Major colleges market their programs to football recruits by promoting their history of producing NFL players.
At least for this year, bragging rights in the category belong to LSU. With 42 players, the Tigers edged USC and Florida State, with 36 each. It marks the second year in a row that LSU has led the field, as the Tigers came out of NFL Week 1 last year with 40 representatives. There are nine defensive backs among LSU's 42, the most at that position of any school. Here are the top 10 colleges with the most alums on Week 1 NFL rosters, and a look at a few of the players in the pipeline for each of those schools.
1. LSU
Total NFL players: 42
In the pipeline: RB Leonard Fournette, CB Tre'Davious White, S Jamal Adams.
The skinny: LSU produces its share of quality linemen for the NFL (Dallas Cowboys second-year guard La'el Collins, for instance), but the Tigers' real impact comes at the skill positions on both sides of the ball. Odell Beckham, Jr., is one of the NFL's biggest stars, while Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu give the Arizona Cardinals a dynamic combination in the secondary. Miami Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry has made a big impact as well, with 201 receptions in just 33 career games.
2 (tie). Florida State
Total NFL players: 36
In the pipeline: RB Dalvin Cook, OL Roderick Johnson, DE DeMarcus Walker.
The skinny:Jameis Winston is one of the NFL's most promising quarterbacks, the biggest prize of a massive 2015 FSU draft class that included 11 selections. 2014 fourth-round pick Devonta Freeman has emerged as the Atlanta Falcons' top back, while Minnesota Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes has delivered 39 career pass breakups in 38 starts. Coach Jimbo Fisher's recruiting prowess led to a three-year stretch from 2013-2015 in which 29 Seminoles were selected in the NFL draft.
2 (tie). USC
Total NFL players: 36
In the pipeline: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, CB Adoree' Jackson, OL Zach Banner.
The skinny: The Trojans' typically talented receiving corps placed Marqise Lee (Jaguars, 2nd round) and Nelson Agholor (Eagles, 1st round) in back-to-back drafts, and Smith-Schuster, although there are scouting concerns about his game, is in line to join them in the pro ranks. Two of the biggest stars from the program, Clay Matthews and Carson Palmer, have nearly 10 Pro Bowl selections between them (Matthews 6; Palmer 3).
4 (tie). Alabama
Total NFL players: 35
In the pipeline: TE O.J. Howard, DE Jonathan Allen, LB Tim Williams.
The skinny: The Crimson Tide's steady parade of draft picks under Nick Saban makes its place here no surprise. Julio Jones is one of the elite receivers in the NFL, and Amari Cooper could one day find himself in the same conversation. LB C.J. Mosley became the first Baltimore Ravens rookie to ever make a Pro Bowl in 2014. Among the 35 are five running backs, four of whom started at Alabama: Derrick Henry, Kenyan Drake, Mark Ingram, Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon.
4 (tie). Ohio State
Total NFL players: 35
In the pipeline: LB Raekwon McMillan, QB J.T. Barrett, OL Pat Elflein.
The skinny: Should it be any surprise that the Buckeyes cracked this list? Not after placing a dozen players in the 2016 draft, the most of any school, all of whom were gone by the fourth round. That group included two top-five picks in RB Ezekiel Elliott, who earned the starting role for the Dallas Cowboys, and Joey Bosa, whose NFL career is off to a delayed start due to a combination of a contract holdout and a hamstring injury. One NFL club with quite an affinity for OSU is the Carolina Panthers, who have four former Buckeyes on their roster: Philly Brown, Kurt Coleman, Ted Ginn Jr., and Andrew Norwell.
6. Miami
Total NFL players: 34
In the pipeline: QB Brad Kaaya, WR Stacy Coley, RB Joseph Yearby.
The skinny: The Hurricanes fell on hard times on the field during the Al Golden Era, but they've still had their share of athletes talented enough to keep playing. CB Artie Burns was just drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and more experienced former Hurricanes like Greg Olsen have made a long-term mark. Your fun Hurricanes draft fact: In 2015, UM produced two first-round picks for the first time since 2007.
7. Florida
Total NFL players: 33
In the pipeline: LB Jarrad Davis, CB Teez Tabor, S Marcus Maye.
The skinny: A year after delivering arguably the most talented CB in the 2016 Draft in Vernon Hargreaves, the Gators have another elite corner on the way in Jalen Tabor. After a season-ending knee injury ended DE Dante Fowler's rookie year before it started, the former UF star looks to rebound in Year 2. The list of former Gators from the Urban Meyer Era goes on and on, from Joe Haden to Jordan Reed to the Pouncey twins.
8. Georgia
Total NFL players: 31
In the pipeline: RB Nick Chubb, RB Sony Michel, DB Dominick Sanders.
The skinny:Todd Gurley didn't take long to establish himself as one of the best rushers in the NFL as a rookie, and his backup at Georgia, Nick Chubb, is churning through opponents as impressively as Gurley did in college, if not more so. Add Matthew Stafford to the list, and impact players like Geno Atkins, Justin Houston and A.J. Green.
9. Clemson
Total NFL players: 29
In the pipeline: QB Deshaun Watson, RB Wayne Gallman, CB Cordrea Tankersley.
The skinny: The Tigers have placed their share of receivers into the NFL of late, Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, to name two. The next name to watch in that positional pipeline is Mike Williams, who posted a 1,000-yard season as a sophomore in 2014 before losing 2015 to injury. Former Tigers RB C.J. Spiller has had an impressive pro career, as has TE Dwayne Allen.
10. Penn State
Total NFL players: 29
In the pipeline: RB Saquon Barkley, LB Jason Cabinda, WR Chris Godwin
The skinny: In Allen Robinson, Penn State has given the NFL one of its brightest young talents at the receiver position. You want a strong veteran presence? Tamba Hali could be closing in on 100 career sacks in the next couple of years.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.
