Top 100 high school athletes of the 21st century (so far)

Class: 2003 Sports: Basketball, football
Resume: Wearing LeBron's jersey was a celebrity fashion statement while he was still in high school. The jersey he was pictured in on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2002 sold at auction for $1.3 million last year to a buyer from Hong Kong. Nobody has ever generated the hype as a prep and then lived up to it quite like James. In addition to putting St. Vincent-St. Mary on the map by leading the Fighting Irish to three state titles in basketball, he was an all-state selection in football as a sophomore before focusing on hoops.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Whitehouse (Texas)
Class: 2014 Sports: Football, basketball, baseball
Resume: Before making regular trips to the White House to celebrate Super Bowl titles, Mahomes was working his magic in three sports for the Wildcats of Whitehouse. In addition to throwing for 8,458 career yards in football, he scored 49 points in a basketball game and tossed a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in baseball. While many slept on Mahomes in high school, we aren't re-writing history – he was the MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year for 2013-14.

3. Kyler Murray, Allen (Texas)
Class: 2015 Sports: Football, baseball
Resume: The one game Murray didn't start during his three-year run as the varsity quarterback at Allen is the one game the Eagles didn't win during a dominant three-year run. Murray was 46-0 as a starter and twice earned MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors. He wasn't too shabby in baseball either, becoming the first athlete to ever be taken in the first round of the NFL and MLB drafts. 

4. Derrick Henry, Yulee (Fla.)
Class: 2013 Sport: Football
Resume: He is known as "King Henry" for good reason. Dominant and imposing as a 6-foot-3 running back, Henry became high school football royalty when he surpassed Kenneth Hall as the sport's all-time leading rusher as a senior with 12,124 yards. He is poised to surpass that total in the NFL as he begins the 2025 season with 11,423 yards.

5. Joe Mauer, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.)
Class: 2001 Sports: Football, baseball
Resume: In the 40 years that Gatorade has picked a national player of the year for football, Joe Mauer is the only selection who has never played a down of college football. Mauer, also the Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, instead went on to a Hall of Fame career in the Major Leagues. He is the first professional baseball player selected to the HOF to play his entire career in the 21st century.



6. Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.)
Class: 2008 Sports: Football, basketball
Resume: Jeannette has won a total of three state championships in football and basketball combined, which is only one more than the total won by Pryor. The Jayhawk great had a senior year to remember, leading Jeannette to state championship in both sports. He earned state MVP honors in both sports and was also a Parade All-American in football (first team) and basketball (fourth team).

7. Greg Oden, Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Class: 2006 Sport: Basketball
Resume: No Indiana high school basketball player had ever been named first team Parade All-American twice until Oden did just that in 2005 and 2006. With Oden anchoring the team at center, the Wildcats became just the third Indiana large school to win three straight state championships. He also became the fourth Indiana Mr. Basketball to be taken No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft.

8. Elena Delle Donne, Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Del.)
Class: 2008 Sports: Basketball, volleyball
Resume: The two-time WNBA MVP's selection to this list was about as sure a thing as one of her free throws. The 6-foot-5 standout, who once made 80 straight free throws, won three straight state basketball championships along with a volleyball state title at Ursuline Academy. The NCAA scoring leader in 2012 also led the WNBA in scoring in 2015.

9. Missy Franklin, Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.)
Class: 2013 Sport: Swimming
Resume: At one time, Franklin held state records in six of the eight events held at the Colorado state championships. Of course that shouldn't be too surprising since at the same time she held the world record in 200 meter backstroke. By the time she graduated in 2013, Franklin already had four Olympic gold medals and then she added six more golds at the World Championships that summer.

10. Candace Parker, Naperville Central (Naperville, Ill.)
Class: 2004 Sport: Basketball
Resume: MVP awards seem to come in twos for the Illinois all-time great. She was a two-time national player of the year in high school and college and a two-time MVP in the WNBA. She even won two awards her first year at the pro level – Rookie of the Year and MVP (the only player to achieve that double). She also makes the short list of greatest players of all-time at all three levels.

11. Joyce Edwards, Camden (S.C.)
Class: 2024 Sports: Basketball, volleyball, soccer
Resume: Edwards joined Missy Franklin (No. 9) and Alissa Pili (No. 15) as a two-time MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year winner. A current member of Dawn Staley's powerhouse South Carolina program, Edwards scored 3,966 points in her high school career but also excelled in volleyball (391 career kills) and soccer (84 career goals).



12. Katie Ledecky, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart (Bethesda, Md.)
Class: 2015 Sport: Swimming
Resume: One of just five female athletes to be presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Ledecky won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics at the age of 15. The most decorated American female Olympic swimmer with 14 medals, Ledecky also still holds two national high school records in the 200 and 500 freestyle – the oldest records in the books.

