Texas takes the top spot ahead of California when considering Hall of Famers, All-Pros, Pro Bowl selections and NFL starters.
When it comes to determining which are the most dominant
states in high school football, there isn't much mystery. California, Florida and Texas have been churning out some of the best players
in the country for a long time with other states Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania also in the mix.
So how do all 50 states rank by
comparison? Is Mississippi better than its neighbor Alabama at producing
the best players in the sport? Where do states like Illinois, Michigan and New York fit in? MaxPreps has attempted to answer those
kinds of questions by using data from the NFL compiled by
Pro-Football-Reference.com.
The data includes:
1. Number of NFL players.
2. Number of Hall of Famers.
3. Number of All-Pro first team picks.
4.
Number of Pro Bowl players.
5. Number of full-time starters.
The data was fed into an algorithm giving weighted points for each category.
It's
no surprise that Texas comes out on top with a rating of 17,586 points.
The Lone Star State comes in ahead of California, which was No. 2 with
15,293 points. Texas had the top numbers out of all 50 states in all
five categories.
Some other notable finishes: Louisiana finished
ahead of fellow Southern states Alabama and Georgia. Massachusetts
finished well ahead of the other New England states, coming in at No.
21. Washington D.C. landed at No. 33, putting it ahead of the likes of
Oregon and Utah.
Read on for a complete look at what the data says about high school football in all 50 states.
1. Texas – 17,586
Number of NFL players: 2,720
Hall of Famers: 38
All-Pro First Team: 306
Pro-Bowl selections: 942
Full-time starters: 4,875
Notable: Patrick Mahomes,
Whitehouse2. California – 15,293Number of NFL players: 2,696
Hall of Famers: 23
All-Pro First Team: 197
Pro-Bowl selections: 742
Full-time starters: 4,463
Notable: Aaron Rodgers,
Pleasant Valley (Chico)3. Florida – 11,580Number of NFL players: 1,798
Hall of Famers: 21
All-Pro First Team: 148
Pro-Bowl selections: 576
Full-time starters: 3,447
Notable: Derrick Henry,
Yulee
4. Pennsylvania – 10,058Number of NFL players: 1,521
Hall of Famers: 34
All-Pro First Team: 187
Pro-Bowl selections: 502
Full-time starters: 2,708
Notable: Micah Parsons,
Harrisburg5. Ohio – 9,735Number of NFL players: 1,592
Hall of Famers: 24
All-Pro First Team: 146
Pro-Bowl selections: 425
Full-time starters: 2,829
Notable: Travis Kelce,
Cleveland Heights6. Illinois – 6,753Number of NFL players: 1,196
Hall of Famers: 19
All-Pro First Team: 96
Pro-Bowl selections: 251
Full-time starters: 1,972
Notable: Sam LaPorta,
Highland7. Louisiana – 6,571Number of NFL players: 1,000
Hall of Famers: 12
All-Pro First Team: 96
Pro-Bowl selections: 327
Full-time starters: 1,935
Notable: Justin Jefferson,
Destrehan8. Georgia – 5,852Number of NFL players: 1,112
Hall of Famers: 11
All-Pro First Team: 83
Pro-Bowl selections: 261
Full-time starters: 1,661
Notable: Tyreek Hill,
Coffee (Douglas)9. Alabama – 4,979 Number of NFL players: 807
Hall of Famers: 10
All-Pro First Team: 60
Pro-Bowl selections: 216
Full-time starters: 1,512
Notable: Julio Jones,
Foley
10. Michigan – 4,914Number of NFL players: 810
Hall of Famers: 6
All-Pro First Team: 60
Pro-Bowl selections: 198
Full-time starters: 1,545
Notable: Joe Staley,
Rockford11. New York – 4,713
Number of NFL players: 913
Hall of Famers: 7
All-Pro First Team: 64
Pro-Bowl selections: 168
Full-time starters: 1,418
Notable: Vinnie Testaverde,
Sewanhaka (Floral Park)12. Mississippi – 4,586 Number of NFL players: 705
Hall of Famers: 9
All-Pro First Team: 71
Pro-Bowl selections: 236
Full-time starters: 1,319
