High school football: Every state's greatest linebacker

The 2022 NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony could include three of the game's greatest linebackers — Patrick Willis, Demarcus Ware and Sam Mills. All three are among the nominees for next year's Hall of Fame voting and all three are part of MaxPreps' list of the Greatest Linebackers from Each State.

Ware is the top linebacker from Alabama with nine career Pro Bowls. Mills, meanwhile, leads New Jersey with five Pro Bowl selections while Willis leads Tennessee with seven.

Florida, California, Texas and Virginia have the top four linebackers in Ray Lewis, Junior Seau, Mike Singletary and Lawrence Taylor. The quartet combines for 44 career Pro Bowl selections.



Every state's greatest linebacker

Alabama
DeMarcus Ware, Auburn
Pro Bowls: 9

Arizona
Terrell Suggs, Hamilton (Chandler)
Pro Bowls: 7

Arkansas
Monte Coleman, Pine Bluff
Games Played: 215

California
Junior Seau, Oceanside
Pro Bowls: 12

Colorado
Sean Moran, Overland (Aurora)
Games Played: 120

Connecticut
Bill Romanowski, Rockville (Vernon)
Pro Bowls: 2



Delaware
Jamie Duncan, Christiana (Newark)
Games Played: 96

Florida
Ray Lewis, Kathleen (Lakeland)
Pro Bowls: 12

Georgia
Jessie Tuggle, Griffin
Pro Bowls: 5

Hawaii
Kurt Gouveia, Wai'anae
Games Played: 183

Idaho
Wayne Walker, Boise
Pro Bowls: 3

Illinois
Dick Butkus, Chicago Vocational (Chicago)
Pro Bowls: 8



Indiana
Ryan Kerrigan, Muncie Central (Muncie)
Pro Bowls: 4

Iowa
Bryce Paup, Jefferson-Scranton (Jefferson)
Pro Bowls: 4

Kansas
Galen Fiss, Stanton County (Johnson)
Pro Bowls: 2

Kentucky
Frank LeMaster, Bryan Station (Lexington)
Pro Bowls: 1

Louisiana
Isaiah Robertson, Pineview (now closed)
Pro Bowls: 6

Maine
John Huard, Waterville
Games Played: 43



Maryland
Julian Peterson, Crossland (Temple Hills)
Pro Bowls: 5

Massachusetts
Nick Buoniconti, Cathedral (Boston)
Pro Bowls: 8

Michigan
Brad Van Pelt, Owosso
Pro Bowls: 5

Minnesota
Karl Mecklenburg, Edina West (now Edina)
Pro Bowls: 6

Mississippi
Larry Grantham, Crystal Springs
Pro Bowls: 5

Missouri
Andy Russell, Ladue Horton Watkins (St. Louis)
Pro Bowls: 7



Montana
Kroy Biermann, Hardin
Games Played: 114

Nebraska
Scott Shanle, St. Edward
Games Played: 133

Nevada
Kyle Van Noy, McQueen (Reno)
Games Played: 99

New Hampshire
Veto Kissell, Nashua
Games Played: 20

New Jersey
Sam Mills, Long Branch
Pro Bowls: 5

New Mexico
Brian Urlacher, Lovington
Pro Bowls: 8



New York
Bill Bergey, Pine Valley Central (South Dayton)
Pro Bowls: 5

North Carolina
Bobby Bell, Cleveland (Clayton)
Pro Bowls: 9

North Dakota
J.J. Syvrud, Rock Springs
Games Played: 1

Ohio
Jack Lambert, Crestwood (Mantua)
Pro Bowls: 9

Oklahoma
Jason Gildon, Altus
Pro Bowls: 3

Oregon
Dave Wilcox, Vale
Pro Bowls: 7



Pennsylvania
Joe Schmidt, Brentwood (Pittsburgh)
Pro Bowls: 10

Rhode Island
Gordon Polofsky, Cranston
Games Played: 26

South Carolina
Harry Carson, McClenaghan (Florence)
Pro Bowls: 9

South Dakota
Chad Greenway, Mt. Vernon
Pro Bowls: 2

Tennessee
Patrick Willis, Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central (Bruceton)
Pro Bowls: 7

Texas
Mike Singletary, Worthing (Houston)
Pro Bowls: 10



Utah
Derek Smith, American Fork
Games Played: 174

Vermont
Robert Watts, Vermont Academy (Saxtons River)
Games Played: 2

Virginia
Lawrence Taylor, Lafayette (Williamsburg)
Pro Bowls: 10

Washington
Anthony Davis, Pasco
Games Played: 106

West Virginia
Chuck Howley, Warwood (now Wheeling Park)
Pro Bowls: 6

Wisconsin
John Offerdahl, Fort Atkinson
Pro Bowls: 5



Wyoming
Brady Poppinga, Evanston
Games Played: 100