, San Diego
T.J. Barnes, DT, N.Y. Jets
Morgan Burnett, S, Green Bay
Mario Butler, CB, Buffalo
Andrew Gardner, T, Philadelphia
Stephen Hill, WR, Carolina
Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit
Michael Johnson, DE, Cincinnati
Shaq Mason, G, New England
Derrick Morgan, LB, Tennessee
DeAndre Smelter, WR, San Francisco
Daryl Smith, LB, Baltimore
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver
Darren Waller, WR, Baltimore
Vance Walker, DE, Denver
Louisville (23)
*Gary Barnidge, TE, Cleveland
*Joshua Bellamy, WR, Chicago
Jamon Brown, T, St. Louis
*Preston Brown, LB, Buffalo
*Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota
Gerald Christian, TE, Arizona
*Damian Copeland, WR, Jacksonville
*Harry Douglas, WR, Tennessee
*Elvis Dumervil, LB, Baltimore
Charles Gaines, S, Cleveland
*William Gay, CB, Pittsburgh
*Breno Giacomini, T, N.Y. Jets
Lorenzo Mauldin, LB, N.Y. Jets
John Miller, G, Buffalo
Deiontrez Mount, LB, Tennessee
DeVante Parker, WR, Miami
*Senorise Perry, RB, Chicago
*Bilal Powell, RB, N.Y. Jets
*Calvin Pryor, S, N.Y. Jets
Eli Rogers, WR, Pittsburgh
James Sample, S, Jacksonville
*Marcus Smith, LB, Philadelphia
*Eric Wood, C, Buffalo
Miami (39)
Thurston Armbrister, LB, Jacksonville
Ray-Ray Armstrong, LB, Oakland
Allen Bailey, DT, Kansas City
*Jon Beason, LB, N.Y. Giants
Traivs Benjamin, WR, Cleveland
Matt Bosher, P, Atlanta
Calais Campbell, DE, Arizona
Phillip Dorsett, WR, Indianapolis
Jon Feliciano, OL, Oakland
Ereck Flowers, T, N.Y. Giants
Chase Ford, TE, Minnesota
Jason Fox, T, Miami
Orlando Franklin, G, San Diego
Richard Gordon, TE, Kansas City
*Frank Gore, RB, Indianapolis
Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle
LaDarius Gunter, CB, Green Bay
Leonard Hankerson, WR, Atlanta
Brandon Harris, CB, Tennessee
Seantrel Henderson, T, Buffalo
Devin Hester, WR, Atlanta
Allen Hurns, WR, Jacksonville
Mike James, RB, Tampa Bay
*Andre Johnson, WR, Indianapolis
Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland
Brandon Linder, G, Jacksonville
Brandon Meriweather, S, N.Y. Giants
Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
Stephen Morris, QB, Philadelphia
Pat O’Donnell, P, Chicago
Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina
Denzel Perryman, LB, San Diego
Antrel Rolle, S, Chicago
Sam Shields, CB, Green Bay
Sean Spence, LB, Pittsburgh
Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami
Clive Walford, TE, Oakland
*Vince Wilfork, DT, Houston
Eric Winston, T, Cincinnati
UNC (22)
Marvin Austin, DT, Denver
Gio Bernard, RB, Cincinnati
Russell Bodine, C, Cincinnati
Tre Boston, S, Carolina
Zach Brown, LB, Tennessee
Bruce Carter, LB, Tampa Bay
Jonathan Cooper, G, Arizona
Quinton Coples, LB, N.Y. Jets
Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit
James Hurst, T, Baltimore
Greg Little, WR, Cincinnati
Kareem Martin, DE, Arizona
Julius Peppers, LB, Green Bay
Jabari Price, CB, Minnesota
Robert Quinn, DE, St. Louis
Garrett Reynolds, T, St. Louis
Da’Norris Searcy, S, Tennessee
Jack Tabb, TE, New Orleans
Brandon Tate, WR, Cincinnati
Cam Thomas, DT, Pittsburgh
Greg Warren, LS, Pittsburgh
Sylvester Williams, DT, Denver
N.C. State (18)
David Amerson, CB, Washington
Tyson Chandler, T, Buffalo
Audie Cole, LB, Minnesota
Jerricho Cotchery, WR, Carolina
Mike Glennon, QB, Tampa Bay
Steven Hauschka, K, Seattle
Nate Irving, LB, Indianapolis
Dontae Johnson, CB, San Francisco
Markus Kuhn, DT, N.Y. Giants
Ted Larsen, OL, Arizona
Manny Lawson, DE, Buffalo
T.Y. McGill, DT, Indianapolis
Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego
J.R. Sweezy, G, Seattle
Stephen Tulloch, LB, Detroit
Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle
Mario Williams, DE, Buffalo
Willie Young, DE, Chicago
Pittsburgh (13)
T.J. Clemmings, OL, Minnesota
*Dorin Dickerson, TE, Tennessee
*Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis
*LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo
*Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona
*Andy Lee, P, Cleveland
*Dion Lewis, RB, New England
Mike McGlynn, G, New Orleans
*Darrelle Revis, CB, N.Y. Jets
Tom Savage, QB, Houston
*Jabaal Sheard, DL, New England
*Devin Street, WR, Dallas
*K’Waun Williams, CB, Cleveland
Syracuse (7)
*Jay Bromley, DT, N.Y. Giants
*Chandler Jones, DE, New England
*Arthur Jones, DT, Indianapolis
Cameron Lynch, LB, St. Louis
*Ryan Nassib, QB, N.Y. Giants
*Justin Pugh, T, N.Y. Giants
*Shamarko Thomas, S, Pittsburgh
Virginia (18)
Oday Aboushi, OL, N.Y. Jets
Branden Albert, T, Miami
Luke Bowanko, C, Jacksonville
Ahmad Brooks, LB, San Francisco
Chris Canty, DE, Baltimore
D’Brickashaw Ferguson, T, N.Y. Jets
Eli Harold, LB, San Francisco
Dontrelle Inman, WR, San Diego
Chris Long, DE, St. Louis
Rodney McLeod, S, St. Louis
Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh
Eugene Monroe, T, Baltimore
Moses Morgan, T, Washington
Austin Pasztor, OL, Cleveland
Cedric Peerman, RB, Cincinnati
LaRoy Reynolds, LB, Jacksonville
Matt Schaub, QB, Baltimore
Brent Urban, DE, Baltimore
Virginia Tech (17)
Duane Brown, T, Houston
Kam Chancellor, S, Seattle
Antone Exum, S, Minnesota
Brandon Flowers, CB, San Diego
Kyle Fuller, CB, Chicago
Corey Fuller, WR, Detroit
James Gayle, LB, Washington
*DeAngelo Hall, CB, Washington
Jayron Hosley, CB, N.Y. Giants
Kyshoen Jarrett, S, Washington
Will Montgomery, C, Chicago
Eddie Royal, WR, Chicago
Darryl Tapp, DE, Detroit
Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo
Logan Thomas, QB, Miami
*Michael Vick, QB, Pittsburgh
Chase Williams, LB, Oakland
Wake Forest (9)
Tommy Bohanon, RB, N.Y. Jets
Josh Bush, S, Denver
Micahel Campanaro, WR, Baltimore
Chris Givens, WR, St. Louis
Kevin Johnson, CB, Houston
Calvin Pace, LB, N.Y. Jets
Zach Thompson, LB, Baltimore
Nikita Whitlock, FB, N.Y. Giants
Kyle Wilber, LB, Dallas
Note: *-did not play in the ACC
This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 10:39 AM.