Notable: Chris Jones,
Houston13. New Jersey 4,450 Number of NFL players: 734
Hall of Famers: 8
All-Pro First Team: 48
Pro-Bowl selections: 202
Full-time starters: 1,355
Notable: Joe Flacco,
Audubon14. North Carolina – 4,101Number of NFL players: 690
Hall of Famers: 8
All-Pro First Team: 57
Pro-Bowl selections: 192
Full-time starters: 1,195
Notable: Keenan Allen,
Northern Guilford (Greensboro)15. Virginia – 3,964Number of NFL players: 525
Hall of Famers: 11
All-Pro First Team: 72
Pro-Bowl selections: 209
Full-time starters: 1,116
Notable: Josh Sweat,
Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
16. South Carolina – 3,408 Number of NFL players: 490
Hall of Famers: 4
All-Pro First Team: 50
Pro-Bowl selections: 194
Full-time starters: 1,003
Notable: Deebo Samuel,
Chapman (Inman)17. Tennessee – 2,946Number of NFL players: 493
Hall of Famers: 6
All-Pro First Team: 48
Pro-Bowl selections: 155
Full-time starters: 814
Notable: Harrison Smith,
Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville)18. Wisconsin – 2,890Number of NFL players: 472
Hall of Famers: 9
All-Pro First Team: 61
Pro-Bowl selections: 125
Full-time starters: 779
Notable: T.J. Watt,
Pewaukee19. Indiana – 2,705Number of NFL players: 464
Hall of Famers: 4
All-Pro First Team: 37
Pro-Bowl selections: 128
Full-time starters: 796
Notable: Terry McLaurin,
Cathedral (Indianapolis)20. Oklahoma – 2,654 Number of NFL players: 506
Hall of Famers: 5
All-Pro First Team: 29
Pro-Bowl selections: 119
Full-time starters: 773
Notable: Tyler Lockett,
Booker T. Washington (Tulsa)21. Massachusetts – 2,364 Number of NFL players: 439
Hall of Famers: 4
All-Pro First Team: 34
Pro-Bowl selections: 103
Full-time starters: 683
Notable: Matt Hasselbeck,
Xaverian Brothers (Westwood)
22. Missouri – 2,343 Number of NFL players: 450
Hall of Famers: 5
All-Pro First Team: 27
Pro-Bowl selections: 66
Full-time starters: 730
Notable: Ezekiel Elliott,
Burroughs (St. Louis)23. Minnesota – 2,304 Number of NFL players: 442
Hall of Famers: 5
All-Pro First Team: 23
Pro-Bowl selections: 93
Full-time starters: 684
Notable: Larry Fitzgerald,
Academy of Holy Angels (Richfield)24. Arkansas – 2,116Number of NFL players: 327
Hall of Famers: 6
All-Pro First Team: 42
Pro-Bowl selections: 99
Full-time starters: 581
Notable: Willie Roaf,
Pine Bluff25. Washington – 1989 Number of NFL players: 338
Hall of Famers: 5
All-Pro First Team: 29
Pro-Bowl selections: 94
Full-time starters: 562
Notable: Budda Baker,
Bellevue26. Iowa – 1977Number of NFL players: 349
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 21
Pro-Bowl selections: 99
Full-time starters: 603
Notable: Tristan Wirfs,
Mt. Vernon27. Maryland – 1,741 Number of NFL players: 320
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 23
Pro-Bowl selections: 78
Full-time starters: 536
Notable: Stefon Diggs,
Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney)
28. Kansas – 1,706 Number of NFL players: 269
Hall of Famers: 5
All-Pro First Team: 35
Pro-Bowl selections: 86
Full-time starters: 452
Notable: Barry Sanders,
North (Wichita)29. Kentucky – 1,571Number of NFL players: 271
Hall of Famers: 4
All-Pro First Team: 23
Pro-Bowl selections: 69
Full-time starters: 449
Notable: Shaun Alexander,
Boone County (Florence)30. Arizona – 1,393Number of NFL players: 231
Hall of Famers: 2
All-Pro First Team: 19
Pro-Bowl selections: 79
Full-time starters: 395
Notable: Brock Purdy,
Perry (Gilbert)31. Nebraska – 1,380Number of NFL players: 261
Hall of Famers: 3
All-Pro First Team: 25
Pro-Bowl selections: 32
Full-time starters: 419
Notable: Ahman Green,
Omaha Central32. West Virginia – 1,297 Number of NFL players: 190
Hall of Famers: 5
All-Pro First Team: 30