13. Brittney Griner, Nimitz (Houston, Texas)
Class: 2009 Sport: Basketball
Resume: It's not just that Griner can dunk a basketball. It's that she dunks a lot. She didn't dunk just once during her senior year at Nimitz, she dunked 52 times – seven times in one game. She also blocks a lot of shots. She holds the high school record for blocked shots in a game with 25 and she once held the season national record with 318. The national high school player of the year in 2009, she is a 10-time WNBA All-Star.

14. Maya Moore, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
Class: 2007 Sport: Basketball
Resume: As Brian Kotloff wrote for the WNBA official site in 2017, all Moore does is win. As a two-time national player of the year at Collins Hill, her teams had a 125-3 record. While at UConn, her teams won 90 straight games with an overall record of 150-4. In her seven years with the Minnesota Lynx (at that time), a record of 222-70. A career record of 497-78, three prep state crowns, two NCAA championship and four WNBA titles.

15. Alissa Pili, Dimond (Anchorage, Alaska)
Class: 2019 Sports: Basketball, volleyball, track, wrestling
Resume: A two-time MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year, Pili won 13 state championships in high school – four in volleyball, four in shot put, two in discus and one in wrestling. And yet her best sport is basketball, where she was a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year for Alaska and the state's all-time leading scorer. Currently plays in the WNBA for the Lynx.

16. Adrian Peterson, Palestine (Texas)
Class: 2004 Sports: Football, basketball, track
Resume: The nation's No. 1 recruit in 2004, there were newspaper articles and sports talk radio debates devoted to the idea that he was ready for the NFL straight out of high school. He ultimately went to Oklahoma, nearly won the Heisman as a freshman and ranks fifth on the all-time NFL rushing list with 14,918 yards. He also starred in basketball and track while at Palestine, posting some of the top 100-meter times in the state as a senior.

17. A'ja Wilson, Heathwood Hall Episcopal (Columbia, S.C.)
Class: 2014 Sport: Basketball
Resume: In 2024, Wilson became the third WNBA player to earn MVP honors three times and just the second to be a unanimous selection. It all started at Heathwood Hall where she led the Highlanders to a state championship as a senior with a 24.7 points per game career scoring average and MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors.



18. Trevor Lawrence, Cartersville (Ga.)
Class: 2018 Sport: Football
Resume: Between his freshman year of high school and his junior year at Clemson, Lawrence lost just five games. The Hurricanes went 55-3 with two state titles and 41 straight wins in his four varsity seasons. At Clemson, Lawrence won his first 29 games and was 34-2 overall with a national championship. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has been touted in some circles as the greatest high school quarterback of all-time, including by MaxPreps.

19. Mike Trout, Millville (N.J.)
Class: 2009 Sport: Baseball
Resume: When the MLB Network held its first televised draft in 2009, high school All-American Mike Trout was the only player to show up to the studio. He went No. 26 that day, but he has been all alone at the top of the 2009 draft class. Since setting a state record with 18 home runs in a season with the Thunderbolts, Trout has won three American League MVP awards with the Anaheim Angels.

20. Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.)
Class: 2025 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Boozer is a rarity in high school basketball as he joined the likes of Lew Alcindor and Earl Jones as a three-time first team All-American. He is also just the fourth player, joining Alcindor, Jerry Lucas and LeBron James, to be a two-time national POY. The Florida forward did something none of those players ever did – win four straight state championships.

21. Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
Class: 2006 Sport: Basketball
Resume: An All-American as a junior at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, Durant grew five inches prior to his senior year at Montrose Christian and became a superstar. The No. 2 player in the country behind Greg Oden, Durant was the NCAA Player of the Year as a freshman at Texas, the first freshman to ever be so honored. Heading into his 19th year in the NBA, he is still one of the league's best and ranks No. 8 on the all-time scoring list with 30,571 points.

22. Gable Dan Steveson, Apple Valley (Minn.)
Class: 2018 Sport: Wrestling
Resume: Named after wrestling icon Dan Gable is a lot to live up to, but Steveson fulfilled those expectations and then some. He won four straight state championships and 171 matches in high school and had a record of 85-2 in college at Minnesota. In winning the super heavyweight gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo at the age of 21, he became the youngest to ever to do so in that weight class.

23. Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Class: 2023 Sport: Basketball
Resume: It didn't take long for Watkins to rise to the top of the college ranks. Just two years after winning MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors as a senior at Sierra Canyon, Watkins won NCAA POY honors by multiple organizations after a dominant sophomore season at USC. She scored 51 points in a game as a college freshman, topped only by the 60 points she scored on senior night in her final home game in high school.



24. Clayton Kershaw, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)
Class: 2006 Sport: Baseball
Resume: It's been 3,000 strikeouts since Kershaw was the No. 1 draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the first high school player chosen in the 2006 draft. The national player of the year with a 13-0 record and 139 strikeouts, Kershaw has won three Cy Young Awards and recently became the 18th player to join the 3,000 strikeouts club.

