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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 UVA Cavaliers using data from . Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. Tiki Barber (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #36 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: NY Giants
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (3 Pro Bowls)

#19. Jamie Sharper (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #34 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Chris Cook (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #34 overall in 2010
- Drafted by: Minnesota Vikings
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Ras-I Dowling (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #33 overall in 2011
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#16. Chris Slade (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #31 overall in 1993
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (1 Pro Bowls)

#15. John Ford (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #30 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#14. Patrick Kerney (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #30 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (2 Pro Bowls)

#13. Heath Miller (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #30 overall in 2005
- Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (2 Pro Bowls)

#12. Jon Harris (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #25 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#11. Tom Glassic (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Denver Broncos
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Branden Albert (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (2 Pro Bowls)

#9. Jeff Lageman (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #14 overall in 1989
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)

#8. Ray Roberts (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 1992
- Drafted by: Seattle Seahawks
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Herman Moore (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 1991
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (4 Pro Bowls)

#6. Eugene Monroe (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

#5. James Farrior (LB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #8 overall in 1997
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (2 Pro Bowls)

#4. Thomas Jones (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2000
- Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (1 Pro Bowls)

#3. Jim Dombrowski (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 1986
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 9 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. D'Brickashaw Ferguson (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: NY Jets
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (3 Pro Bowls)

#1. Chris Long (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)

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