Kirk Ferentz Has Sent More Guys to the NFL Than Any Active Coach, and It's Not Even Close
The 2026 NFL Draft is here, and it's time to talk about which college coaches actually know how to build NFL talent. Not all coaches are equal when it comes to getting their guys drafted, and the gap between the best and everyone else is massive. Kirk Ferentz at Iowa? He's produced 94 all-time NFL Draft picks. That's the kind of number that tells you everything about sustained excellence at the highest level.
The Iowa Pipeline: How Ferentz Built a Dynasty
Ferentz has been running Iowa since December 1998, and his track record speaks for itself. He's the winningest coach in program history with a pair of Big Ten titles and multiple coach of the year honors. Early in his tenure, he got Day 1 picks in Dallas Clark, Robert Gallery, and Chad Greenway. Since then, ten more have followed, including Lukas Van Ness and Jack Campbell in 2023. That's longevity. That's recruiting. That's player development. When you've been doing this for over two decades and consistently getting your guys drafted, you're doing something right.
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The gap between first and second tells you how dominant Ferentz has been. Dabo Swinney at Clemson is next with 86 all-time picks and two national championships to show for it. Swinney's 18 first-round picks include quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson, plus seven defensive linemen. Kirby Smart at Georgia is third with 76 picks. He's a two-time national champion who made sure those former five-star recruits were NFL-ready, and it shows: Georgia produced five first-round picks on defense in 2022 alone.
James Franklin at Penn State has 66 all-time picks, with seven first-rounders since 2021. Kyle Whittingham at Utah has 57, and Bret Bielema, who has coached at Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Illinois, has 56. These guys all know how to find program fits and develop future pros. But none of them are touching what Ferentz has accomplished at Iowa.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.