Football Players From These Colleges Make the Most Total NFL Money
Players from these colleges have cashed in the most.View Gallery
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Powerhouses such as Alabama, Clemson, Lousiana State University and Ohio State have dominated the college football scene the past few years, racking up nine of the past 10 national championships between them.
Read: The Top 5 Richest College Football Programs
But does that success translate to the next level, especially financially? After all, students go to college to set themselves up for their careers and future success, right?
GOBankingRates looked at which colleges’ players have the most lucrative NFL careers. We calculated total active players, total earnings and looked at the top active earner from each school.
Read on to see which colleges produce players that make the most total NFL money.
24. Nebraska
- Active Players: 26
- Total Earnings: $354,961,380
- Top Earner: Ndamukong Suh
- Top Earning Position: DT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $155,965,157
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 43.94%
23. Tennessee
- Active Players: 34
- Total Earnings: $357,846,860
- Top Earner: Jason Witten
- Top Earning Position: TE
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $81,807,482
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 22.86%
22. Iowa
- Active Players: 35
- Total Earnings: $389,468,005
- Top Earner: Riley Reiff
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $58,119,222
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 14.92%
Discover: The 25 Richest NFL Team Owners
21. Michigan State
- Active Players: 23
- Total Earnings: $406,728,278
- Top Earner: Kirk Cousins
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $140,640,630
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 34.58%
Read More: Companies That Traditionally Spend the Most Money on Super Bowl Sunday
20. Stanford
- Active Players: 33
- Total Earnings: $410,823,317
- Top Earner: Richard Sherman
- Top Earning Position: CB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $82,735,115
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 20.14%
Did You Know: Everything You Can Buy for the Cost of One Super Bowl Ticket
19. Notre Dame
- Active Players: 39
- Total Earnings: $435,435,417
- Top Earner: Golden Tate
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $56,337,672
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 12.94%
18. Mississippi State
- Active Players: 35
- Total Earnings: $447,137,404
- Top Earner: Fletcher Cox
- Top Earning Position: DT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $85,890,246
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 19.21%
Read: Past Super Bowl Stars Who Scored Big Endorsement Deals
17. Texas A&M
- Active Players: 32
- Total Earnings: $452,977,771
- Top Earner: Von Miller
- Top Earning Position: OLB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $126,475,534
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 27.92%
In the News: Budweiser Foregoes Ad Spot During Game for the First Time Ever
16. Purdue
- Active Players: 13
- Total Earnings: $455,282,219
- Top Earner: Drew Brees
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $269,710,422
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 59.24%
15. Pittsburgh
- Active Players: 20
- Total Earnings: $460,438,181
- Top Earner: Larry Fitzgerald
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $180,719,110
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 39.25%
Did You Know: How Much Will You Save Watching the Super Bowl From Home?
14. Clemson
- Active Players: 36
- Total Earnings: $474,764,490
- Top Earner: DeAndre Hopkins
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $85,699,009
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 18.05%
In the News: Super Bowl Gives Free Tickets to 7,500 Vaccinated Healthcare Workers
13. Oklahoma
- Active Players: 35
- Total Earnings: $475,818,988
- Top Earner: Trent Williams
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $108,305,694
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 22.76%
12. Southern California
- Active Players: 34
- Total Earnings: $486,780,675
- Top Earner: Tyron Smith
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $87,785,235
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 18.03%
11. Florida State
- Active Players: 36
- Total Earnings: $514,213,168
- Top Earner: Rodney Hudson
- Top Earning Position: C
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $61,514,448
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 11.96%
Find Out: 18 of the Richest NFL Players Who Never Won a Super Bowl
10. Wisconsin
- Active Players: 34
- Total Earnings: $515,413,652
- Top Earner: Russell Wilson
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $162,362,520
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 31.50%
9. South Carolina
- Active Players: 29
- Total Earnings: $538,020,412
- Top Earner: Johnathan Joseph
- Top Earning Position: CB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $85,134,743
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 15.82%
Fun Facts: Most Expensive Super Bowl Rosters of the Past Decade
8. Michigan
- Active Players: 41
- Total Earnings: $610,806,900
- Top Earner: Tom Brady
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $261,791,804
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 42.86%
Find Out: How Much Will Advertisers Spend On This Year’s Super Bowl?
