Drake Maye looks to join list of NFL stars from basketball schools - ESPN

When you look at the colleges with the most NFL draft picks, the names that pop up are hardly surprising. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish. USC Trojans. Ohio State Buckeyes. All schools with a storied reputation in college football.

But every once in a while, a school better known for basketball breaks through with a blue-chip prospect. The North Carolina Tar Heels are best known for their prowess on the basketball court, but they're also the alma mater of New England Patriots quarterback and 2024 No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye.

Here's a look at some notable NFL legends who plied their preprofessional trade at more traditional basketball schools.

Kentucky Wildcats

Draft: 1949

Pick: No. 119

After a productive collegiate tenure at Kentucky, Blanda put together a remarkable 26-year professional career that spanned four teams and two leagues.

Blanda served as both a kicker and a quarterback, and his prime years came with the Houston Oilers. He joined the team after coming out of a brief retirement, going on to lead the Oilers to a pair of AFL titles. The 1961 AFL Player of the Year was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Duke Blue Devils

Draft: 1957

Pick: No. 43

Jurgensen starred on both sides of the ball with the Blue Devils before zeroing in on quarterback in the NFL. He'd go on to throw for over 32,000 yards to go with 255 passing touchdowns as part of a lengthy career that included five Pro Bowl nods. Jurgensen was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1983.

North Carolina Tar Heels

Draft: 1981

Pick: No. 2

One of the greatest defensive players ever, Taylor was named Defensive Player of the Year in his rookie season out of North Carolina and didn't look back.

Taylor would go on to accumulate a ridiculous résumé at