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Mizzou Football All-Time NFL Draft Picks
By Adam Spencer
Last Updated:
Mizzou has had some great stretches throughout its history, producing some elite NFL Draft talent along the way. In the history of the Missouri program, 231 players have been chosen in the draft, with 21 of those players going in Round 1.
Eli Drinkwitz, who took over as the head coach of the Tigers in 2020, produced his first Round 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — DL Darius Robinson, who went No. 27 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. That continues an impressive run of first-round talent along the defensive line for the Tigers.
Dating back to the 2011 NFL Draft, 5 of Mizzou’s 6 most-recent first-round picks played along the defensive line.
Here’s a look at all the Round 1 talent Mizzou has produced in the history of the NFL Draft:
The Tigers have never produced a player chosen with the No. 1 overall pick, but they have seen 7 of their 21 first-round picks go in the top 10 overall. The most recent Mizzou players to achieve that honor were Aldon Smith (No. 7 in 2011) and Blaine Gabbert (No. 10 in 2011).
These are the Missouri players who have gone in the top 10 over the years:
Who have been the most-important first-round picks from Missouri over the years? Let’s dive into some of the biggest names to have played for the Tigers:
Kellen Winslow, TE — No. 13 overall, 1979 NFL Draft (San Diego Chargers)
Winslow is one of the greatest tight ends ever to play in the NFL. In 109 career NFL games, Winslow caught 541 passes for 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. He is a member of the Chargers’ Hall of Fame and has his No. 80 jersey retired. He’s also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He led the NFL in receptions twice, during the 1980 and 1981 seasons, showing off his skills as a receiver rather than as a traditional blocking tight end. He was a 5-time Pro Bowl selection and was a member of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
During his time with the Tigers, Winslow was special. He posted 71 catches for 1,089 yards and 10 touchdowns during his 4 years in Columbia. He has his No. 83 jersey retired at Mizzou and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Justin Smith, DL — No. 4 overall, 2001 NFL Draft (Cincinnati Bengals)
Justin Smith is tied with Russ Washington (1968) as the highest-drafted player ever to be selected from Missouri. He was taken No. 4 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He then spent 7 years with the Bengals before going to the 49ers for the final 7 years of his outstanding NFL career.
His best ability was availability, as he answered the bell time and time again during his career. He only missed 3 games in 14 years, which is simply amazing. He finished his pro career with 884 tackles (119 for a loss) and 87 sacks. He also had 3 interceptions and 16 forced fumbles.
He was a first-team All-American for Mizzou in 2000, parlaying that success in Columbia into his No. 4 overall selection in the following NFL Draft.
Jeremy Maclin, WR — No. 19 overall, 2009 NFL Draft (Philadelphia Eagles)
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
