Honestly, if you watched the 2025 NFL Draft back in April, you probably noticed a trend. Actually, it wasn’t even a trend—it was a full-blown takeover. The 2025 NFL Draft by college results essentially turned into a private party for the Big Ten and the SEC, leaving everyone else to fight over the scraps. While we all expected the heavy hitters to show up, the sheer volume of talent coming out of Columbus and Athens was kind of ridiculous.
Ohio State basically turned the Green Bay stage into a Scarlet and Gray runway. They finished with 14 players drafted, just one shy of the all-time record set by Georgia back in 2022. It wasn’t just about the quantity, though. The quality was staggering. Emeka Egbuka went off the board at No. 19 to the Bucs, and by the time the first round wrapped up, four Buckeyes had already found homes. It’s wild to think that a huge chunk of this class actually stayed in school an extra year just to win a national title, and then they still dominated the draft.
The Power Programs That Owned the Board
When you look at the 2025 NFL Draft by college data, the SEC and Big Ten accounted for 150 of the 257 total picks. That is 58%. Think about that. More than half the league's new talent came from just two conferences.
Georgia was right on Ohio State's heels with 13 picks. Kirby Smart has this weird, almost supernatural ability to produce first-rounders. He currently has more first-round picks in his tenure than he has losses. Let that sink in for a second. Mykel Williams went to the Niners at No. 11, and Jalon Walker—who some experts like Mecole Hardman called the steal of the draft—slipped a bit but still went 15th to Atlanta.
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Then you have Texas. Welcome to the SEC, right? The Longhorns put up 12 picks, including three on Day 1. It’s the most talent they’ve sent to the pros in decades. But the story everyone was texting about was Quinn Ewers. The former No. 1 overall recruit, once touted as a lock for the first round, plummeted all the way to the seventh round. He ended up with the Dolphins, where he’s currently battling for a backup spot. It was a brutal fall, but it shows how quickly the "prospect" tag can lose its shine.
Schools with the Most 2025 Draft Picks
| College | Number of Picks | Notable Selection |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 14 | Emeka Egbuka (WR) |
| Georgia | 13 | Mykel Williams (EDGE) |
| Texas | 12 | Jahdae Barron (CB) |
| Oregon | 10 | Derrick Harmon (DT) |
| Ole Miss | 8 | Jaxson Dart (QB) |
| Alabama | 7 | Tyler Booker (OG) |
| Miami | 7 | Cam Ward (QB) |
| Michigan | 7 | Mason Graham (DT) |
The "New Look" Powerhouse: Oregon
Dan Lanning is building something terrifying in Eugene. For the first time in school history, Oregon hit double digits with 10 players drafted. They went 13-0, won the Big Ten, and then sent a small army to the NFL. Derrick Harmon and Josh Conerly Jr. both went on Day 1, proving that the Ducks aren't just a "flashy uniforms" team anymore. They’re a factory.
The Transfer Portal Kings: Ole Miss
Lane Kiffin basically used the transfer portal as his own personal NFL minor league. Ole Miss set a program record with 8 picks. What’s crazy is that both of their top guys—Walter Nolen and Jaxson Dart—started their careers somewhere else. Dart heading to the Giants feels like a movie script, following the Eli Manning path from Oxford to New Jersey.
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Small School Gems and Heartbreaks
It wasn't all about the blue bloods. We saw some real "who is that?" moments that turned into great stories. Grey Zabel from North Dakota State went 18th overall to the Seahawks. A kid from Pierre, South Dakota, going in the top 20? That’s why we love this stuff. He played almost every position on the line in college—LT, LG, C, RG, RT—and allowed only four sacks in over 1,100 pass-blocking reps.
But for every Grey Zabel, there’s a program like Mississippi State or Baylor that went completely shut out. Zero picks. For a school in a Power Four conference to have nobody drafted is a massive wake-up call for their recruiting departments.
Why the SEC Still Wins the Math
Even with Ohio State leading the individual school count, the SEC led the conference count with 79 total picks. The Big Ten was close with 71. The gap between them and the ACC (42) or the Big 12 (31) is widening every year.
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A big reason for this? The "extra year" factor. Because of NIL money, a lot of fringe Day 2 guys are staying in school at SEC and Big Ten programs. They get better coaching, more strength training, and they come out "pro-ready." Look at Tyler Booker from Alabama. He’s already starting at guard for the Eagles and looks like he’s been in the league for five years.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Cycle
If you're a fan trying to predict the 2026 draft, or just someone who wants to win their dynasty league, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the "Returns": Ohio State’s 2025 dominance happened because guys like Egbuka and Tuimoloau stayed back. Look for which elite juniors pass on the 2026 draft; that school will likely dominate the 2027 board.
- The Portal is a Pro-Pipeline: Don’t just look at high school recruiting rankings. Schools like Ole Miss and Miami (who had 7 picks, including No. 1 overall Cam Ward) are built on the portal.
- Small School Tackles are Real: NFL scouts are desperate for offensive line help. If a guy like Grey Zabel is dominating the FCS, he’s going to go much higher than the "experts" think.
The 2025 draft proved that the rich are getting richer. If you aren't playing for a top-tier Big Ten or SEC school, your path to a Saturday call is getting narrower. It’s basically a two-league world now.
To stay ahead of the next draft cycle, start tracking the "Snap Grades" of these rookies as they finish their first seasons. Schools like Michigan and Georgia tend to produce players who start immediately, while "project" picks from the Big 12 often take two or three years to see the field. Tracking these developmental curves is the best way to see which college programs are actually preparing players for the professional level.