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Andrew Cyr | NCAA.com | September 8, 2017

Colleges most represented on 2017 NFL Opening Day rosters

  Patrick Peterson has emerged as one of the top NFL players after becoming a standout DB at LSU.

Week 1 of the college football season, with huge upsets and thrilling finishes, already has come and gone. If that wasn't enough for you, fans can now turn their college rooting interests to the NFL, where the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs opened the season Thursday night with a 42-27 Kansas City win.

Some 285 schools, from all levels of college football, are represented on NFL rosters for Opening Day 2017. Here are the top five schools with players in the NFL:

RELATED: Which schools were represented most in 2016?

(Our list includes players on active rosters, injury reserved lists, practice squads and the commissioner’s exempt list). This list was updated from the initial published date to relfect a change for Louisiana State.

1. LSU: 51 — The Tigers are the lone program to reach the 50-player mark. Although LSU hasn’t fulfilled its national championship aspirations in 10 seasons, a lot of talent comes through Baton Rouge, and purple and yellow still runs deep in the NFL. LSU has produced elite talent on both ends of the ball with the likes of defensive backs Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu (Arizona Cardinals), as well as star wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (New York Giants) and Jarvis Landry (Miami Dolphins). Look for rookies Jamal Adams (New York Jets) and Leonard Fournette (Jacksonville Jaguars) to make immediate impacts as well this season.

T-2. Florida: 45 — The Gators snag a tie for second on this list with a mix of key members from Florida’s national championship teams in 2006 and 2008 as well as a bunch of newcomers. Joe Haden (Pittsburgh Steelers), Maurkice Pouncey (Pittsburgh Steelers) and his brother Mike (Miami Dolphins) were members of the Tim Tebow era while young stars like Mike Gillislee (New England Patriots), Vernon Hargreaves II (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Jordan Reed (Washington Redskins) have developed into solid players at the next level.

  Mike Gillislee (23) ran for 20 touchdowns during his time at Florida from 2009-12.
T-2. USC: 45 — For the better part of the 2000s, USC has been a major player in college football, so it's no surprise that the Trojans have deep roots in the NFL. 2002 Heisman Trophy winnerCarson Palmer (Arizona Cardinals) is still one of the league’s top quarterbacks, while Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers) and Brian Cushing (Houston Texans) have become cornerstones in their respected defenses. Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith, who’s arguably the best lineman in the NFL right now, anchored the Trojans line in 2009 and 2010.

T-4. Alabama: 44 — Though Alabama might not have the most players on NFL rosters, there’s no doubt that coach Nick Saban has produced some of football’s brightest young stars. Amari Cooper (Oakland Raiders), Landon Collins (New York Giants), Julio Jones (Atlanta Falcons) and Don’t’a Hightower (New England Patriots) have already emerged as top players at their respected positions and were all part of the Crimson’s Tide’s run of of four national championships in eight seasons. In this year's NFL draft, Alabama produced four first-round picks and nine of the top 100.

  Julio Jones was a star receiver for the Crimson Tide from 2008-2010.
T-4. Miami (Fla.): 44 — The Hurricanes haven't been quite the same national championship contenders like they were at the turn of the century, but Miami still has talent scattered up and down NFL rosters. The Canes have produced offensive standouts like Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers) and Lamar Miller (Houston Texans) while veterans Frank Gore (Indianapolis Colts) and Jimmy Graham (Seattle Seahawks) continue to produce in their respected systems. Olivier Vernon has emerged as a standout defensive end for the New York Giants while 2015 first round pick Phillip Dorsett is looking to make an impact on the New England Patriots.

Below is a breakdown of all colleges represented in the NFL on opening day rosters:

