To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). By state, NFL training-camp rosters had 336 former Texas high school players, 293 from Florida, 285 from California and 232 from Georgia. Switzer was a center, linebacker, and captain of the 1959 team that won the Southwest Conference and Gator Bowl. Now, Warner's name is synonymous with football in the United States, and Stanford has had a legacy of great passers who went on to shine in the NFL. Highest AV in NFL: Randall McDaniel (129), Most touchdowns in NFL: Charley Taylor (90), Most games played in NFL: Terrell Suggs (244). So we set out to determine what state produces the most NFL players. Colleges That Produce the Most NFL Players | Stadium Talk Which Conferences Produce the Most NFL Players - BNB Football North Carolina can claim 121 current NFL players in the league. The most notable star to come from the Sunshine State is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Nebraska (21.3 per 100,000), Oklahoma (also 21.3), and Louisiana (21.2) were the three states closest to Mississippi in NFL players per capita. The schools other Hall of Famers are quarterback Bobby Layne, running back Earl Campbell and defensive back Bobby Dillon. Which Alabama high school has produced the most NFL players? Texas ranks last in ESPN's QB formula because of the expectations given the state's resources. But even the most diehard of Notre Dame fans would admit that their best days are well behind them. He has covered the SEC since 2016. Most touchdowns in NFL: Lance Alworth (87), Most games played in NFL: Jason Peters (238). Bottom line:Illinois never won a national championship, but the Illini had two of the most iconic players in NFL history. Here is another area where Notre Dames influence is readily apparent, as they are the top school at seven of the 24 positions we evaluated, including key positions such as quarterback and running back. Twelve of the 22 Washington QBs came from the greater Seattle area. Washington is 10th overall in our rankings thanks in large part to Drew Bledsoe, Chris Chandler, Mark Rypien and Jon Kitna, whose careers have the highest approximate values among the state's 22 QBs. During your secondary school years, you likely had a little One of the most common questions students hear is, What do you want to be when you grow up? For many individuals that answer is subject to change over time. With both expected to be top picks in the draft, Georgia will soon have 19 NFL quarterbacks. According to its website, FUMA has produced more than 100 future NFL players, including 12 first-round picks such as Eddie George, Anthony Castonzo and Plaxico Burress. BYU's Zach Wilson will be just the sixth Utah QB to play in the NFL, yet somehow he was runner-up in the state's Mr. Football award. Action Network conducted a study to identify which state produced the most current NFL talent, which determined that the Lone Star State was the home of 211 active players, which accounts for 1 in every 12 players. With Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, Georgia will get a boost after the 2021 draft, climbing into the top five for the 2010s with six NFL quarterbacks. Since these states end up producing such talented players, that's why college football programs like Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Penn State get their hands on top recruits. These colleges have produced the most NFL players, and they have a track record of success on the gridiron. Which city has the most NFL players in 2020? It's no surprise the schools that dominate on Saturdays see their alumni playing on Sundays. Which state has the highest average draft position for quarterbacks? 3 is Georgia (one in 78,761). About 20 miles on I-75 separate the Georgia high school homes of two of the draft's top QB prospects. Only five players in the program's history have been selected first . Another amazing fact: Jackson State, alone, has produced four Hall of Famers, three of them native Mississippians. Or should. These rankings are based on rosters published by Stats LLC on Monday afternoon, three days before the start of the season. We're dedicated to keeping Mississippians informed with our thorough reporting. If youre not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and include our website, You cannot republish our editorial cartoons, photographs, illustrations or graphics without specific permission (contact our managing editor. Newman had Peyton and Eli Manning, and Westlake's Drew Brees and Nick Foles also led world champions. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Perhaps a surprise to some, North Carolina takes the fourth spot. Total enrollment in fall 2021: 13,139. And of those, 11 come from high schools located within 30 miles of Atlanta. Not only have they sent the most players to the league, but they also have sent the most players to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (14), which is perhaps an even better measure of the talent produced by a program. They often get those TV slots since their players will be playing in the NFL in a few years. The Ducks didn't win another "Granddaddy" until 2011, when Chip Kelly and his high-flying offense beat Wisconsin 45-38. Before making life miserable for NFL defenses, they were doing the same to opponents in college. Graphic: The 10 U.S. States With The Most Current NFL Players Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama round out the top five. The only thing missing from Washingtons NFL alumni is a successful wide receiver. The city of Miami has more NFL players than any other city, and these players just arent your run-of-the-mill second and third-stringers. The NFL is known world wide for having some of the best athletes in the world. Any amount helps us keep producing quality journalism for Mississippi. Colorado . Colleges That Have Produced the Most NFL Players - Yahoo! News For more information on our cookie collection and use please visit our Privacy Policy. Bottom line:The Auburn Tigers are not currently considered an SEC powerhouse, but it wasn't that long ago when they were. More NFL players (199) graduated from Texas than any. Bottom line: Purdue is one of the oldest college football programs. We also identified the college football programs that sent the most players to the NFL within those states. Thats a no-brainer. Bottom line:Flordia had recent success under Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, but doesnt have decades of dominance under its belt and didnt become an elite program until the 1990s. The University of Alabama has produced the most pro athletes out of college, though, with 82. In fact, those three states rank 1-2-3 all-time for states where NFL players were born. This State Produces The Most NFL Players | iHeart Using this data we were able to illustrate some key data points for every franchise in the league, as well as the league as a whole. Texas used to be the dominant team in the state, but the rise of other programs like Texas A&M and TCU in recent years has taken some wind out of its sails. The Buckeye State had 78 players in the NFL ranks in 2014. In the 1950s, 69 Spartans were drafted into the NFL, compared to just 59 from 2000 to 2019. That stat does deserve a caveat as Matthew Slater and Wally Henry were both Bruins receivers who made the Pro Bowl, but they did so at the positions of special teams and return specialist, respectively. The Importance Of High School Classes For NFL Players: A Guide To Bottom line:Wisconsin has the most NFL players of any school to never win a national championship their highest season-ending finish was No. Over those100-plus years, they have won two national championships (1920 and 1922) and produced many pro players. Though it might surprise some fans, the state of Florida actually has the most current NFL players. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Most touchdowns in NFL: Mike Alstott (71), Most games played in NFL: Drew Brees (287). 25. Florida is another NFL-producing machine. Here is an in-depth look at the top five states. Just because we dont have a college team of our own here at Grand Canyon University doesnt mean that we arent caught up in the excitement and talent infusion the draft brings. Warner collected 71 of his 311 career college wins at Stanford and changed the game with the forward pass. That makes them a bit of an outlier since every other school in the top seven is in a warm-weather location in either the South or Southern California. But see who makes up the rest of the top 5 in the state: North Carolina has produced a surprising number of NFL players. Fortunately for the Sooners, Adrian Peterson is sure to increase that number five years after he retires. Remember, were talking about per capita here. Which City Produces the Most NFL Players? - Sportsmanist This site .css-110721q{color:#0079F0;}contains commercial content. A new, thorough study confirms what I have long contended to be true. The second-most populous state, Texas also leads the country in a key formula component -- Division I football programs -- with 21, seven more than any other state. Its one of the most exciting times of the year for football fans around the country. Try selecting a different location. Notre Dames lack of recent success bears out in the number of active players the Irish have in the NFL. The 2022 season has seen 58 active players from the Alabama lineage. 