High school football: Every state's greatest defensive lineman

Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams has been the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year three of the past four years, but the Penn Hills graduate is not the greatest defensive lineman to come out of Pennsylvania, at least not yet.

According to the measurement MaxPreps used to determine the Greatest Defensive Lineman from Each State, Chris Doleman of William Penn is Keystone State's top defensive lineman thanks to eight Pro Bowl appearances compared to seven for Donald.

While Donald will likely move past Doleman in the ensuing years, other defensive linemen on the list will be tougher to surpass. Merlin Olsen of Logan ranks number one in Utah (and all other states for that matter) with 14 Pro Bowl appearances. Then there is Reggie White of Howard Tech, Tennessee's all-time great with 13 Pro Bowl selections.

Others with 11 Pro Bowls include Bob Lilly, who grew up in Throckmorton (Texas), but graduated from Pendleton (Ore.); Gino Marchetti, who was born in West Virginia, but graduated from Antioch (California); and Bruce Smith from Booker T. Washington (Norfolk, Va.).



Players are chosen based on the total number of Pro Bowl selections. If no defensive lineman from the state played in a Pro Bowl, the player with the most career starts was chosen. Only Vermont did not have an eligible defensive lineman.

Every state's greatest defensive lineman
Buck Buchanan, Parker (Birmingham)
Pro Bowls: 8

Alaska
Shane Bonham, Lathrop (Fairbanks)
Games as starter: 3

Arizona
Curley Culp, Yuma
Pro Bowls: 6

Arkansas
Cortez Kennedy, Rivercrest (Wilson)
Pro Bowls: 8



California
Gino Marchetti, Antioch
Pro Bowls: 11

Colorado
Calais Campbell, Denver South (Denver)
Pro Bowls: 6

Connecticut
Andy Robustelli, Stamford
Pro Bowls: 7

Delaware
Randy White, McKean (Wilmington)
Pro Bowls: 9

District of Columbia
Len Ford, Friendship Collegiate Academy
Pro Bowls: 4

Florida
Deacon Jones, Hungerford (Eatonville)
Pro Bowls: 8



Georgia
Bill Stanfill, Cairo
Pro Bowls: 5

Hawaii
Deforest Buckner, Punahou (Honolulu)
Pro Bowls: 1

Idaho
John Grant, Capital (Boise)
Seasons as starter: 3

Illinois
Leo Nomellini, Crane (Chicago)
Pro Bowls: 10

Indiana
Alex Karras, Emerson (Gary)
Pro Bowls: 4

Iowa
Kyle Vanden Bosch, West Lyon (Inwood)
Pro Bowls: 3



Kansas
John Zook, Larned
Pro Bowls: 1

Kentucky
Corey Peters, Central (Louisville)
Seasons as starter: 9

Louisiana
Kyle Williams, Ruston
Pro Bowls: 6

Maine
Ed McAleney, South Portland
Seasons as starter: 2

Maryland
Darnell Dockett, Paint Branch (Burtonsville)
Pro Bowls: 3

Massachusetts
Howie Long, Milford
Pro Bowls: 8



Michigan
George Andrie, Catholic Central (Grand Rapids)
Pro Bowls: 5

Minnesota
Gary Larsen, Moorhead
Pro Bowls: 2

Mississippi
L.C. Greenwood, Rogers (Canton)
Pro Bowls: 6

Missouri
Justin Smith, Holts Summit
Pro Bowls: 5

Montana
Mike Tilleman, Chinook
Seasons as starter: 10

Nebraska
Ed Hussman, Ogallala
Pro Bowls: 3



Nevada
Lawrence Guy, Western (Las Vegas)
Seasons as starter: 5

New Hampshire
Sherman White, Portsmouth
Seasons as starter: 12

New Jersey
Elvin Bethea, Trenton Central (Trenton)
Pro Bowls: 8

New Mexico
Lloyd Voss, Magnolia
Seasons as starter: 7

New York
Ernie Stautner, Vincentian Academy (Albany)
Pro Bowls: 9

North Carolina
Julius Peppers, Southern Nash (Bailey)
Pro Bowls: 9



North Dakota
Phil Hansen, Oakes
Season as starter: 11

Ohio
Alan Page, Central Catholic (Toledo)
Pro Bowls: 9

Oklahoma
Lee Roy Selmon, Eufaula
Pro Bowls: 6

Oregon
Bob Lilly, Pendleton
Pro Bowls: 11

Pennsylvania
Chris Doleman, William Penn (Philadelphia)
Pro Bowls: 8

Rhode Island
Gerry Philbin, Tolman (Pawtucket)
Pro Bowls: 3



South Carolina
Richard Seymour, Lower Richland (Hopkins)
Pro Bowls: 7

South Dakota
John Dutton, Rapid City Central (Rapid City)
Pro Bowls: 3

Tennessee
Reggie White, Howard Tech (Chattanooga)
Pro Bowls: 13

Texas
Joe Greene, Dunbar (Fort Worth)
Pro Bowls: 10

Utah
Merlin Olsen, Logan
Pro Bowls: 14

Virginia
Bruce Smith, Washington (Norfolk)
Pro Bowls: 11



Washington
Tyler Brayton, Pasco
Seasons as starter: 7

West Virginia
Norm Willey, Valley (Pine Grove)
Pro Bowls: 2

Wisconsin
JJ Watt, Pewaukee
Pro Bowls: 5

Wyoming
Brett Kiesel, Greybull
Pro Bowls: 1