Boise State’s long run of producing NFL talent is back in the spotlight, and Kage Casey is part of the conversation. Sports Illustrated published a ranking of the 10 best Boise State players in NFL history ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, with several familiar names filling out the list and a handful of notable players landing in honorable mention territory.
The timing matters because the draft is the annual reset point for programs trying to prove they can turn college success into professional impact. Boise State has done that for more than 90 years, and this latest list turns that history into a fresh debate about which Broncos left the deepest mark once they reached the league.
Among the honorable mentions were Jay Ajayi, Ezra Cleveland, Ashton Jeanty, Matt Paradis and Orlando Scandrick. The top 10 also underscored how many Boise State products made measurable NFL contributions, from steady starters to players who briefly shaped the league’s statistical leaders.
Khalil Shakir is one of the clearest current examples. The Buffalo Bills drafted him in the fifth round, and he has led the team in receiving in each of the last two seasons. He will enter Year 5 with 197 career catches for 2,312 yards and 11 touchdowns, production that gives Boise State another active pro to point to when the program’s NFL record comes up.
Leighton Vander Esch’s case leans on impact rather than longevity. He was voted second-team All-Pro as a rookie and played all of his final five NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. In 71 career games, he recorded 469 total tackles, 13 pass breakups, three interceptions and three forced fumbles, a line that explains why he belongs in any serious discussion of the school’s best pros.
Doug Martin brought peak production. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made him a first-round pick, and he rewarded them with a pair of 1,400-yard rushing seasons. Martin was voted first-team All-Pro in 2015 and made two Pro Bowls, finishing with 5,356 rushing yards, 1,207 receiving yards and 32 total touchdowns.
Some of the list is built on staying power. Daryn Colledge made 137 starts over a nine-year career and started every game for the Green Bay Packers at left guard during the team’s Super Bowl XLV title run. Von Oelhoffen, meanwhile, played for four teams over a 14-year NFL career and finished with 356 total tackles, 26.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles.
Boise State’s place in the NFL discussion has never depended on one era or one position. The Broncos have produced backs, linemen, receivers and defenders who piled up awards, starts and stats at the highest level, and the new ranking is another reminder that the school’s pro pipeline has become part of its identity. The only real question now is which current or future Boise State player will force the next rewrite of that list.
