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NFL · 13 CAREERS FROM ONE PROGRAMME

Michigan State NFL player earnings

$567,252,485 earned in the NFL by 13 players from Michigan State, led by Kirk Cousins on $366,669,486.

That is 21st of the 253 colleges the file names, and 6th of the 78 schools with 8 players or more on money per man. Nothing here is college money: it is what these men were paid once they reached the league, grouped by where they came from.

EARNED IN THE NFL $567.3m
PER PLAYER $43.6m
PLAYERS 13
IN THE LEAGUE NOW 5
FIRST ROUND PICKS 1

The richest Michigan State careers in the NFL

Money paid across a whole career

Kirk Cousins $366.7m

Kirk Cousins $367m Jack Conklin $117m William Gholston $40m Kenneth Walker $8.4m Taybor Pepper $7.6m Jayden Reed $7.2m Bryce Baringer $4.0m Connor Heyward $3.8m Jalen Nailor $3.7m Joe Bachie $3.7m Nick Samac $2.9m Raequan Williams $1.3m Ben VanSumeren $1.2m

Kirk Cousins alone holds 64.6% of everything Michigan State has earned in the league. one man of the 8 with a round on record went in the first, and they have earned $117.0m a career against $37.5m for everybody else.

Every Michigan State player ranked by NFL earnings

Money paid, and what is still contracted

13 careers

# Player Position Franchise Seasons Contracted Career earnings
001 Kirk Cousins Quarterback Atlanta Falcons 16 $45.0m $366,669,486$366.7m
002 Jack Conklin Right Tackle Cleveland Browns 11 $117,043,306$117.0m
003 William Gholston Defensive End Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12 $39,748,946$39.7m
004 Kenneth Walker Running Back Seattle Seahawks 4 $8,441,581$8.4m
005 Taybor Pepper Long Snapper San Francisco 49ers 8 $7,573,642$7.6m
006 Jayden Reed Wide Receiver Green Bay Packers 4 $7,180,778$7.2m
007 Bryce Baringer Punter New England Patriots 4 $4,018,456$4.0m
008 Connor Heyward Tight End Pittsburgh Steelers 4 $3,815,224$3.8m
009 Jalen Nailor Wide Receiver Minnesota Vikings 4 $3,708,993$3.7m
010 Joe Bachie Inside Linebacker Cincinnati Bengals 5 $3,660,863$3.7m
011 Nick Samac Center Baltimore Ravens 4 $1.2m $2,939,844$2.9m
012 Raequan Williams Defensive Tackle Carolina Panthers 5 $1,286,364
013 Ben VanSumeren Inside Linebacker Philadelphia Eagles 2 $1,165,002

The table holds every one of the 13 careers the programme has put into the league. Money still written into a future season is in its own column and is not counted in the career figure beside it.

What Michigan State produces

NFL earnings of its alumni, by position

11 positions

Quarterback $367m Right Tackle $117m Defensive End $40m Wide Receiver $11m Running Back $8.4m Long Snapper $7.6m Inside Linebacker $4.8m Punter $4.0m Tight End $3.8m Center $2.9m Defensive Tackle $1.3m

Quarterback is where the programme's NFL money is, $366,669,486 across one player. Every position is ranked across the league here.

Where Michigan State players are drafted

Career earnings by the round they went in

8 with a round on record

Round Players Per career Earned
Round 1 1 $117.0m $117,043,306$117.0m
Round 2 2 $7.8m $15,622,359$15.6m
Round 4 2 $203.2m $406,418,432$406.4m
Round 6 3 $3.8m $11,542,673$11.5m

one man of the 8 with a round on record went in the first, and they have earned $117.0m a career against $37.5m for everybody else. The whole draft is ranked here.

Where the Michigan State alumni are now

The franchises holding them, and what those careers are worth

13 franchises

# Franchise Players Career earnings
01 Atlanta Falcons 1 $366,669,486$366.7m
02 Cleveland Browns 1 $117,043,306$117.0m
03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 $39,748,946$39.7m
04 Seattle Seahawks 1 $8,441,581$8.4m
05 San Francisco 49ers 1 $7,573,642$7.6m
06 Green Bay Packers 1 $7,180,778$7.2m
07 New England Patriots 1 $4,018,456$4.0m
08 Pittsburgh Steelers 1 $3,815,224$3.8m
09 Minnesota Vikings 1 $3,708,993$3.7m
10 Cincinnati Bengals 1 $3,660,863$3.7m
11 Baltimore Ravens 1 $2,939,844$2.9m
12 Carolina Panthers 1 $1,286,364
13 Philadelphia Eagles 1 $1,165,002

What Michigan State alumni are paid each season

Every year of every career, added together

Peak in 2024

2024 is the programme's biggest year on record at $87,901,159 across 13 players. The whole 2024 payroll is ranked by player here.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the highest paid NFL player from Michigan State?

Kirk Cousins, $366,669,486, a fourth-round pick in 2012. Jack Conklin is second on $117,043,306.

How much have Michigan State players earned in the NFL?

$567,252,485 across 13 careers, which is 21st of the 253 colleges on record and 6th of the 78 schools with 8 players or more on money per man.

Which position does Michigan State send to the NFL?

Quarterback more than any other on money, $366,669,486 across one player. The programme has put men into 11 positions in all.

How many Michigan State players are in the NFL now?

5 men of the 13 here was on a roster in 2026, with $46,190,000 written into contracts for seasons not yet played.

Which NFL team has the most Michigan State players?

Atlanta Falcons, one player worth $366,669,486 between them.

Where to next

The schools either side of this one, and the rest of the money

Florida · Penn State · Stanford · Mississippi · Washington · North Carolina State · California-Los Angeles · Fresno State · Every college · NFL career earnings

Michigan State in the NFL

Colleges near this one

By season

Elsewhere in American football