Top 50 high school football defensive players of all time

For one, defensive stats aren't often reported in box scores and weekly game results. Second, defensive players weren't even included on All-American teams until the mid-1960s. So picking an "all-time" list essentially is limited to the past 60 years.

That being said, MaxPreps has put together a list of the nation's top 50 high school defensive players of all-time. The list is based on those athletes earning All-American honors at the high school level. College and NFL honors were also considered and used to put the players' high school career in context, but the player's high school career held the most weight.

Top 50 High School Defensive Players of All-Time
1. Dick Butkus, Vocational (Chicago), LB, 1960
As a fullback/linebacker at Vocational, Butkus earned All-American honors from three different publications — Wigwam Wiseman, Teen Magazine and Scholastic Coach. He was the Big 10 MVP and was a two-time consensus All-American. He made the Pro Bowl eight times, was six times All-Pro and is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

2. Ronnie Lott, Eisenhower (Rialto, Calif.), DB, 1976
Although he played quarterback his senior year, Lott was known more for his prowess on defense. He played safety and earned All-America honors from Parade, Scholastic Coach and Joe Namath National Prep Magazine. He was a consensus All-American at Southern California and was named to the College Football Hall of Fame. In the NFL, he won four Super Bowls, made 10 Pro Bowls, was first team All-Pro eight times and is a member of the NFL 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

4. Julius Peppers, Southern Nash (Bailey, N.C.), LB, 1997
Peppers was a multi-sport standout at Southern Nash, earning Parade All-American honors in football, making all-conference four times in basketball and winning a state championship in track and field. At North Carolina, Peppers was a unanimous All-American and won the Lombardi Award. In the NFL, he is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and has been first team All-Pro three times.

5. Leroy Selmon, Eufaula (Okla.), DL, 1971
Selmon earned All-America honors from Scholastic Coach before heading to Oklahoma where he won the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award while earning consensus All-American honors. He was a six-time Pro Bowl participant after becoming the No. 1 overall pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1976 NFL Draft. He was also three times All-Pro and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1979. He is a member of both the Pro Football and College Football Halls of Fame.

6. Charles Woodson, Ross (Fremont, Ohio), DB, 1994
Mr. Football in Ohio while at Ross, Woodson was also USA Today and Parade All-American, although he was selected primarily for his play on offense. He attended Michigan and played mostly defense and special teams, but also saw time as a receiver. He was a two-time All-American and won the Heisman Trophy in 1997. In the NFL, he made the Pro Bowl nine times, a four times an All-Pro and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009.

7. Derrick Brooks, Booker T. Washington (Miami), LB, 1990
A USA Today All-American, Brooks was also named to the FHSAA's All-Century Team as one of the top all-time players from the state of Florida. He was a two-time All-American at Florida State and is in the College Football Hall of Fame. In the NFL, Brooks played in 11 Pro Bowls, was All-Pro five times and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

8. Merlin Olsen, Logan (Utah), DT, 1957
The only Utah player honored on the 1957 Wigwam Wiseman All-America team, Olsen made the sixth team as an offensive lineman. In college at Utah State, Olsen was twice a first team All-American and won the Outland Trophy in 1961. He went on to a stellar career in the NFL, making a then record 14 Pro Bowl and earning first team All-Pro six times. He is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and is a member of the NFL's All-1970s and All-1960s teams.

9. Rod Woodson, Fort Wayne Snider (Ind.), DB, 1982
A USA Today All-American in high school, Woodson was a two-time All-American at Purdue and earned a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame. He made 11 Pro Bowls and was first team All-Pro six times. He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

10. Ken Easley, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), DB, 1976
An All-American quarterback, safety and punter, Easley ranks as one of the greatest collegiate defensive backs, earning consensus All-American honors three times while at UCLA. He made the Pro Bowl five times and was first team All-Pro four times before kidney disease cut his career short. He is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

11. Jadeveon Clowney, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), DE, 2010
Clowney twice earned All-American honors from MaxPreps while in high school. He was also the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. In college, Clowney was twice named All-American. As a professional, he has made two Pro Bowls.

