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 most notable college football empires are Notre Dame, the universities of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State—the list goes on and on.

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 “Sweetness” himself, 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, ‘49ers wide receiver 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, Stacker compiled a list of the highest NFL draft picks from the Missouri Tigers using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.

#20. James Wilder (RB)
– Draft pick: Round 2, #34 overall in 1981
– Drafted by: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
– Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)

#19. J.T. Taylor (T)
– Draft pick: Round 2, #33 overall in 1978
– Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
– Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#18. Tony Galbreath (RB)
– Draft pick: Round 2, #32 overall in 1976
– Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
– Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#17. Evander Hood (DE)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #32 overall in 2009
– Drafted by: Pittsburgh Steelers
– Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)

#16. Brad Edelman (G)
– Draft pick: Round 2, #30 overall in 1982
– Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
– Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (1 Pro Bowls)

#15. Jim Harrison (RB)
– Draft pick: Round 2, #28 overall in 1971
– Drafted by: Chicago Bears
– Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#14. Howard Richards (G)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #26 overall in 1981
– Drafted by: Dallas Cowboys
– Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#13. Shane Ray (DE)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #23 overall in 2015
– Drafted by: Denver Broncos
– Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#12. Charles Harris (OLB)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #22 overall in 2017
– Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
– Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#11. Jeremy Maclin (WR)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 2009
– Drafted by: Philadelphia Eagles
– Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)

#10. Sean Weatherspoon (LB)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 2010
– Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
– Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#9. Steve Pisarkiewicz (QB)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #19 overall in 1977
– Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
– Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#8. John Clay (T)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #15 overall in 1987
– Drafted by: Los Angeles Raiders
– Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)

#7. Kellen Winslow (TE)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1979
– Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
– Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (5 Pro Bowls)

#6. Sheldon Richardson (DT)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2013
– Drafted by: NY Jets
– Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (1 Pro Bowls)

#5. Joe Moore (RB)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1971
– Drafted by: Chicago Bears
– Years as a starter in NFL: 0

#4. Morris Towns (T)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1977
– Drafted by: Houston Texans
– Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)

#3. Blaine Gabbert (QB)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #10 overall in 2011
– Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
– Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (0 Pro Bowls)

#2. Aldon Smith (DE)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2011
– Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
– Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (1 Pro Bowls)

#1. Justin Smith (DE)
– Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 2001
– Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
– Years as a starter in NFL: 14 (5 Pro Bowls)