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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 college football empires are Notre Dame, the universities of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State—.

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 , 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, 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, compiled a list of the highest NFL draft picks from the Florida Atlantic Owls using data from . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#10. Kerrith Whyte Jr (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #222 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#9. Randell Johnson (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 7, #221 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#8. Rusty Smith (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #176 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#7. Alfred Morris (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #173 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (2 Pro Bowls)

#6. Keith Reaser (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #170 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#5. Harrison Bryant (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #115 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#4. Trey Hendrickson (OLB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #103 overall in 2017
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (1 Pro Bowls)

#3. Devin Singletary (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #74 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Rob Housler (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #69 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. D'Joun Smith (CB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #65 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

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