Ohio North-South Classic is a Super Bowl launching pad

Final Xcellent 25 national football rankings
National Football editor Zack Poff breaks down the final rankings of the Xcellent 25 high school football rankings presented by the Army National Guard.

On Sunday, Feb. 4 the NFL will host its 52nd Super Bowl. Question...how many Super Bowls have had at least one Ohio High School North-South Classic alumnus in them? The answer? Shocking.

The nation's longest-running high school all-star game, which will be contested for the 73rd time April 28, has produced astonishing results on the sports grandest stage. When the winners of the conference title games kickoff Super Bowl LII it will mark the 49th time that at least one Ohio North-South Classic veteran has occupied a roster spot in the Super Bowl.

The only three Super Bowls with no Ohio North-South Classic alumni? II, XXXII and XLIX.

This weekend Ohio is represented in the AFC and NFC conference championships by:

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Joe Thuney, Archbishop Alter (Kettering), OL, North Carolina State
Nicholas Grigsby, Trotwood-Madison, LB, Pitt
Brian Hoyer, St. Ignatius (Cleveland), QB, Michigan State
Nate Ebner, Hilliard Davidson, DB, Ohio State *reserve/injured



JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Dawuane Smoot, Groveport-Madison, DE, Illinois
Jarrod Wilson, Buchtel (Akron), DB, Michigan
Michael Bennett, Centerville, DL, Ohio State *reserve/injured
Shane Wynn, Glenville (Cleveland), WR, Indiana *reserve/injured

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Brent Celek, La Salle (Cincinnati), TE, Cincinnati
Najee Goode, Benedictine (Cleveland), LB, West Virginia
Jason Kelce, Cleveland Heights, C, Cincinnati
Jordan Hicks, Lakota West (West Chester), LB, Texas *reserve/injured
Harold Jones-Quartey, Horizon Science Academy (Columbus)/Columbus Crusaders (Galena), DB, Findlay *practice squad

MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Pat Elflein, Pickerington North, OL, Ohio State
Ben Gedeon, Hudson, LB, Michigan
Kyle Rudolph, Elder (Cincinnati), TE, Notre Dame
Ifeadi Odenigbo, Centerville, DL, Northwestern *practice squad
Nick Truesdell, Anderson (Cincinnati), TE, Cincinnati/Grand Rapids CC *practice squad