7. Florida
- Active Players: 48
- Total Earnings: $614,725,678
- Top Earner: Joe Haden
- Top Earning Position: CB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $114,471,755
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 18.62%
6. Miami (FL)
- Active Players: 40
- Total Earnings: $695,904,597
- Top Earner: Calais Campbell
- Top Earning Position: DE
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $118,068,828
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 16.97%
Did You Know: How Rich Are Patrick Mahomes and These Other Past Super Bowl Winners?
5. Ohio State
- Active Players: 58
- Total Earnings: $720,507,427
- Top Earner: Cameron Heyward
- Top Earning Position: DT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $78,232,735
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 10.86%
4. California (Berkeley)
- Active Players: 27
- Total Earnings: $800,350,104
- Top Earner: Aaron Rodgers
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $240,914,529
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 30.10%
3. Alabama
- Active Players: 68
- Total Earnings: $831,911,428
- Top Earner: Julio Jones
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $103,126,564
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 12.40%
2. Georgia
- Active Players: 46
- Total Earnings: $835,239,299
- Top Earner: Matthew Stafford
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $226,478,969
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 27.12%
Find Out: The 10 Lowest-Paid Players in This Year’s Super Bowl
1. LSU
- Active Players: 52
- Total Earnings: $837,998,969
- Top Earner: Andrew Whitworth
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $98,865,000
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 11.80%
More From GOBankingRates
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Methodology: GOBankingRates used Spotrac’s NFL College Tracker data to find the 24 colleges that turned out players that make the most total NFL money. For each of these colleges, GOBankingRates found the following data points: (1) university name; (2) total active players in the NFL; (3) total career earnings from these players, (4) top career earner from each school; (5) top earner’s career earnings; and (6) percent top earner’s career earnings make of the (3) total career earnings for the school. All data was collected on and up to date as of Jan. 20, 2021.
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Powerhouses such as Alabama, Clemson, Lousiana State University and Ohio State have dominated the college football scene the past few years, racking up nine of the past 10 national championships between them.
Read: The Top 5 Richest College Football Programs
But does that success translate to the next level, especially financially? After all, students go to college to set themselves up for their careers and future success, right?
GOBankingRates looked at which colleges’ players have the most lucrative NFL careers. We calculated total active players, total earnings and looked at the top active earner from each school.
Read on to see which colleges produce players that make the most total NFL money.
24. Nebraska
- Active Players: 26
- Total Earnings: $354,961,380
- Top Earner: Ndamukong Suh
- Top Earning Position: DT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $155,965,157
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 43.94%
23. Tennessee
- Active Players: 34
- Total Earnings: $357,846,860
- Top Earner: Jason Witten
- Top Earning Position: TE
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $81,807,482
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 22.86%
22. Iowa
- Active Players: 35
- Total Earnings: $389,468,005
- Top Earner: Riley Reiff
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $58,119,222
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 14.92%
Discover: The 25 Richest NFL Team Owners
21. Michigan State
- Active Players: 23
- Total Earnings: $406,728,278
- Top Earner: Kirk Cousins
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $140,640,630
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 34.58%
Read More: Companies That Traditionally Spend the Most Money on Super Bowl Sunday
20. Stanford
- Active Players: 33
- Total Earnings: $410,823,317
- Top Earner: Richard Sherman
- Top Earning Position: CB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $82,735,115
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 20.14%
Did You Know: Everything You Can Buy for the Cost of One Super Bowl Ticket
19. Notre Dame
- Active Players: 39
- Total Earnings: $435,435,417
- Top Earner: Golden Tate
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $56,337,672
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 12.94%
18. Mississippi State
- Active Players: 35
- Total Earnings: $447,137,404
- Top Earner: Fletcher Cox
- Top Earning Position: DT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $85,890,246
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 19.21%
Read: Past Super Bowl Stars Who Scored Big Endorsement Deals
17. Texas A&M
- Active Players: 32
- Total Earnings: $452,977,771
- Top Earner: Von Miller
- Top Earning Position: OLB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $126,475,534
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 27.92%
In the News: Budweiser Foregoes Ad Spot During Game for the First Time Ever
16. Purdue
- Active Players: 13
- Total Earnings: $455,282,219
- Top Earner: Drew Brees
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $269,710,422
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 59.24%
15. Pittsburgh
- Active Players: 20
- Total Earnings: $460,438,181
- Top Earner: Larry Fitzgerald
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $180,719,110
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 39.25%
Did You Know: How Much Will You Save Watching the Super Bowl From Home?