Pro-Bowl selections: 67
Full-time starters: 328
Notable: Randy Moss, DuPont, now
Riverside (Belle)33. District of Columbia – 1,279Number of NFL players: 209
Hall of Famers: 3
All-Pro First Team: 19
Pro-Bowl selections: 69
Full-time starters: 354
Notable: Vernon Davis,
Dunbar
34. Oregon – 1,098Number of NFL players: 194
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 12
Pro-Bowl selections: 34
Full-time starters: 361
Notable: Justin Herbert,
Sheldon (Eugene)35. Connecticut – 1,011 Number of NFL players: 217
Hall of Famers: 4
All-Pro First Team: 15
Pro-Bowl selections: 37
Full-time starters: 264
Notable: Zach Allen,
New Canaan36. Colorado – 913Number of NFL players: 199
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 15
Pro-Bowl selections: 27
Full-time starters: 269
Notable: Christian McCaffrey,
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch)37. Utah – 875Number of NFL players: 158
Hall of Famers: 2
All-Pro First Team: 14
Pro-Bowl selections: 37
Full-time starters: 248
Notable: Merlin Olsen,
Logan38. Hawaii – 692Number of NFL players: 124
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 4
Pro-Bowl selections: 24
Full-time starters: 238
Notable: Tua Tagovailoa,
Saint Louis (Honolulu)39. South Dakota – 545Number of NFL players: 63
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 15
Pro-Bowl selections: 37
Full-time starters: 138
Notable: Adam Vinatieri,
Rapid City Central (Rapid City)
40. Idaho – 499Number of NFL players: 74
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 8
Pro-Bowl selections: 19
Full-time starters: 154
Notable: Leighton Vander Esch,
Salmon River (Riggins)41. Montana – 370Number of NFL players: 74
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 7
Pro-Bowl selections: 17
Full-time starters: 95
Notable: Will Dissly,
Bozeman42. New Mexico – 366Number of NFL players: 46
Hall of Famers: 2
All-Pro First Team: 7
Pro-Bowl selections: 21
Full-time starters: 91
Notable: Zach Gentry,
Eldorado (Albuquerque)43. Nevada – 364Number of NFL players: 83
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 4
Pro-Bowl selections: 13
Full-time starters: 111
Notable: Kyle Van Noy,
McQueen (Reno)44. Wyoming – 288 Number of NFL players: 41
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 0
Pro-Bowl selections: 11
Full-time starters: 107
Notable: Brett Keisel,
Greybull45. North Dakota – 273 Number of NFL players: 55
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 1
Pro-Bowl selections: 7
Full-time starters: 96
Notable: Jim Kleinsasser,
Carrington
46. Rhode Island – 163Number of NFL players: 41
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 3
Pro-Bowl selections: 7
Full-time starters: 43
Notable: Will Blackmon,
Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)47. Delaware – 162Number of NFL players: 42
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 0
Pro-Bowl selections: 57
Full-time starters: 63
Notable: Brian O'Neill,
Salesianum (Wilmington)48. New Hampshire – 155 Number of NFL players: 46
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 0
Pro-Bowl selections: 1
Full-time starters: 53
Notable: Greg Landry,
Nashua North (Nashua)49. Maine – 115Number of NFL players: 27
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 0
Pro-Bowl selections: 0
Full-time starters: 44
Notable: Matthew Mulligan,
Penobscot Valley (Howland)50. Vermont – 88Number NFL players: 10
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 2
Pro-Bowl selections: 8
Full-time starters: 22
Notable: Bob Yates,
Montpelier51. Alaska – 87Number of NFL players: 16
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 0
Pro-Bowl selections: 13
Full-time starters: 31
Notable: Mark Schlereth,
Service (Anchorage)