12. Jabrill Peppers, Paramus Catholic (Paramus, N.J.), DB, 2013
Peppers is one of the few players to earn USA Today All-American twice. He was also named a MaxPreps All-American twice. He played at Michigan and was a unanimous All-American as a sophomore. He was a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns and is in his second year with the team.

13. Ted Hendricks, Hialeah (Fla.), LB, 1966
Hendricks made the All-Southern team, selected by the Orlando Sentinel, and was a Scholastic Coach All-American. He stayed close to home and was a two-time All-American at University of Miami. During a 15-year NFL career, he earned eight trips to the Pro Bowl, was first team All-Pro four times and played on four Super Bowl champion teams. He is in the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

14. Junior Seau, Oceanside (Calif.), LB, 1986
Seau was a two-way standout at Oceanside, excelling as a linebacker and tight end. He made Parade All-American and was the San Diego Section Player of the Year. At Southern California, Seau was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and was a consensus All-American. In the NFL, Seau made the Pro Bowl 12 times and was an eight-time first team All-Pro player. He is in the NFL Hall of Fame and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992.

15. Chris Spielman, Washington (Massillon, Ohio), LB, 1983
Spielman made the USA Today All-American team in 1983 and was a two-time consensus All-American while at Ohio State. During a 12-year NFL career, Spielman made the Pro Bowl four times and was All-Pro three times.
A Parade All-American at Grant, Suh played college football at Nebraska where he had a colossal senior season winning the AP Player of the Year, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Lombardi Trophy and Outland Trophy. In the NFL, he is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time first team All-Pro.

17. Tom Cousineau, St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), LB, 1974
Following an All-American career at St. Edwards, Cousineau was a two-time All-American at Ohio State while setting a school record for tackles in a season with 211. He was chosen No. 1 overall in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, but he decided to sign with the Montreal Allouettes of the Canadian Football League. He earned MVP honors in the Grey Cup in 1979 and played three seasons in the CFL before joining the Cleveland Browns for a four-year stint. He twice earned second team All-Pro honors while playing for the Browns.

The pillar of the Crusader defense during their National Championship seasons of 1976 and 1977, Crable was second team All-State as a junior and Class AAA Lineman of the Year as a senior. He earned Parade Magazine All-American honors and went on to become a two-time consensus All-American while at Notre Dame. The Jets made him a first-round draft pick in 1982 and he played six seasons there before knee injuries ended his career.

19. Gary Jeter, Cathedral Latin (Cleveland), DL, 1972
The Class AAA Lineman of the Year over Ross Browner in 1972, Jeter was chosen All-America by both Parade and Scholastic Coach in 1972. He was an All-American at Southern California and the No. 5 overall pick in the 1977 NFL draft. He had 52.5 sacks in a 12-year NFL career, however sacks were not an official stat for the first six years of his career.

20. Tim Rossovich, Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), DE, 1963
Rossovich was a dominant force in the Bay Area in the early 1960s as both an end and a linebacker. He earned All-American honors from Scholastic Coach, Parade Magazine and Wigwam Wiseman. He earned All-American honors at Southtern California and played in the Pro Bowl as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a No. 14 overall pick in the firs round of the 1968 NFL draft.

21. Andy Katzenmoyer, Westerville South (Westerville, Ohio), LB, 1995
An Ohio Mr. Football Award winner, Katzenmoyer ws the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year in 1995. He had a stellar career at Ohio State, earning Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors and earning three times All-Big 10 first team. He was a consensus All-American as a sophomore, winning the Butkus and Lambert trophies. He played four seasons for the New English Patriots, but has his career cut short by injuries.

22. Jerome Brown, Hernando (Brooksville, Fla.), LB, 1982
Brown's career was cut short by a fatal car accident in 1992. He was a two-time Pro Bowl player and was twice named All-Pro. In college, he was a consensus All-American. He also earned All-American honors in high school and is regarded as one of the top 100 players in Florida history.

23. Bubba Smith, Charlton-Pollard (Beaumont, Texas), DL, 1963
Smith played for his father at Charlton-Pollard, an all-black high school in segregated south Texas. He was an All-State player and was a two-time consensus All-American at Michigan State. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1967 draft and he made the Pro Bowl twice while earning All-Pro honors in 1971.

