The NFL Pro Bowl has undergone several revisions to its format over the years, but being recognized is still a significant achievement for both the player and their respective college.
Producing NFL talent is an element in college programs’ recruiting drive, and ranking at the top of the list of college programs for producing NFL Pro Bowl Appearances is a massive accomplishment.
Which College Football Program Has Produced the Most First-Team NFL Pro Bowlers?
25) Oregon Ducks – 89
Between 1964 and 1974, DB/RB Mel Renfro was selected for 10 Pro Bowls. The Oregon Duck was designated to the NFL Pro Bowl for 10 consecutive years and is the alumnus with the most nominations. Norm Van Brocklin was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times, followed by Hall of Fame quarterback Gary Zimmerman and Dave Wilcox, who each made seven appearances.
24) Florida Gators – 89
In his decade in the league, Maurkice Pouncey made nine Pro Bowl appearances as the former Pittsburgh Steelers center was named to the NFL All-2010s Team. Legendary running back Emmitt Smith made eight Pro Bowl appearances and is a three-time Super Bowl champion, as well as the 1993 season MVP.
The former Dallas Cowboys running back still holds the NFL record for all-time career rushing attempts (4,409), rushing yards (18,355), and rushing touchdowns (164).
23) Syracuse Orange – 93
Syracuse Orange NFL alums collectively made 93 NFL Pro Bowl appearances, with offensive lineman Jim Ringo (10), leading Jim Brown (9) and Walt Sweeney (9) with the most selections.
22) Wisconsin Badgers – 94
OT Joe Thomas and QB Russell Wilson have both made 10 appearances each at the NFl Pro Bowl to lead the list of former Wisconsin Badgers with the most appearances. The program has produced 94 total Pro Bowl nominations, including Mike Webster (9), and T.J. Watt (7).
21) Arizona State Sun Devils – 98
Randall McDaniel made 12 Pro Bowls between 1988 and 2001, leading the list of Arizona Sun Devils to have made the NFL’s all-star game. Arizona State Sun Devils alumni have made 98 Pro Bowls collectively, with Mike Haynes (9) and Charley Taylor (8) rounding out the top three names.
20) Iowa Hawkeyes – 99
Two-time Super Bowl champion Emlen ‘The Gremlin’ Tunnell leads the number of former Iowa Hawkeyes players to have made the NFL Pro Bowl with nine appearances. He sits one ahead of Paul Krause and Marshal Yanda, who both appeared in the showcase event eight times.
19) UCLA Bruins – 105
Two former UCLA Bruins players made double-digit Pro Bowl appearances. Jonathan Ogden was selected 11 times between 1996 and 2007, while Matthew Slater was nominated 10 times between 2008 and 2023. They are followed by former Dallas Cowboys No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, Troy Aikman, who appeared in six Pro Bowls despite never being named a first-team All-Pro member.
18) Purdue Boilermakers – 109
Future Hall of Fame quarterback and former Super Bowl champion Drew Brees was voted to 13 Pro Bowls across his two decades with the New Orleans Saints. He heads a long list of Purdue Boilermakers alumni who have accumulated 109 Pro Bowl appearances, which also includes Rod Woodson’s 11 selections.
17) Oklahoma Sooners – 112
Current NFL starting left tackle Trent Williams is the former Oklahoma Sooners player with the most Pro Bowl appearances. His 11 nominations across his career with the Washington Redskins and now the San Francisco 49ers saw him nominated in consecutive years between 2012 and 2023.
16) Florida State Seminoles – 112
Florida State Seminoles alumni have accounted for a total of 112 NFL Pro Bowl appearances, with former linebacker Derrick Brooks credited for 11 of them. Walter Jones (9), Deion Sanders (8), Jalen Ramsey (7), and Fred Biletnikoff (6) are also among the nominees for one of college football’s blue-chip programs.
15) Michigan State Spartans – 114
11 Michigan State Spartans alumni have five or more NFL Pro Bowl appearances, including Morten Andersen and Ed Budde, who both have seven. Rich Saul (6) and Flozell Adams (5) both made several appearances, despite never being named to the first-team All-Pro, for a program that has tallied 114 all-time appearances.
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14) Texas A&M Aggies – 115
46 different former Texas A&M Aggies players have appeared at the NFL Pro Bowl a collective 115 times. DB Yale Lary headlines the group with nine nominations, while Von Miller ranks second with eight appearances.
