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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 Iowa State Cyclones using data from . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Kene Nwangwu (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #119 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#19. Keith Krepfle (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #115 overall in 1974
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Seneca Wallace (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #110 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Sage Rosenfels (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #109 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Hakeem Butler (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #103 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#15. Marcus Robertson (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #102 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Luther Blue (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #96 overall in 1977
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Ike Harris (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #91 overall in 1974
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Reggie Hayward (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #87 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Ellis Hobbs (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #84 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Dwayne Crutchfield (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #79 overall in 1982
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. David Montgomery (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #73 overall in 2019
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Karl Nelson (T)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #70 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Troy Davis (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #62 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#6. Kelechi Osemele (T)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #60 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (2 Pro Bowls)

#5. Matt Blair (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #51 overall in 1974
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (6 Pro Bowls)

#4. Otto Stowe (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #47 overall in 1971
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Keith Sims (G)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #39 overall in 1990
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (3 Pro Bowls)

#2. Mike Stensrud (NT)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #31 overall in 1979
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. George Amundson (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1973
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

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