MIAMI GARDENS, FL - SEPTEMBER 11: Artie Burns #1 looks on as Deon Bush #2 of the Miami Hurricanes recovers a muffed punt by the Florida Atlantic Owls on September 11, 2015 at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. Miami defeated Florida Atlantic 44-20. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

The Miami football program is tied for seventh overall with 26 players selected in the NFL Draft since 2016. The Hurricanes had four players chosen in 2020.

The Miami football program is 40-25 over the last five seasons. Twenty-six players have been chosen in the subsequent NFL Drafts from Miami. That ranks seventh overall tied with Georgia. The irony with Miami being tied with the Bulldogs is Mark Richt recruited many of the drafted players from both schools.

In the same time span, Georgia is 54-15. The Bulldogs have played more games because of a combination of playing in multiple SEC Championship games plus the College Football National Championship game following the 2018 season. Miami is developing talent but needs to have better performance on the field.

The Hurricanes are far behind the top three of Alabama, Ohio State and LSU. The Crimson Tide has had 48 players selected in the last five NFL Drafts, the Buckeyes have had 45 draftees and LSU 37. More than a third of the Tigers players chosen in the past five years came in the 2020 NFL Draft with 14 selections.

The 14 players chosen from LSU in 2020 NFL Draft set the record for most players chosen in a seven-round draft. The most players the Miami football program has had drafted in the same time period were nine in the 2017 NFL Draft. That was the draft of Miami players following the first season with Richt as head coach.

The difference between Miami and the other schools on the list have occurred in early rounds of the NFL Draft. Only two Hurricanes have been selected in the first round of the last five NFL Drafts. Cornerback Artie Burns went 25th overall to Pittsburgh in 2016 and Tight End David Njoku 29th to Cleveland in 2017.

The NFL Draft consists of the first round on Thursday night, the second and third rounds on Friday night and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday afternoon into the early evening. Defensive end Chad Thomas to the Browns in 2018 is the only other player from Miami to be taken in the first two days since 2016.

While Miami is producing talent to the NFL, not enough of that talent is top end. Miami has had two first rounds picks in the last four NFL Drafts, none in the second round, seven players were chosen in the fourth round, six players selected in the fifth round, five in the sixth and five in the seventh.

The number of Miami football players chosen in the first two days of the NFL Draft is expected to change in 2021. Defensive end Greg Rousseau is projected to be a top-five pick and DE Quincy Roche and TE Brevin Jordan are projected to be drafted in the first or second round.