25. Bryce Harper, Las Vegas (Nev.)
Class: 2009 Sport: Baseball
Resume: The Las Vegas native had a short, but impressive high school career. He left high school after an All-America sophomore season (.626, 14 home runs) and was drafted No. 1 in the 2010 MLB Draft out of community college. At the age of 23 in 2015, he became the youngest unanimous National League MVP, an award he won again in 2021.

26. Tina Charles, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)
Class: 2006 Sport: Basketball
Resume: The second all-time leading scorer in WNBA history with 7,961 career points, Charles played on one of the nation's greatest high school teams when she led Christ the King to 57 straight wins, an undefeated season and a national No. 1 ranking by USA Today in 2006. She led UConn to two NCAA titles and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft.  

27. Nneka Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)
Class: 2008 Sports: Basketball, volleyball
Resume: Nneka paved the way for future Ogwumikes by earning MaxPreps National Basketball Player of the Year honors, making the All-America team while at Stanford, going No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft and playing for the Los Angeles Sparx – all things her sister Chiney would later accomplish as well.

28. Ted Ginn Jr., Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
Class: 2004 Sports: Football, track
Resume: If not for football, Ginn might have been an Olympic hurdler. Coming out of high school, Ginn had a time of 13.26 in the 110-meter hurdles, which still ranks among the best times in high school history. However, Ginn also excelled in football. Named the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year, he focused on football at Ohio State where he was a three-time All-American. He has spent 14 seasons in the NFL.

29. Julio Jones, Foley (Ala.)
Class: 2008 Sports: Football, track
Resume: Before Jones was soaring high for passes in the NFL, he was soaring on the high school track as one of the nation's best in the long jump and triple jump. He was twice a state champion in both jumps and was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior. He was also a MaxPreps All-American in football and ranks 16th in NFL history with 13,703 receiving yards.



30. Andrew McCutchen, Fort Meade (Fla.)
Class: 2005 Sports: Baseball, football, track
Resume: Although he was born in a small town, McCutchen was always big time. The 2013 National League MVP was the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year in baseball after batting .709 with 16 home runs his senior year. He went to the Pirates in the first round of the MLB Draft and reportedly turned down a football scholarship to the University of Miami. McCutchen's speed showed up on the track when he won a state championship in the 4x100 relay.

31. Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)
Class: 2010 Sports: Basketball, volleyball
Resume: Following in her sister's footsteps, Chiney earned MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors as a senior at Cy-Fair, just two years after sister Nneka won the same award. She followed Nneka to Stanford where she became the Pac-12's all-time leading scorer. The two-time WNBA All-Star was also a standout in volleyball at the prep level, earning All-American honors as a senior.

32. Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
Class: 2019 Sport: Baseball
Resume: Witt Jr., the 2019 MaxPreps National Player of the Year, isn't just following in his dad's footsteps, he is one step ahead. Senior was drafted out of college while Junior was selected right out of high school. Senior was the No. 3 overall pick, Junior was No. 2. While Senior never made an All-Star game in his 16-year career, Junior has already made two All-Star Games at the age of 25.

33. Dorial Green-Beckham, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.)
Class: 2011 Sports: Football, basketball, track
Resume: While Green-Beckham's professional career was short-lived, his high school career was amazing. He set a national record for career receiving yards with 6,356 while earning MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year honors. He also scored 2,098 points during his prep basketball career and he was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in track and field as a sophomore when he won state titles in the 100 meters and triple jump.

34. Vince Young, Madison (Houston, Texas)
Class: 2002 Sports: Football, basketball, track, baseball
Resume: Before winning Rose Bowl MVP honors and the national championship with a legendary win over USC, Young was earning national player of the year honors with 12,987 career total yards at Madison. He also averaged over 25 points per game in basketball, was all-state in the relay in track and field and played two years on the baseball team.

35. Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.)
Class: 2016 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Few have had the type of senior season that Ball had as MaxPreps National Basketball Player of the Year at Chino Hills. The Huskies were the consensus No. 1 team at 35-0 and rank as one of the greatest teams in high school history. Ball averaged a triple-double with 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 11.7 assists per game.



36. Scottie Scheffler, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)
Class: 2014 Sport: Golf
Resume: As a junior in his first PGA event, Scheffler became the fourth amateur since 1983 to hit a hole in one on the tour. And it's only gotten better since. He won three straight state individual championships for Highland Park. He has won two Masters titles, one PGA championship and has been ranked No. 1 on the tour since March of 2022. 

