" USC has had more first round NFL draft picks (65) than any other school. Ohio State is next with 58"
 
 

Trojans Picked in 2004 NFL Draft

round	player	pos.	team
1	Mike Williams	WR	Lions
1	Mike Patterson	DT	Eagles
2	Shaun Cody	DT	Lions
2	Lofa Tatupu	LB	Seahawks
7	Matt Cassel	QB	Patriots

With its outstanding football heritage, it's no surprise that USC usually has more players in the pros than any school.

2005 NFL roasters (summer) : 42 ex-Trojans (including 12 rookies) in 22 of NFL's 32 teams

2003 NFL roasters : 28 Trojans, only 9 universities had more players( # Since records are available, USC has been No. 1 in 17 of the last 29 years)

Overall :
419 NFL draft picks, 385 players (since 1920).
USC has had three of the most highly drafted classes in college football history. The 1953 class (following the 1952 season) had 15 players drafted while both the 1975 and 1977 classes had 14 players selected.

The number of the first round NFL draft picks overall:
No.1 USC 65
No.2 Ohio State 58
No.3 Notre Dame 57

the No.1 selections of the NFL draft overall
No.1 USC 5 (Ron Yary, O.J. Simpson, Ricky Bell, Keyshawn Johnson, Carson Palmer)
No.1 Notre Dame 5
No.3 Auburn 4

USC's 12 first round picks in the 1990s is tied for third most in the nation with Tennessee (behind Ohio State's 15 and Florida State's 13); eight of those Trojan first rounders were selected in the Top 10. In the decade of 1980s, Troy had more first round picks than any school (16). USC's 5 first round picks in the 1968 draft is an NFL record that lasted 36 years. Two Trojans (Lynn Swann in 1976 and Marcus Allen in 1984) have been the Super Bowl MVP. In 1977, 9 USC alums played in the Super Bowl. And 194 Trojans have participated in the Pro Bowl. Ten former USC players (tied with Notre Dame for most players represented) and 3 ex-assistant coaches are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Magazines on USC Trojans

A December 1999 story in The Sporting News listed 4 Trojans among the 100 Greatest Pro Fotball Players : Anthony Munoz(17th), Ronnie Lott(23rd), O.J. Simpson(26th) and Marcus Allen(72nd).
Anthony Munoz was picked among the NFL's Top 10 players of the 20th century by SPORT in 1999.
January 1999 article in ESPN Magazine says that "one of the best ways to win a Super Bowl is to (have a USC player on the team).  The alma mater most often represented on winning teams is USC(45 players). Lagging behind : Notre Dame(38) and Penn State(35)."
A Dec. 13, 1999 article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, which examined Pro Bowl selections since 1950 to determine the schools that have supplied the most pro players at various positions, found that USC had the most Pro Bowl selections (162, more than Notre Dame's 135 and Ohio State's 122) and produced more Pro Bowl running backs and safeties than anyone.
   In a 1985 Sports Illustrated poll of NFL player personnel directors, USC was ranked first overall among all schools in preparing college players for the pros. By position, USC received top marks for running backs, offensive linemen and tight ends.
   In a Dec. 1994 College Sports Magazine ranking of the schools which have been the top sources over the years of football talent by position (on a combined college and NFL level), USC was listed first at running backs, offensive linemen and defensive backs and third at linebackers.

Copyright(c) Kim Myungsoo. All rights reserved.