Ohio State opened the 2026 NFL season as the most heavily represented college program on active Kickoff Weekend rosters, edging Alabama by one player as 204 schools placed talent across the league.
Ohio State takes the roster lead
The Buckeyes had 56 former players on active rosters for the opening weekend, while Alabama followed with 55. The Crimson Tide had either led outright or shared the top spot in each of the previous nine season-opening roster surveys, from 2017 through 2025.
- Ohio State: 56 active players
- Alabama: 55
- Georgia: 52
- LSU: 44
- Notre Dame: 40
- Total colleges represented: 204
Quarterback rooms feature 23 first-round selections
Opening-week quarterback depth charts included 23 former first-round picks, led by a group of nine passers who entered the league as the No. 1 overall selection. Three quarterbacks were in either their first or second NFL season: Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough and Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
First-round quarterbacks
- Josh Allen, Bills; Joe Burrow, Bengals; Jayden Daniels, Commanders; Sam Darnold, Seahawks; Jaxson Dart, Giants; Jared Goff, Lions.
- Justin Herbert, Chargers; Lamar Jackson, Ravens; Daniel Jones, Colts; Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars; Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs; Drake Maye, Patriots.
- Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers; Kyler Murray, Vikings; Bo Nix, Broncos; Aaron Rodgers, Steelers; Matthew Stafford, Rams; C.J. Stroud, Texans.
- Cam Ward, Titans; Deshaun Watson, Browns; Caleb Williams, Bears; Bryce Young, Panthers.
The second-round contingent consisted of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Shough and Jets quarterback Geno Smith.
Six other opening-week quarterbacks were drafted in the third round or later, or entered the league as undrafted players:
- Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals — third round, No. 91 overall.
- Kirk Cousins, Raiders — fourth round, No. 102 overall.
- Dak Prescott, Cowboys — fourth round, No. 135 overall.
- Brock Purdy, 49ers — seventh round, No. 262 overall.
- Cooper Rush — undrafted.
- Malik Willis, Dolphins — third round, No. 86 overall.
Nine former top overall picks
The quarterbacks who began their NFL careers as the first pick in the draft were Burrow, Goff, Lawrence, Mayfield, Murray, Stafford, Ward, Williams and Young.
Size trends across opening-week rosters
League-wide roster data showed 297 active players weighing below 200 pounds and 255 standing shorter than six feet. At the other end of the scale, 390 players checked in at more than 300 pounds.
- Philadelphia carried an NFL-high 14 players below 200 pounds.
- San Francisco had 13 players listed under six feet, the league’s largest total.
- Green Bay led the NFL with 16 players weighing more than 300 pounds.
