All colleges

NFL players from Northern Illinois

39 NFL players came out of Northern Illinois. Here they all are, ranked the way The Chains ranks them, most recognizable first.

39

Players

11

Easy to name

Ball-knower

Best link

More Northern Illinois players suited up for the Indianapolis Colts than any other franchise (5).

How this plays in The Chains

A shared college is a link, just like a shared team, and every link is scored by how unlikely it was that a fan would name it. Connect two players through Chris Smith and the Northern Illinois link is rated Ball-knower (+400 bonus points). Some daily puzzles even require a Northern Illinois alum in your chain.

Play today's puzzle

Easy to name

Common and Uncommon. The easiest answers from this school.

In the middle

Real answers, but not the first ones people think of.

The rarest links

The players almost nobody names first, and the biggest bonus in a puzzle.

Players who attended more than one school appear on each school's page. Team lists count franchises, so earlier cities and names are included (Raiders in Oakland, Rams in St. Louis). Rarity tiers come from the same scoring The Chains uses in its daily puzzles.