14. Clemson
- Active Players: 36
- Total Earnings: $474,764,490
- Top Earner: DeAndre Hopkins
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $85,699,009
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 18.05%
In the News: Super Bowl Gives Free Tickets to 7,500 Vaccinated Healthcare Workers
13. Oklahoma
- Active Players: 35
- Total Earnings: $475,818,988
- Top Earner: Trent Williams
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $108,305,694
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 22.76%
12. Southern California
- Active Players: 34
- Total Earnings: $486,780,675
- Top Earner: Tyron Smith
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $87,785,235
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 18.03%
11. Florida State
- Active Players: 36
- Total Earnings: $514,213,168
- Top Earner: Rodney Hudson
- Top Earning Position: C
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $61,514,448
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 11.96%
Find Out: 18 of the Richest NFL Players Who Never Won a Super Bowl
10. Wisconsin
- Active Players: 34
- Total Earnings: $515,413,652
- Top Earner: Russell Wilson
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $162,362,520
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 31.50%
9. South Carolina
- Active Players: 29
- Total Earnings: $538,020,412
- Top Earner: Johnathan Joseph
- Top Earning Position: CB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $85,134,743
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 15.82%
Fun Facts: Most Expensive Super Bowl Rosters of the Past Decade
8. Michigan
- Active Players: 41
- Total Earnings: $610,806,900
- Top Earner: Tom Brady
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $261,791,804
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 42.86%
Find Out: How Much Will Advertisers Spend On This Year’s Super Bowl?
7. Florida
- Active Players: 48
- Total Earnings: $614,725,678
- Top Earner: Joe Haden
- Top Earning Position: CB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $114,471,755
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 18.62%
6. Miami (FL)
- Active Players: 40
- Total Earnings: $695,904,597
- Top Earner: Calais Campbell
- Top Earning Position: DE
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $118,068,828
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 16.97%
Did You Know: How Rich Are Patrick Mahomes and These Other Past Super Bowl Winners?
5. Ohio State
- Active Players: 58
- Total Earnings: $720,507,427
- Top Earner: Cameron Heyward
- Top Earning Position: DT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $78,232,735
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 10.86%
4. California (Berkeley)
- Active Players: 27
- Total Earnings: $800,350,104
- Top Earner: Aaron Rodgers
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $240,914,529
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 30.10%
3. Alabama
- Active Players: 68
- Total Earnings: $831,911,428
- Top Earner: Julio Jones
- Top Earning Position: WR
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $103,126,564
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 12.40%
2. Georgia
- Active Players: 46
- Total Earnings: $835,239,299
- Top Earner: Matthew Stafford
- Top Earning Position: QB
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $226,478,969
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 27.12%
Find Out: The 10 Lowest-Paid Players in This Year’s Super Bowl
1. LSU
- Active Players: 52
- Total Earnings: $837,998,969
- Top Earner: Andrew Whitworth
- Top Earning Position: LT
- Top Earner’s Career Earnings: $98,865,000
- % Top Earner makes of Total Earnings: 11.80%
More From GOBankingRates
- These Are the Best Banks of 2021 – Did Yours Make the Cut?
- 19 Ways To Tackle Your Budget and Manage Your Debt
- Top 100 Banks Leading the U.S. in 2021
- How To Rebound From a Bad Financial Year: 2020 Edition
Methodology: GOBankingRates used Spotrac’s NFL College Tracker data to find the 24 colleges that turned out players that make the most total NFL money. For each of these colleges, GOBankingRates found the following data points: (1) university name; (2) total active players in the NFL; (3) total career earnings from these players, (4) top career earner from each school; (5) top earner’s career earnings; and (6) percent top earner’s career earnings make of the (3) total career earnings for the school. All data was collected on and up to date as of Jan. 20, 2021.