13) California Golden Bears – 116
Three household names lead the list of Cal Golden Bears with the most Pro Bowl appearances. Often considered the best tight end of all time, Tony Gonzalez made 14 appearances in his 17-year career. Aaron Rodgers has made 10 in his two decades in the league, while Cam Jordan has made eight playing on the New Orleans Saints’ defensive line. Meanwhile, Alex Mack (7), Keenan Allen (6), Marshawn Lynch (5), and Jared Goff (4) have all made multiple appearances.
12) Michigan Wolverines – 116
Unsurprisingly, Tom Brady is the player with the most all-time Pro Bowl appearances with 15. The seven-time Super Bowl champion is considered the GOAT and is a massive advocate for the Michigan Wolverines program. Second on the list is Tom Mack with 11 appearances, while Charles Woodson ranks third with nine Pro Bowl selections.
11) Texas Longhorns – 124
DB Earl Thomas and K Justin Tucker both have seven Pro Bowl selections and lead the Texas Longhorns, who have collectively played in the all-star event 124 times. RB Bijan Robinson is the latest name to make the list after making an appearance in 2024 after rushing for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Atlanta Falcons.
10) Penn State Nittany Lions – 125
Penn State Nittany Lions alumni have appeared in the NFL Pro Bowl 125 times, the tenth most of any college program. RB Franco Harris and OL Mike Munchak both made nine appearances to lead all former Penn State players, with LB Jack Ham and OL Steve Wisniewski just behind on eight.
9) Pittsburgh Panthers – 125
The Pittsburgh Panthers have also had former players appear in the Pro Bowl 125 times. 12 players have completed in the all-star game five or more times, with three reaching double figures. WR Larry Fitzgerald made 11 appearances between 2004 and 2020, while Aaron Donald and Joe Schmidt both made the event 10 times.
8) Georgia Bulldogs – 131
Champ Bailey made 12 Pro Bowls across his career with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos between 1999 and 2013. The Hall of Famer has three more appearances than any other former Georgia Bulldogs player, with Fran Tarkenton next on the list with nine.
7) Tennessee Volunteers – 145
Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning made 14 Pro Bowls in his NFL career, one behind the all-time leader, Brady. Reggie White (also a Hall of Fame member) had 13 appearances, while Jason Witten played in the all-star game 11 times, to round out the top three former Tennessee Volunteers alumni to play in the Pro Bowl.
6) LSU Tigers – 148
32 former LSU Tigers players have played in multiple NFL Pro Bowls, with offensive linemen Alan Faneca the leader among alumni with nine appearances. OL Kevin Mawae and CB Patrick Peterson made the event eight times, with DB Johnny Tobinson and QB Y.A. Tittle being nominated seven times.
5) Alabama Crimson Tide – 156
Two former fourth-overall selections from the Alabama Crimson Tide in their respective draft classes lead the way with nine Pro Bowl appearances. OL John Hannah and LB Derrick Thomas both have appeared nine times in NFL Pro Bowls, while Julio Jones played in the showcase event seven times.
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4) Miami (FL) Hurricanes – 182
LB Ray Lewis and OL Jim Otto lead the way for former Miami Hurricanes players who have made the NFL Pro Bowl. Both have appeared 12 times in the NFL’s all-star game, three more than DB Ed Reed, who has made nine appearances.
3) Ohio State Buckeyes – 195
The Ohio State Buckeyes rank third in the list of colleges that have produced the most NFL Pro Bowl appearances, with 195. Lou Groza and Jim Tyrer both were nominated nine times to lead the list of 78 names that have played in the event.
2) Notre Dame Fighting Irish – 200
Notre Dame Fighting Irish alumni have totaled 200 Pro Bowl appearances. The program ranks among the elite in the sport, with 19 players making the event four or more times. Tim Brown, Alan Page, and Zack Martin all sit at the top of that list with nine appearances each.
1) USC Trojans – 243
The USC Trojans have far exceeded the number of Pro Bowlers produced by other colleges. In fact, the West Coast team has made 43 more Pro Bowl appearances than any other program, producing four players who have been recognized 10 or more times.
OT Bruce Matthews (14), LB Junior Seau (12), OT Anthony Munoz (11), and DB Ronnie Lott (DB) headline the group, making up 47 of the 243 total appearances.
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