Ever since Northwestern played its first season in 1892, legendary players have passed through the program and made a name for themselves in the NFL.
While often overlooked compared to the likes of the most dominant college football powerhouses — including Alabama and Ohio State — several current and former notable NFL players encompass an extensive Wildcat alumni network.
These players serve as a testament to the program’s storied past and perhaps a precursor to NU’s future under coach David Braun.
In order to appreciate the accomplishments of Wildcats in the NFL, a selection of current and legacy players have been chosen and some of their most notable stats through the first seven weeks of the 2024 season have been displayed.
Number of Professional Football Players Per Decade Since 1920
Each of the seven former Big Ten West teams have had fluctuations in professional alumni since 1920.
Iowa had the highest number of professional football alumni per decade when it had 82 graduates in the 2010s. Meanwhile, Nebraska reached the lowest number when it only had six in the 1950s. Most schools saw a dip in the number of professional players in the 1950s as well as in the 2020s, though the latter is to be expected because only four years of that decade have passed.
Location of Drafted Northwestern Alumni in NFL Since 2000
Twenty-one of the 32 NFL teams have drafted NU alumni since 2000. Seven of the 34 (20.6%) alumni drafted since 2000 were picked in 2020 or later. The Cleveland Browns have drafted four NU alumni, the highest among NFL teams, with the Chargers, Rams and Colts trailing close behind having each drafted three. Besides the Rams, all of these teams are in the AFC, which contributes greatly to the total of 20 players drafted by the AFC compared to just 14 by the NFC.
Table of All Active NU Alumni NFL Players
There are 16 active players in the NFL who played football for NU. Of those, four (25%) transferred to other schools to finish their college careers. The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have three NU alumni on their roster, which is the greatest number in the NFL and accounts for 18.8% of the total. Out of all active players, Dean Lowry leads the way in games played at 125. That is 22.3% of the 560 total games played by active NU alumni.
Active NFL Player Profiles
Legacy NFL Player Profiles
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