School Total
Louisiana State 51
Florida 45
Southern California 45
Alabama 44
Miami (Fl.) 44
Ohio State 42
Florida State 40
Clemson 38
Georgia 38
Michigan 35
Auburn 34
Oklahoma 33
California 32
Wisconsin 32
Notre Dame 31
Utah 31
Penn State 30
UCLA 30
Michigan State 29
Tennessee 29
Texas 29
Texas A&M 29
Stanford 28
Arkansas 27
Nebraska 27
Oregon 27
Iowa 26
North Carolina 26
Oregon State 25
South Carolina 25
Louisville 24
West Virginia 24
Mississippi 23
Pittsburgh 23
Washington 23
Missouri 22
Boise State 21
Virginia 21
TCU 20
Illinois 17
Mississippi State 17
Rutgers 16
Baylor 15
Boston College 15
Cincinnati 15
Georgia Tech 15
NC State 15
Connecticut 14
Virginia Tech 14
Arizona 13
Arizona State 13
Central Florida 13
Colorado 13
Houston 13
Oklahoma State 13
SMU 13
Temple 13
Utah State 13
Louisiana Tech 12
Maryland 12
Memphis 12
Northwestern 12
Purdue 12
South Florida 12
Southern Mississippi 12
Toledo 12
Brigham Young 11
Central Michigan 11
Fresno State 11
Kansas State 11
Kentucky 11
San Diego State 11
Texas Tech 11
Vanderbilt 11
Duke 10
Minnesota 10
Syracuse 10
Florida Atlantic 9
Harvard 9
Indiana 9
San Jose State 9
Texas-El Paso 9
Western Kentucky 9
Wyoming 9
Rice 8
Tulane 8
Wake Forest 8
Washington State 8
Delaware 7
Georgia Southern 7
Illinois State 7
Kent State 7
North Dakota State 7
Western Michigan 7
Appalachian State 6
Arkansas State 6
Colorado State 6
East Carolina 6
Iowa State 6
Kansas 6
Marshall 6
Nevada 6
Northern Iowa 6
Portland State 6
Akron 5
Buffalo 5
California (PA) 5
Coastal Carolina 5
Eastern Washington 5
Idaho 5
Miami (OH.) 5
Middle Tennessee State 5
Montana 5
South Carolina State 5
Alabama-Birmingham 4
Eastern Michigan 4
Florida International 4
Georgia State 4
Grand Valley State 4
Hawai'i 4
James Madison 4
New Mexico 4
Northern Illinois 4
Ohio 4
Old Dominion 4
Southern Utah 4
Tennessee State 4
Towson 4
Troy 4
Tulsa 4
UNLV 4
West Alabama 4
Colorado State-Pueblo 3
Hampton 3
Liberty 3
Massachusetts 3
Missouri Western State 3
Monmouth (N.J.) 3
Norfolk State 3
North Texas 3
Pennsylvania 3
Regina (Canada) 3
Richmond 3
Sacramento State 3
Samford 3
South Dakota State 3
Texas State 3
Texas-San Antonio 3
Valdosta State 3
Villanova 3
West Georgia 3
West Texas A&M 3
William & Mary 3
Youngstown State 3
Abilene Christian 2
Alabama State 2
Ashland 2
Bethune-Cookman 2
Bowling Green 2
Brown 2
Cal Poly-S.L.O. 2
Charlotte 2
East Central (OK.) 2
Eastern Illinois 2
Eastern Kentucky 2
Grambling State 2
Hillsdale 2
Jacksonville State 2
Louisiana-Lafayette 2
Manitoba (Canada) 2
Marist 2
Midwestern State 2
Minnesota State 2
Missouri Southern State 2
Missouri State 2
Montana State 2
New Mexico State 2
Newberry 2
North Carolina A&T 2
Northwestern State (LA.) 2
Saginaw Valley State 2
Sam Houston State 2
Shepherd 2
South Dakota 2
Southeastern Louisiana 2
Southern Illinois 2
Stony Brook 2
Tennessee-Chattanooga 2
Wofford 2
Alabama A&M 1
Albany State (Ga.) 1
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1
Army West Point 1
Augustana 1
Azuna Pacific 1
Belhaven College 1
Beloit 1
Bloomsburg (PA.) 1
Bowie State 1
Bucknell 1
Canisius 1
Carson-Newman 1
Catawaba 1
Central Missouri 1
Chadron State 1
Columbia 1
Concordia-St. Paul 1
Cornell 1
Drake 1
Eastern Oregon 1
Emporia State 1
Fort Valley State 1
Furman 1
Greenville 1
Henderson State 1
Holy Cross 1
Howard 1
Incarnate World (Tex.) 1
Jacksonville 1
Kentucky Wesleyan 1
Kutztown (PA) 1
Lamar 1
Lane (Tenn.) 1
Laval 1
Lindenwood 1
Louisiana College 1
Maine 1
Marian 1
Mars HIll 1
Mary Hardin-Baylor 1
McGill (Canada) 1
Michigan Tech 1
Monmouth (Ill.) 1
Mount Union 1
Murray State 1
Navy 1
Nebraska-Omaha 1
New Hampshire 1
Nicholls State 1
North Alabama 1
North Carolina Central 1
North Greenville 1
Northeast Mississippi CC 1
Northern Colorado 1
Northern Michigan 1
Northwest Missouri State 1
Ohio Dominican 1
Ouachita Baptist 1
Pittsburg State 1
Presbyterian 1
Princeton 1
Red Lion Christian Academy 1
Robert Morris 1
San Diego 1
Shippensburg 1
Slippery Rock 1
South Alabama 1
Southeast Missouri State 1
Southern Arkansas 1
Southern Connecticut State 1
Southern Oregon 1
Southern University 1
St. Francis (PA) 1
Stetson 1
Stillman 1
Tarleton State 1
Tennessee-Martin 1
The Citadel 1
Tiffin University 1
UC Davis 1
UC Irvine 1
Wagner 1
Washburn 1
Wayne State 1
Wesley 1
Western Illinois 1
Western Oregon 1
Western State (CO.) 1
Western Washington 1
William Penn 1
Winston-Salem State 1
Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1
Wisconsin-Platteville 1
Wisconsin-Whitewater 1

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