It’s no surprise that the best college football programs produce the most NFL players. Ohio State, a popular proposition for Ohio sports betting, is one of those elite NCAA teams.
But which colleges have NFL alums raking in the big bucks, on average? The answers might surprise you. BetOhio.com used OverTheCap.com to find the colleges that have produced the highest average salary cap hit among their active NFL players. An important note: Only colleges with 10 or more players in the NFL were included.
Highest Average Cap Hit of NFL Players By College
Rank | College | Average Cap Hit* | # of Players In NFL |
1 | Texas A&M | $8,104,040 | 16 |
2 | Mississippi State | $7,656,353 | 24 |
3 | California | $6,455,477 | 16 |
4 | Clemson | $5,524,722 | 43 |
5 | Alabama | $5,424,370 | 76 |
6 | Oklahoma | $5,298,131 | 47 |
7 | Wyoming | $5,042,613 | 13 |
8 | Boston College | $4,573,934 | 18 |
9 | Ohio State | $4,512,404 | 66 |
10 | Louisville | $4,453,522 | 19 |
*Rounded to nearest whole number
These insights are provided by BetOhio.com, which offers the best Ohio sports betting promotions around.
Ohio State Ranks Ninth
According to OverTheCap.com, Ohio State has the second-most players of any college under current NFL contracts, with 66. Only Alabama (76) has more. Those two programs are ahead of LSU (64 players under current NFL contract), with Georgia and Michigan (61 each) tied for fourth.
Those dozens of former Buckeyes account for nearly $300 million in combined salary cap hits for the 2024 NFL season. That places OSU ninth on the list of college producing players with the highest average cap hit, at just over $4.5 million. Check out our college football championship odds to track the Buckeyes all season as they aim for a spot in the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
The top two on our list are SEC schools, but not the ones you might suspect. Texas A&M is first with an average cap hit of about $8.1 million per player, followed by Mississippi State at $7.656M (their number is skewed a fair bit by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and his $55.455M hit). Ohio State is the only Big Ten program in the top 10.
As football season approaches, keep us bookmarked for the best NFL betting apps you can use all season.
Buckeyes Who Make Big Bucks
According to spotrac.com, Joey Bosa is the former Buckeye with the biggest cap hit for his NFL team in the 2024 season. The Los Angeles Chargers defensive stalwart is due for a $26.1 million cap hit. Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin ($24.1 million cap hit this season) is next, followed by veteran Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward ($22.4 million).
In terms of highest annual value over the life of a contract (not the salary cap number), the honor of highest-paid former Buckeye in the NFL goes to Joey Bosa’s brother, Nick, of the San Francisco 49ers. The edge rusher, also a former OSU standout, is on a contract worth $170 million, with $88 million guaranteed, over five years.
Ohio sportsbook apps list the 49ers and two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs as favorites to reach the Super Bowl in February 2025.
USA Today Network photo by Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch
