What is the best state for high school football? Ranking all 50 based on NFL data

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, Whitehouse

2. California – 15,293
Number 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 – 11,580
Number 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 – 10,058
Number 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, Harrisburg

5. Ohio – 9,735
Number 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 Heights

6. Illinois – 6,753
Number 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, Highland

7. Louisiana – 6,571
Number 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, Destrehan

8. Georgia – 5,852
Number 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 – 4,914
Number 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, Rockford

11. 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, Houston

13. 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, Audubon

14. North Carolina – 4,101
Number 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 – 3,964
Number 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 – 2,946
Number 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 – 2,890
Number 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, Pewaukee

19. Indiana – 2,705
Number 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 – 2,116
Number 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 Bluff

25. 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, Bellevue

26. Iowa – 1977
Number 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. Vernon

27. 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 – 1,571
Number 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 – 1,393
Number 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 – 1,380
Number 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 Central

32. 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 – 1,279
Number 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 – 1,098
Number 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 Canaan

36. Colorado – 913
Number 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 – 875
Number of NFL players: 158
Hall of Famers: 2
All-Pro First Team: 14
Pro-Bowl selections: 37
Full-time starters: 248
Notable: Merlin Olsen, Logan

38. Hawaii – 692
Number 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 – 545
Number 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 – 499
Number 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 – 370
Number of NFL players: 74
Hall of Famers: 1
All-Pro First Team: 7
Pro-Bowl selections: 17
Full-time starters: 95
Notable: Will Dissly, Bozeman

42. New Mexico – 366
Number 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 – 364
Number 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, Greybull

45. 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 – 163
Number 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 – 162
Number 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 – 115
Number 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 – 88
Number NFL players: 10
Hall of Famers: 0
All-Pro First Team: 2
Pro-Bowl selections: 8
Full-time starters: 22
Notable: Bob Yates, Montpelier

51. Alaska – 87
Number 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)