CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While college football programs such as Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame are regularly (and rightly) recognized among the elite schools in the nation for producing NFL talent, unassuming Wisconsin has quietly built itself into one of the best at getting top quality players to the next level.
At the start of the 2017 NFL season, Wisconsin counted 24 former players active on NFL rosters throughout the league, ranging from three rookies to 11-year veteran Browns tackle Joe Thomas.
Of course, schools that you would expect such as LSU (39 players), Alabama (38) and USC (37) led the way, but a closer look at the names on the list highlights the depth of quality coming out of Madison on the way to the professional ranks.