37. Allyson Felix, Los Angeles Baptist (Calif.) now Heritage Christian (Northridge, Calif.)
Class: 2003 Sport: Track
Resume: The most decorated female in Olympic track and field history, Felix has won 22 gold medals in the Olympics and World championships combined. She was a five-time champion at the CIF state meet and was the female high school athlete of the year by Track and Field News in 2003.

38. Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, N.J.)
Class: 2017 Sport: Track
Resume: McLaughlin keeps breaking world records, mainly her own. She has broken her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles three times, including once while winning the Olympic gold medal in 2024. In high school, McLaughlin was twice named the Track and Field New High School Athlete of the Year. She still holds state records in the 200 and 400 meters and the 300- and 400-meter hurdles. 

39. Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Class: 2019 Sports: Football, basketball
Resume: Suggs is the definition of a grid-hoop standout. He is the only Minnesota athlete to ever win the state's Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball awards in the same year. He was also the MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year and a MaxPreps All-American first team pick in basketball. Picked No. 5 overall in the NBA Draft, Suggs is a defensive standout for the Orlando Magic.

40. Kevin Love, Lake Oswego (Ore.)
Class: 2007 Sports: Basketball
Resume: The son of a NBA veteran (Stan Love) and nephew of a music icon (Mike Love of the Beach Boys), Kevin Love has carved an impressive resume of his own. A two-time Parade All-American in high school, Love finished his career as the all-time leading scorer in Oregon with 2,628 points. He was Pac-10 Player of the Year as a freshman and has played 18 years in the NBA.

41. Tyreek Hill, Coffee (Douglas, Ga.)
Class: 2012 Sports: Football, track
Resume: While Hill was certainly a talented football player at Coffee, he excelled in track and field during his high school career. He was the Track and Field News High School Athlete of the Year after setting state records in the 100 meters (10.19 seconds) and 200 meters (20.14). He has used that outstanding speed to his advantage during his nine seasons in the NFL, earning eight Pro Bowl trips and gaining 11,098 career receiving yards.



42. Breanna Stewart, Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.)
Class: 2012 Sport: Basketball
Resume: If there's a Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) equivalent in women's basketball, it might be Stewart. Both are from New York, both scored over 2,000 career points in high school, both were three-time POY honorees in college, both won three NCAA titles (Stewart actually won four) and both have won multiple MVP honors at the professional level. Although Stewart isn't in the Hall of Fame like Alcindor, that's just a matter of time.

43. Cat Osterman, Cypress Springs (Cypress, Texas)
Class: 2001 Sport: Softball
Resume: Osterman opened the 21st century as one of the greatest pitchers in softball history and not much has changed since. She was the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior when she threw 12 no-hitters, averaged 20 strikeouts a game and struck out 33 batters in a 14-inning contest. She went on to be a three-time USA Softball College Player of the Year and won Olympic Gold in 2004.

44. Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)
Class: 2016 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Ionescu's triple-double in the CIF state final against Chaminade was a sign of things to come. The MaxPreps National Player of the Year went on to set an NCAA record for triple-doubles with 26. A three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year, Ionescu has been a WNBA All-Star the past four seasons.

45. Travis Hunter, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
Class: 2021 Sport: Football
Resume: Hunter has been known for his versatility since his high school days with the Eagles. He caught 48 touchdown passes in his high school career and also had 19 career interceptions. In addition to earning the Heisman Trophy in his junior year at Colorado, Hunter also won the Chuck Bednarik Trophy as the NCAA's best defensive player and the Fred Biletnikoff Trophy as the NCAA's best receiver.

46. Michael Porter Jr., Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.)
Class: 2017 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Has there ever been a more valuable high school basketball player than Michael Porter Jr.? He only played at Nathan Hale for one season. That year, the Raiders were 29-0 and were ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps with Porter earning National Player of the Year honors. In the 19 seasons between 2006 and 2025, Nathan Hale has averaged just eight wins a season.

47. Percy Harvin, Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Class: 2006 Sports: Football, basketball, track
Resume: One of the great football-track dual athletes ever, Harvin won five individual events in track and field as a junior, becoming the first Virginia athlete to do so in 69 years. In football, he scored 77 career touchdowns and was the top recruit in the country while earning National Junior of the Year. He was a two-time All-American in college and the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2009.



48. Skylar Diggins, South Bend Washington (South Bend, Ind.)
Class: 2009 Sport: Basketball
Resume: The No. 3 all-time leading scorer in Indiana with 2,790 points, Diggins won MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors and led the Panthers to a 102-7 record over four seasons with a state title in 2007. She finished her college career as Notre Dame's all-time leading scorer and went No. 3 in the WNBA Draft to the Shock. She is a seven-time WNBA All-Star.
 
49. Patrick Peterson, Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.)
Class: 2008 Sports: Football, track
Resume: Known as Patrick Johnson in high school, Peterson was the national defensive player of the year by USA Today as a defensive back at Blanche Ely. He was also one of the top sprinters in the state as a senior. The fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Peterson is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.

50. Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta Christian (Atlanta, Ga.)
Class: 2004 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Howard emerged as one of the top players in the nation as a senior with the Warriors when he led the team to a state championship and earned national POY honors by multiple media outlets. He ranks 11th all-time in NBA history in career rebounds with 14,627.

51. Paige Bueckers, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Class: 2020 Sport: Basketball
Resume: It's been a good year for Bueckers. In addition to winning a national championship with UConn, she was taken No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft and named to the All-Star team. In high school, she was a three-time Metro Player of the Year by the Star Tribune and the MaxPreps National Player of the Year as a senior.

52. Justin Upton, Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.)
Class: 2005 Sport: Baseball
Resume: Like his brother B.J., Justin was a first round selection in the MLB Draft, making the Uptons one of five brother combinations to be drafted in the first round. Justin was the No. 1 overall pick by the Diamondbacks after earning national POY honors as a senior when he batted .519 with 11 home runs.

53. Kiki Rice, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Class: 2022 Sports: Basketball, soccer
Resume: Winner of multiple state player of the year honors in both basketball and soccer for the Quakers, Rice earned MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year honors in 2022. She led Sidwell Friends to a No. 1 national ranking in basketball with a 28-0 record as a senior. She is a two-time all-conference selection at point guard for UCLA.

54. Cynthia Barboza, Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)

55. Matthew Boling, Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas)
Class: 2019 Sport: Track
Resume: Boling became a viral sensation when he broke the 10-second barrirer in the 100 meters with a wind-aided time of 9.98. He later set a wind-legal high school record of 10.13 at the Texas state championships. Also a long jumper, Boling's leap of 26-3 was the longest by a high school athlete in a decade. He went on to win four gold medals at the Pan-American Games in 2019 and two golds at the World Championships in 2023.



56. Jordan Spieth, Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas)
Class: 2011 Sport: Golf
Resume: While still in high school, Spieth won the US Junior Amateur twice, joining Tiger Woods as the only golfers to achieve the feat. In high school, he was a three-time individual champion and still holds state records for lowest second round and margin of victory. He has won the Masters, US Open and British Open

57. Michael Phelps, Towson (Md.)
Class: 2003 Sport: Swimming
Resume: Phelps, a 23-time Olympic gold medalist, might be much higher on this list if not for the fact that he turned pro at the age of 15. According to the New York Times, Towson did not have a swim team when Phelps attended school there. He swam for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, qualified for the 2000 Olympic team at the age of 15 and became the youngest male swimmer to break a world record. 

58. Alan Webb, South Lakes (Reston, Va.)
Class: 2001 Sport: Track
Resume: Any time a runner breaks records once held by legend Jim Ryun, they have to make the list. Webb did it twice, breaking Ryuns 36-year old mile record with a time of 3:53.43 at the Prefontaine Classic. In the same race, Webb surpassed Ryun's 37-year old 1500 meter mark with a time of 3:38.26. Later that month, Webb won the 800 meters at the state meet in 1:47.74, the fourth fastest time ever, and was named Track and Field News Athlete of the Year.

59. Jadaveon Clowney, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.)
Class: 2011 Sport: Football
Resume: Clowney was a sack machine in his three seasons on the Stallion varsity squad. After 17 sacks as a sophomore, he added 23 as a junior and 29.5 as a senior. South Pointe went 38-6 during his three seasons and he was Mr. Football in South Carolina his senior year. He went No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL Draft and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
 
60. Gerrit Cole, Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Class: 2008 Sport: Baseball
Resume: Drafted in the first round out of high school by the Yankees at No. 28 overall, Cole opted for college. After three years at UCLA, he was the No. 1 overall pick by the Pirates. Cole was a MaxPreps All-American for the Lancers striking out 121 batters as a senior. He was a unanimous choice for the National League Cy Young in 2023. 

61. Jayson Tatum, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.)
Class: 2016 Sport: Basketball
Resume: In just eight seasons in the NBA, Tatum has emerged as one of the top players in the league, earning All-NBA first team honors four straight seasons and winning a title with the Celtics in 2024. He got his start in Missouri where he scored 40 points in leading Chaminade to the state title while earning MaxPreps All-American honors.

62. Jordan Hasay, Mission College Prep (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
Class: 2010 Sports: Cross Country, track
Resume: The MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year in 2009, Hasay rarely lost in cross country or long distance running events. She was a four-time CIF cross country champion, a four-time Foot Locker West Regional champion, two-time national Foot Locker Cross Country champion and four-time CIF 3200 meter champion. 



