This Michigan College Produces the Highest-Earning NFL Players (It’s Not What You Think)
Michigan has some great college football teams. Every fall, Michiganders certainly enjoy watching college football, and you can add high school and pro football to that list, too. Now, a…
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 14: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings is hit after throw at Lincoln Financial Field on September 14, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Michigan has some great college football teams. Every fall, Michiganders certainly enjoy watching college football, and you can add high school and pro football to that list, too. Now, a new study is out that reveals that one Michigan college produces the highest-earning NFL players, and it's not what you think.
The study was conducted by sports betting media group Canada Sports Betting. In the study, they looked into the "lifetime career earnings of active NFL players who attended college in America, to calculate the average earnings per player from different colleges." Now, in Michigan, one would assume that the University of Michigan would be on the top of this list. But, it's not. Shocking, right?
Before we get to our state, note that the University of California, Berkeley, took the No. 1 spot on the list with average earnings of $38,242,817 million per player. Not too shabby. Next, Mississippi State is No. 2 on the list, with an average earnings per player of $28,653,428. When it comes to that school, according to Canada Sports Better, "Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the highest-earning active NFL player from Mississippi State, earning approximately $131,317,825 throughout his career." Finally, No. 3 is Clemson, South Carolina, with average earnings per player of $22,639,863. For that school, "Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the highest-earning currently active NFL player to hail from Fresno, with career earnings of approximately $111,577,890," according to the study.
This Michigan College Produces the Highest-Earning NFL Players
Here we go. The Michigan college that produces the highest-earning NFL players in the whole country is Michigan State University, with an average earnings per player of $19,980,639. It's no big surprise that Minnesota Vikings Kirk Cousins is the highest-earning active NFL player from MSU. His approximate total career earnings are currently $201,669,486. That number honestly shocks me. I'm a Cousins fan, too, because I went to MSU. What do you think? Reach out to me (Anne Erickson) here. No. 5 on the list is Fresno State University, California, with an average earnings per player of $19,244,175. Derek Carr, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, is the highest-earning active NFL player out of Mississippi State University, with approximate career earnings of $135,666,395. For more on Canada Sports Betting, go here.
Is it September yet? I don't want to wish away the summer, but I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Detroit Lions season. We have some incredibly solid Detroit lions players on the roster.
There's so much positive buzz out there about the Detroit Lions. Some even think this is the year we'll make it to the Super Bowl. Whether Detroit is at the big game or not, expectations are high. No matter what, it's going to be an exciting season to watch. There are several NFL teams that I'll be following this year, but the Lions are, of course, at the top of my list.
Read on for seven Detroit Lions players that will be crucial to the team's success this year. These are my personal picks. Send your picks to Anne Erickson on social media here.
Listen to "The Squad with Anne Erickson" below and wherever you listen to podcasts! On this episode, Brad Berreman of SideLion Report joins me, Anne Erickson, to talk about the Lions' picks and how the team is shaping up going into the new season. The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone. As always, the Draft brought some surprises, and that includes the Lions' picks.
7. Defensive lineman Josh Paschal
This might seem like an odd pick, as Josh Paschal had a lot of injuries last year, so he's not on the radar as much. But, the few times he did play, he was impressive. Having Pashchal (hopefully) healthy will help the Lions' defense immensely. And, that's one area that the Lions need to shine in 2022.
6. Cornerback Cam Sutton
The Detroit Lions have veteran cornerback Cam Sutton in the fold. "From the defensive side we have a lot of physical guys," Sutton said via DetroitLions.com. "A lot of hungry guys. Guys who want to get after the ball and make plays on the ball from all different levels. It's a very communicative group, very high energy and you need that tenacity that vicious mindset every time you attack the field."
5. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs
Running back Jahmyr Gibbs is a rookie, but the Detroit Lions have high expectations for him. He comes from Alabama, where he led in rushing and receiving in 2022. He also is going to be working closely with David Montgomery. as having both running backs will help keep each other rested and fresh.
4. Running back David Montgomery
Running back David Montgomery is bringing some versatility to the offensive side of the Detroit Lions. He was a solid signing, coming from the Chicago Bears, and has the potential to help improve an already solid Lions offense. I personally think he'll be one of the best in the league this year.
3. Defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson
Aidan Hutchinson was the Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up last season, so there are a lot of expectations for the NFL player. He recorded 9.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits and three picks over the season. Very impressive!
2. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown
Pro Bowler Amon-Ra St. Brown is a huge part of the Detroit Lions' team. He had 196 receptions in his first two seasons in the league and is actually tied for the most in NFL history. Last season, he had a 106-catch, 1,161-yard season with six touchdowns.
1. Quarterback Jared Goff
Jared Goff had a stellar season in 2022 with the Detroit Lions and was at the heart of why the team won most of the second half of the season's games. He came from the Los Angeles Rams, and while in L.A., he scored two Pro Bowl berths, helped the Rams win two NFC West division titles and three playoff appearances. He also appeared with the team at Super Bowl LIII. Is another Super Bowl in his future? I hope so. I really think Goff has what it takes to take this team to the next level.