24. LaVar Arrington, North Hills (Pittsburgh), LB, 1996
Arrington racked up the awards his senior year, winning Parade National Player of the Year, Bobby Todd National High School Back of the Year, Gatorade State Player of the Year and USA Today All-American honors. At Penn State, he was a two-time All-American and a Lambert and Butkus Award winner. He made the Pro Bowl three times in the NFL, but had his career cut short by injury after seven seasons.

25. DJ Williams, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), LB, 1999
Williams was the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Spartans to a National No. 1 ranking. He played at the University of Miami on a national championship team and twice earned All-Big East honors. He played 11 years in the NFL, amassing 899 tackles.

26. Sean Gilbert, Aliquippa (Pa.), LB, 1988
Gilbert earned Parade Magazine All-American honors and was the USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year. He earned consensus All-American honors at Penn State and was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1992 draft. He played 12 years in the NFL and made the Pro Bowl in 1993.

27. Ted Ginn Jr., Glenville (Cleveland), DB, 2003
While he has played exclusively on offense and special teams in the NFL, Ginn was the nation's top defensive player as a senior in high school. He was the USA Today and Super Prep National Defensive Player of the Year and he was also a Parade All-American. In college at Ohio State, Ginn was a three-time All-American at receiver. He has played 12 seasons in the NFL and has 374 career receptions for 5,207 yards.

28. Gerald McCoy, Southeast (Oklahoma City), DL, 2005
Named the Oklahoma Gatorade State Player of the Year and the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year, McCoy was a two-time All-American at Oklahoma. In nine seasons in the NFL, McCoy has made the Pro Bowl six times and has earned All-Pro three times.

29. Patrick Peterson, Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), DB, 2007
Considered one of the top defensive backs in the NFL, Peterson has made the Pro Bowl seven times and is a three-time All-Pro. He earned All-American honors twice in college at LSU and was a Jim Thorpe award winner. In high school, he won National Defensive MVP honors by USA Today.

30. Marvin Jones, Northwestern (Miami), LB, 1989
Jones is one of the all-time greats from the state of Florida, earning USA Today All-American honors while playing for the Bulls. He was a two-time consensus All-American at Florida State, winning the Butkus Award and the Lombardi Award his junior season. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft by the Jets. He played 11 seasons in New York, earning first team All-Pro honors in 2000.

31. Manti Te'o, Punahou (Honolulu), LB, 2008
Te'o won nearly every award imaginable while at Notre Dame. He captured the Lombardi, Bronko Nagurski, Water Camp, Chuck Bednarik, and Maxwell Awards and the Lott Trophy. In high school, Te'o won the Butkus Award and was the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. He has played six seasons in the NFL.

32. Lamarcus Joyner, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), DB, 2009
After earning USA Today Defensive Player of the Year honors, Joyner attended Florida State where he was a consensus All-American. He is in his fourth season with the Rams.

33. Brian Cushing, Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), LB, 2004
Cushing earned All-American honors and was the North Jersey Player of the Year in 2004. He attended Southern California and was a first team All-American. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL and made the Pro Bowl in 2009.

34. Mark Carrier, Long Beach Poly (Calif.), DB, 1985
Carrier made the USA Today and Parade Magazine All-American teams before heading to Southern California where he also earned All-American honors. In the NFL, Carrier has made the Pro Bowl three times and was All-Pro once.

35. Myles Garrett, Martin (Arlington, Texas), DL, 2013
A Parade All-American, Garrett was considered the No. 2 overall recruit in his class by Rivals. He was a two-time All-American while at Texas A&M and was taken No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 NFL draft. He has 18.5 sacks through 28 NFL games.

36. Jack Del Rio, Hayward (Calif.), LB, 1980
A three-sport standout, Del Rio was name All-American by Parade Magazine. He attended Southern California and was a consensus All-American as a senior. He made the Pro Bowl in 1994 and had an 11-year career in the NFL.

37. Wilber Marshall, Astronaut (Titusville, Fla.), DE, 1979
Named one of the greatest Florida football players of the first 100 years, Marshall was a Parade Magazine All-American. He played at Florida and was twice named consensus All-American. In a 12-year NFL career, Marshall made the Pro Bowl three times and was a three-time All-Pro.

