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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 Nevada Wolf Pack using data from . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Tony Moll (T)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #165 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Green Bay Packers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#19. Doug Betters (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 6, #163 overall in 1978
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)

#18. Jeff Rowe (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #151 overall in 2007
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#17. Maurice Mann (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #149 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Brandon Marshall (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #142 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#15. Eric Sanders (T)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #136 overall in 1981
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Henry Rolling (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #135 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. James-Michael Johnson (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #120 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Forey Duckett (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 5, #117 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#11. DeShone Myles (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #108 overall in 1998
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#10. Duke Williams (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 4, #105 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#9. Jorge Cordova (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #86 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#8. Charles Mann (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #84 overall in 1983
- Drafted by: Washington Football Team
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (4 Pro Bowls)

#7. Nate Burleson (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #71 overall in 2003
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#6. Patrick Hunter (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #68 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. Dontay Moch (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 3, #66 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#4. Colin Kaepernick (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #36 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Joel Bitonio (G)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (4 Pro Bowls)

#2. Austin Corbett (C)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #33 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Cleveland Browns
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)

#1. Alex Van Dyke (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #31 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

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