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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 Notre Dame Fighting Irish using data from . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Clarence Ellis (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#19. Andy Heck (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Derek Brown (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Michael Floyd (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Tony Hunter (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Luther Bradley (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Jerome Bettis (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (6 Pro Bowls)

#13. Mike Fanning (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 1975
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Mike McGlinchey (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #9 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Ross Browner (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Bryant Young (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1994
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (4 Pro Bowls)

#9. Ken MacAfee (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Quenton Nelson (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (4 Pro Bowls)

#7. Ronnie Stanley (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (1 Pro Bowls)

#6. Tim Brown (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Raiders
- Years as a starter in NFL: 13 (9 Pro Bowls)

#5. Todd Lyght (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #5 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (1 Pro Bowls)

#4. Rick Mirer (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Steve Niehaus (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Mike McCoy (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 1970
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Walt Patulski (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

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