38. Joey Browner, Southwest (Macon, Ga.), DB, 1978
39. Derek Landri, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), DL, 2001
In leading De La Salle to wins over Long Beach Poly and Mater Dei, Landri played on quite possibly the greatest high school football team ever, according to MaxPreps. He was named the state Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports and earned All-America by USA Today. He played at Notre Dame and went on to a seven-year career in the NFL.

40. LaRoi Glover, Point Loma (San Diego), DL, 1991
Glover earned multiple honors in high school, winning San Diego Section Player of the Year, Cal-Hi Sports All-State team, Los Angeles Times Lineman of the Year honors and USA Today All-American. He played at San Diego State and twice earned all-conference honors. Not highly drafted out of college, Glover excelled with the New Orleans Saints, making six Pro Bowls and earning All-Pro honors four times. He is a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.

41. Johnny Lattner, Fenwick (Oak Park, Ill.), DB, 1949
Lattner is considered one of the greatest players to ever come out of Illinois. A Wigwam Wiseman All-American as a halfback in the single-wing offense and as a defensive back, Lattner played both positions at Notre Dame. There he won the Maxwell Award twice and was the Heisman Trophy winner in 1953. He earned All-Pro honors with the Steelers in 1953, but joined the Air Force for two years and injured his knee, which prevented him from ever playing football again.

42. Ross Browner, Western Reserve (Berlin Center, Ohio), DL, 1972
A Class AAA All-State selection in high school, Browner also earned All-America honors from Scholastic Coach magazine. He attended Notre Dame and was a two-time All-American while winning the Lombardi Trophy and the Maxwell Trophy. The No. 8 overall pick in the 1978 draft, Browner played 10 seasons in the NFL.

43. Tommy Nobis, Jefferson (San Antonio), LB, 1961
After earning All-American honors from Wigwam Wiseman, Nobis attended University of Texas and earned the Outland Trophy, the Maxwell Award and was named consensus All-American. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. In the NFL, he made five Pro Bowls and was first team All-Pro in 1967.

44. Mike Reid, Allatoona (Acworth, Ga.), DL, 1964
A Scholastic Coach All-American in high school, Reid was a unanimous All-American and the Outland Trophy award winner while at Penn State. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He was the No. 7 overall pick in the 1970 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and was twice first team All-Pro. His career was cut short when he retired after five seasons to pursue a career as a musician and songwriter. His song "Stranger in My House" won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1984.

45. Dave Butz, Maine South (Park Ridge, Ill.), DL, 1968
Butz reportedly made All-American in high school twice while at Maine South. He went on to a Hall of Fame career while at Purdue, earning All-Big 10 honors. In the NFL, he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1983. He also played on two Super Bowl champion teams.

46. Shaun Cody, Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, Calif.), DL, 2000
Cody was a dominant lineman in high school, racking up 22 sacks as a senior and 35 as a junior while earning USA Today Defensive Player of the Year honors. He played at Southern California and earned Consensus All-American honors while being named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He played eight seasons in the NFL.

47. Antonio Cromartie, Lincoln (Tallahassee, Fla.), DB, 2002
Named the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year, Cromartie suffered a knee injury in college and never earned All-American at that level. However, he made the Pro Bowl four times during an 11-year career and was first team All-Pro the same year he led the NFL in interceptions.

48. Wilson Whitley, Brenham (Texas), DL, 1972
Whitley was a two-time All-State lineman in Texas and earned Parade and Scholastic Coach All-American honors. He was a consensus All-American while at Houston, winning the Lombardi Award. He played six seasons in the NFL.

49. Ahmad Brooks, Hylton (Woodbridge, Va.), LB, 2001
Selected as the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year after racking up over 200 tackles. He led Hylton to a pair of state championships in his three years on a the varsity. He was a consensus All-American while at Virginia and he played in the Pro Bowl as a member of the 49ers.

50. Scott Brantley, Forest (Ocala, Fla.), LB, 1975
Brantley was the only Florida athlete to make All-American in 1975. Forest won the Class 3A titles Brantley's junior and senior season and he was on the Parade Magazine All-American team. He earned first team All-SEC honors in college and played eight years in the NFL with the Buccaneers.