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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 Virginia Tech Hokies using data from . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Jesse Penn (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #44 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#19. Eddie Royal (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #42 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Bryan Still (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #41 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Ryan Williams (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #38 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Jimmy Williams (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #37 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#15. Brandon Flowers (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#14. John Engelberger (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. David Wilson (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #32 overall in 2012
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#12. Kevin Jones (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #30 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Terrell Edmunds (S)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #28 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Jim Druckenmiller (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #26 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#9. Duane Brown (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #26 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Houston Texans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (4 Pro Bowls)

#8. Christian Darrisaw (OL)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #23 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#7. Caleb Farley (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #22 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#6. Tremaine Edmunds (ILB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #16 overall in 2018
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (2 Pro Bowls)

#5. Kyle Fuller (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 2014
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (2 Pro Bowls)

#4. Eugene Chung (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. DeAngelo Hall (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (3 Pro Bowls)

#2. Bruce Smith (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 1985
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 18 (11 Pro Bowls)

#1. Michael Vick (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #1 overall in 2001
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (4 Pro Bowls)

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