63. Dajuan Wagner, Camden (N.J.)
Class: 2001 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Considered by some as the greatest high school basketball player in New Jersey history, Wagner finished his career as the state's all-time leading scorer with 3,462 points. He also holds the state single-game record after scoring 100 points in a game against Camden County Tech. A two-time high school All-American, Wagner was the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft, however a serious illness ended his NBA career after four seasons.

64. Karl-Anthony Towns, St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.)
Class: 2014 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Towns played just three seasons of high school basketball but led St. Joseph to three straight state championships. He was a MaxPreps All-American and regarded as the No. 3 prospect in the class of 2014. He left Kentucky after one sason and was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He has since been named to the NBA All-Star game five times.

65. Calvin Johnson, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.)
Class: 2004 Sports: Football, baseball
Resume: When Johnson entered Georgia Tech, his hope was to play both football and baseball with the Yellowjackets. He decided to focus on football and the rest is history. Despite playing just nine seasons in the NFL, Johnson accumulated 11,619 career receiving yards and set a NFL record with 1,964 yards in a single season. He has been named to the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. 

66. Montana Fouts, East Carter (Grayson, Ky.)
Class: 2018 Sport: Softball
Resume: The MaxPreps National Player of the Year, Fouts was a three-time state player of the year while racking up 111 career wins, 1,483 strikeouts and 25 no-hitters. At the college level, Fouts has twice earned national Pitcher of the Year honors and won gold at the World Games in 2022 and Pan American Games in 2023.

67. Alex Morgan, Diamond Bar (Calif.)
Class: 2007 Sport: Soccer
Resume: An All-American in high school at Diamond Bar, Morgan has been an integral part of the United States Women's National Team that won the FIFA World Cup in 2015 and 2019 and the London Olympics in 2012. She also won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. She has scored 123 goals in her international career, which ranks fifth all-time.

68. Royce Lewis, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Class: 2017 Sport: Baseball
Resume: After earning All-Area Player of the Year honors from the Los Angeles Times as a junior and MaxPreps All-American as a senior, Lewis went No. 1 overall to the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 MLB Draft. He has become a home run threat with the Twins, tying a postseason team record with four home runs in the 2023 AL Wild Card Series and belting four career grand slams.



69. Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional (Murrysville, Pa.)
Class: 2017 Sports: Wrestling
Resume: Named the "Most Dominant College Wrestler" as a senior at Iowa, Lee was also considered one of the nation's most dominant athletes, period. He got his start in Pennsylvania, winning three state titles and 144 straight matches. A three-time All-American with the Hawkeyes, Lee won a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

70. Carmelo Anthony, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Class: 2002 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Not many players can say they got the best of LeBron James in high school, but Anthony can. Although James outscored Anthony 36-34, St. Vincent-St. Mary lost to Anthony's Oak Hill Academy team, 72-66. Anthony earned USA Today All-American honors and the next year he led Syracuse to a national championship. He spent his first two seasons at Towson Catholic and was twice named the Baltimore Sun's All-Metro Player of the Year.

71. Alix Klineman, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)
Class: 2007 Sports: Volleyball
Resume: Hailing from high school volleyball powerhouse Mira Costa, Klineman twice earned California Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was the national  player of the year as a senior. She continued to excel at Stanford, earning All-American honors four times. Switching to beach volleyball after college, Klineman won the Olympic gold medal in Japan in 2020.

72. Ben Simmons, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Class: 2015 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Montverde Academy won three straight postseason national tournaments from 2013 to 2015 with Simmons leading the way. He was the MaxPreps National Junior of the Year in 2014 and the MaxPreps National Player of the Year as a senior. He went to the 76ers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.  

73. Monta Ellis, Lanier (Jackson, Miss.)
Class: 2005 Sport: Basketball
Resume: One of the last high school players to go directly from high school to the NBA, Ellis was a second round pick in 2005 for the Golden State Warriors. He was a scoring machine in high school, averaging 38.4 points per game while leading Lanier to a 35-2 record. He had single-game highs of 72 and 65 points and was the national player of the year.

74. Jeremiah Smith, Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
Class: 2024 Sports: Football, track
Resume: Already a national champion as a freshman at Ohio State earlier this year, Smith joined the Buckeyes as one of the top-rated high school receivers of all-time according to 247Sports. He was the All-American Bowl Player of the Year as a senior. As a junior, he won the 110 and 400-meter hurdles at the Class 2A state meet.



75. Galen Rupp, Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.)
Class: 2004 Sport: Track
Resume: It is rare for American male distance runners to medal at the Olympics, but Rupp has done it twice, with a silver in the 10,000 meters in 2012 and a bronze in the marathon in 2016. In high school, Rupp was the national athlete of the year by Track and Field News after breaking the 3000 meter record with a time of 8:03.67, nearly seven seconds faster than the previous mark.

