USC has produced more than 500 NFL players, including 5 most selected USC players in the NFL Draft. According to Lodi646, who have played in most of the school’s programs. The University of Southern California has long had one of the top college football programs in the country. With 11 national titles and eight Heisman Trophy winners, USC has sent more than 500 players to the NFL over the years. That includes five players who were selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, the most of any program, with Notre Dame, Georgia and Oklahoma.
Top 5 most selected USC players in the NFL Draft
The NFL Draft can add value to teams by acquiring franchise players. But none of those picks have been made. Here are 5 most selected USC players in the NFL Draft that you should know about.
Ron Yari, 1968
Ron Yari was the first USC player to be ranked 5 most selected USC players in the NFL Draft. Many NFL fans today. Probably don’t know that Ron Yari was a two-time All-American. And the first USC player to be selected as the first overall pick. When he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1968 NFL Draft.
Over the course of 15 NFL seasons, 14 with the Vikings. And in his final year with the Los Angeles Rams. Yari made the Pro Bowl seven times, earned seven All-Pro selections (six first team, one second team). And helped Minnesota.
He is considered one of the best tackles of his generation. Named to the All-Decade Team in 1970. He is also a member of the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
OJ Simpson, 1969
Simpson was one of the most prolific runners of his era. Although legal controversies after his career tarnished his name, OJ Simpson’s success on the field was undeniable.
A two-time All-American at USC and the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner, Simpson was the top pick in the 1969 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He was the second overall pick in the top five from USC. And in 1972, he was the game’s best running back.
In those same five years, Simpson won four straight championships. His statistics are even more impressive considering the shorter season. Simpson was the first running back to reach 2,000 yards in a season. He only managed 14 games en route to winning MVP honors in 1973. The other members of the club totaled 2,000 yards in 16 games. That puts Simpson in a class of his own.
Carson Palmer, 2003
Palmer is the only Trojan quarterback to be drafted No. 5 overall by USC. After a rough start to his career with the Trojans, Palmer found his footing as a fifth-year player. While he won the Heisman Trophy in 2002, he was also selected first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, some felt Palmer had the potential to be more than just a quality player. It wasn’t until 2013, when he joined the Arizona Cardinals, that he truly emerged as an elite player, earning him a spot on this list.
Keyshawn Johnson, 1996
Today, a running back being selected in the top five of the NFL draft is almost unthinkable. Not that running backs aren’t valuable positions. But the emphasis on quarterbacks, linebackers, and tackles makes running backs more likely to fall outside the top three.
Johnson had a 1,218-yard season at USC in 1995 that earned him Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year honors.
For a top pick, Johnson never lived up to expectations. But his four 1,000-yard and 10,000-yard seasons in his career are nothing to sneeze at.
Ricky Bell, 1977
Ricky Bell was drafted No. 5 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1977 after his first season. It was one of the worst seasons in NFL history. He went 0-14.
Bell, a two-time national champion and All-American at USC, had an extremely respectable NFL career, playing six seasons and rushing for 3,063 total yards.
Unfortunately, those numbers don’t compare to other players who made the Pro Bowl, the Hall of Fame, or both? Bell came close to winning the Heisman at USC, finishing in the top three in his final two seasons.
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Above is the sharing of the bookmaker CWIN about the ranking 5 most selected USC players in the NFL Draft. Hopefully with this article. All readers have a better understanding of this ranking. As well as the achievements to get into the top vote. Hope you have more useful information for yourself.