76. Ryan Murphy, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Class: 2013 Sport: Swimming
Resume: Although he didn't compete in the Olympics while in high school, Murphy has won five Olympic gold medals in his swimming career and nine total. He was a six-time gold medal winner in high school at the state meet and he still holds the state record in the 100 backstroke, an event he won four times. He is also a part of three other relay state records. 

77. Kyle Snyder, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Class: 2014 Sport: Wrestling
Resume: In amassing a 179-0 record and three state championships, Snyder reportedly gave up just one takedown. He spent his senior year at the US Olympic Training Center and went on to win a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics and three straight NCAA championships.

78. Ryan Crouser, Barlow (Gresham, Ore.)
Class: 2011 Sport: Track
Resume: Crouser ranks as the greatest shot putter of all-time thanks to three gold medals in the Olympics and multiple gold medals at the World indoor and outdoor championships. In high school, Crouser set the national record in both the shot put and the discus. Since 2016, he has been ranked No. 1 or 2 in the world in the shot put every year while twice setting the world record.

79. Myles Garrett, Martin (Arlington, Texas)
Class: 2014 Sport: Football, basketball, track
Resume: Garrett played basketball and ran track in high school but he was the No. 1 defensive player in the country after racking up 19.5 sacks as a senior. He was a MaxPreps All-American and went on to All-American honors at Texas A&M. In just eight seasons, he already has 102.5 sacks in his NFL career.

80. Jackson Cantwell, Nixa (Mo.)
Class: 2026 Sports: Football, track
Resume: Although he still has a year left in high school, Cantwell has already snagged MaxPreps Male Athlete of the Year honors. During the 2024-25 year, he earned state MVP honors in football as an offensive and defensive lineman and had the nation's best mark in the shot put. 



81. Katelyn Tuohy, North Rockland (Thiells, N.Y.)
Class: 2021 Sports: Cross Country, track
Resume: A three-time Gatorade National Athlete of the Year in cross country, Tuohy also won the award once in track and field. She was a three-time Nike Cross National champion in high school and set national records in the mile, 3000 meters indoor, 3200 meters and 5000 meters indoor. She also won four NCAA championships in track and field and cross country combined.

82. Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas)
Class: 2011 Sports: Football
Resume: Before Derrick Henry made his assault on Ken Hall's all-time rushing mark, Gray was thought to be the heir apparent to the storied mark. While Gray ranks seventh all-time with 10,889 yards, he did set the national record for career touchdowns with 205. The MaxPreps National Player of the Year suffered from Achilles tendon injuries in both legs in college and never played in the NFL.

83. Armand Duplantis, Lafayette (La.)
Class: 2018 Sports: Track
Resume: Although he has won two Olympic gold medals competing for Sweden, Duplantis soared as a high school pole vaulter in Louisiana. His national high school record of 19-5 1/2 is over 13 inches better than the No. 2 all-time mark. A two-time national athlete of the year by Track and Field News, Duplantis has cleared 20 feet 31 times in his career.

84. Alicia Hollowell, Fairfield (Calif.)
Class: 2002 Sport: Softball
Resume: A strikeout machine for the Falcons, Hollowell once struck out 61 batters in a 30-inning game that spanned two days. She ranks among the all-time national leaders in career strikeouts (2,238), single-season strikeouts (641), career shutouts (111) and career no-hitters (43). She finished her college career at Arizona in the top 10 in career wins (144) and strikeouts (1,768).

85. Mark Hall, Apple Valley (Minn.)
Class: 2016 Sport: Wrestling
Resume: Winner of six state titles in Minnesota, Hall ranks as one of the greatest wrestlers in high school history. He was twice named the national wrestler of the year by Intermat and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He had a 278-5 career record before winning one gold and two silver medals in the NCAA championships while at Penn State.

86. Dylan Bundy, Owasso (Okla.)
Class: 2011 Sport: Baseball
Resume: Bundy was a unanimous national player of the year honoree in 2011, earning recognition from seven media outlets including MaxPreps. He struck out 158 batters with a 0.25 ERA. He went No. 4 overall to the Baltimore Orioles and was in the Major Leagues by the following September. Multiple injuries curtailed his career.



87. O.J. Mayo, Huntington (W.Va.)
Class: 2007 Sport: Basketball
Resume: While LeBron James was "The Chosen One", Mayo was dubbed "The Next One" as a freshman at North College Hill (Cincinnati, Ohio). Mayo, an eight-year NBA veteran, holds the unique distinction of being named all-state in three different states. He was the first eighth grader to make all-state in Kentucky, he was Mr. Basketball in Ohio as a sophomore and junior and the state player of the year as a senior in West Virginia.

88. Kyrie Irving, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
Class: 2010 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Irving began his high school career at Montclair Kimberley Academy (Montclair, N.J.), winning a state title as a sophomore. He transferred his junior year to St. Patrick and won a Tournament of Champions crown in 2009. He was a MaxPreps All-American as a senior. He is a nine-time All-Star in the NBA and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Cavaliers.

89. Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Class: 2024 Sport: Basketball
Resume: The NBA's No. 1 overall pick in 2025, Flagg began his career in Maine, where he was named the state's player of the year as a freshman. He transferred to Montverde Academy and was honorable mention All-America as a sophomore. He reclassified to the Class of 2024 and was a first team MaxPreps All-American. He was named national player of the year in his one season at Duke.

90. Greg Paulus, Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Class: 2005 Sports: Basketball, football
Resume: The Gatorade National Athlete of the Year in 2005, Paulus led his school to the state football championship as the team's quarterback and was the No. 1 basketball recruit in the state. He spent four seasons on the Duke basketball team and then spent one season playing quarterback at Syracuse.

91. Helen Maroulis, Magruder (Rockville, Md.)
Class: 2009 Sport: Wrestling
Resume: It might be difficult to consider any athlete in the 21st century as a pioneer but Maroulis certainly fits the bill. In the emerging sport of girls wrestling, Maroulis was the first superstar. She became the first female to place at the boys state championship tournament during her freshman year, earning Most Outstanding Wrestler of the event. She became the first female gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 2016 Olympics.

92. Zack Greinke, Apopka (Fla.)
Class: 2002 Sport: Baseball
Resume: A Cy Young winner in the Major Leagues, Greinke actually started his baseball career as a shortstop in high school, hitting 31 career home runs. It shouldn't be any surprise that he won two Silver Slugger awards in the Major Leagues. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year as a senior with a 9-2 record and 118 strikeouts. Taken with the sixth overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft.



93. Jordyn Bahl, Papillion-LaVista (Papillion, Neb.)
Class: 2021 Sports: Softball
Resume: Bahl's performance as a senior in 2021 made her one of the few fall softball players to ever earn national player of the year honors, which she did from Gatorade and MaxPreps. She led the Monarchs to back-to-back 27-0 seasons, posted a 95-3 career pitching record and belted 20 home runs as a senior. A member of two national championship teams at Oklahoma, Bahl concluded her college career this spring at Nebraska while earning NFCA Player of the Year honors.

94. Jordan Larson, Logan View (Hooper, Neb.)
Class: 2004 Sports: Volleyball
Resume: As a member of four Olympic teams in a career spanning 15 years, Larson secured her legacy as one of the sport's all-time greats. She got her start at Logan View, where she earned all-state honors three straight seasons and was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior. She was a three-time All-American at Nebraska, leading the Huskers to a national title in 2006.

95. Jabari Parker, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)
Class: 2013 Sports: Basketball
Resume: The son of former NBA player Sonny Parker, Jabari made his mark early when he became the first freshman to start at storied Simeon. He was a two-time first team MaxPreps All-American by the time he graduated. After a year at Duke, Parker was the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. 

96. Rick Porcello, Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.)
Class: 2007 Sports: Baseball
Resume: The No. 1 high school prospect going into the 2007 MLB Draft, Porcello was selected No. 27 overall. After an up-and-down career hindered by injury, Porcello put it all together in 2016 when he was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year and the Cy Young Award winner. As a prep, Porcello went 10-0 with 103 strikeouts while earning national POY honors.

97. Mary Cain, Bronxville (N.Y.)
Class: 2013 Sports: Cross Country, track
Resume: A middle- and long-distance dynamo in high school, Cain once held national records at four distances (800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters). As a senior she earned Track and Field News Female Athlete of the Year honors. She went on to win the World Junior Championships in the 3000 meters the following year.

98. Delmon Young, Camarillo (Calif.)
Class: 2003 Sports: Baseball
Resume: In hitting his way to becoming the first overall pick in the 2003 MLB  Draft, Young broke a number of Ventura County records set by his brother Dmitri, who also played in the Major Leagues. Young hit 35 career home runs to go with 150 RBI and 180 basehits. He played 10 seasons in the bigs, earning American League Championship Series MVP honors while leading Detroit to the World Series in 2012.



99. Alex Shackell, Carmel (Ind.)
Class: 2025 Sports: Swimming
Resume: The latest MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year, Shackell racked up 15 state titles at high school swimming powerhouse Carmel while also adding Olympic gold and silver medals in Paris during the summer. She won four straight 100-meter fly titles and led the Greyhounds to four straight state championships.

100. Aaron Graves, Southeast Valley (Gowrie, Iowa)
Class: 2021 Sports: Football, basketball, wrestling, track
Resume: A rare basketball-wrestling athlete, Graves scored over 1,000 points on the hardwood and finished fourth in the state in wrestling. He was also a fifth-place finisher in the shot put in track as a senior. Football was where Graves excelled, however, racking up 221 career tackles with 37 sacks before heading to Iowa.