20 college football teams we aren't sold on in 2023, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Mizzou shocks Tennessee, Alabama downs Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Alabama stays unbeaten in SEC play, Tennessee outlasts Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: A new top team emerges, Alabama loses in blowout fashion, Mizzou lights it up again. And now, theres even data that would appear to back it up. That list doesnt even include Cam Newton, who is the NFLs all-time leader in rushing touchdowns for a quarterback. Did you also know that the streak started a dozen years before the NFL was founded so none of the players on those teams made it to the league? No. Nearly 900 players came from the USC and UCLA campuses (separated by just 11 miles), but the majority of those are singing "Fight On.". Only two of the 10 most populous cities in the United States have schools on this list with Phoenixs Arizona State and Los Angeles first entry with UCLA. Most games played:Sebastian Janikowski (284). pic.twitter.com/bxIOhq6fqz, Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) September 13, 2018. Bottom line: Smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania, Penn State isnt far from Ohio, New York and New Jersey. Rick has been recognized 13 times as Mississippi Sports Writer of the Year, and is recipient of multiple awards and honors for his reporting and writing. No school has more active NFL players than Alabamas 77, and that doesnt even include its 10 players taken in the 2019 draft, which was the most of any school. In fact, those three states rank 1-2-3 all-time for states where NFL. These colleges have produced the most NFL players, and they have a track record of success on the gridiron. Mississippi averages 26.6 NFL players for every 100,000 citizens. Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. Mississippi produces the most NFL talent | The South Reporter St. Ignatius (Ohio) is in the only ZIP code with four NFL quarterbacks, though the most well-known name from that group is Luck -- and it's not the Luck you think it is. Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke dominated in the 1960s and '70s, and the Fighting Illinis success also is in yesteryear. This website does not fully support Internet Explorer. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The District of Columbia, with one NFL player for every 54,702 residents, has the most NFL players per capita. North Carolina Perhaps a surprise to some, North Carolina takes the fourth spot. Louisiana is the state with the best ratio (one NFL player per 76,837 people), followed by Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina. Texas surprisingly has no quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame (based on our criteria for players since 1966), and the collective approximate value of the state's QBs is watered down because many are not key contributors (its 62% start average ranked 15th among states with at least 500 games played). Their time will come. You'll find there's a QB1 state -- the one with the highest percentage of starts per game played -- and one that has produced the most backups. 1. Bottom line: Louisiana has the most NFL players per capita of any state, and LSU leverages that fact as the only Power 5 program in the state. Yes, Bulldogs Dak Prescott and perhaps Fletcher Cox are future Hall of Famers but thats a few years away. Check out the full list of 721 quarterbacks divided by state here. The only thing missing from Alabamas NFL resume is a shutdown cornerback. Top 10 States that have produced the greatest NFL quarterbacks Graphic by Ryan Escobar 1. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. Data was culled from Pro Football Reference to figure out which states have over- or underperformed based on the expected number of NFL quarterbacks produced, decided by population size and the number of Division I programs in a state. Former Buckeyes in the NFL draft this year include Kendall Sheffield (CB, Atlanta Falcons), Rod Smith (RB, Carolina Panthers) and Justin Fields (QB, Chicago Bears). Colleges with the most NFL players all time . Weve ranked the best NFL-talent producing universities in Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, and Alabama. 211 current NFL players came from a school in Texas. Alabama, Ohio State, and LSU have been at the forefront of the supply chain of great talent for the NFL. Historically, Texas, California, and Pennsylvania have been hotbeds for football talent. A cleveland.com review of opening week rosters found Florida leads with the way with 193 players, based on the place of birth of each player. But now, Florida has joined them as one of the three biggest producers of NFL talent. 2 following the 1962 season. Of the 16 Tigers to make at least one All-Pro first team, 11 were offensive players including Hall of Famers Y.A. The state also produced Richard Sherman, Tyron Smith, Bobby Wagner and several other stars. California alone, at 225 active players, accounts for more than ten percent of NFL players. In the City of Miami, State of Florida, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School produces the most NFL players. LOOK: These states produce the most NFL players - Saturday Down South But the Texas total computes to only 8.5 players per 100,000, about one-third of what Mississippi has produced. The combination of our local NFL squad picking at the top of the draft, an accomplished alum serving in a major leadership role for a different team, and our general interest in seeing college students start their careers after school really got our team thinking about what it means for these student-athletes who are preparing to drop the student part of that moniker. Bottom line:UT is home to four Hall of Famers, although one of them, Tom Landry, is enshrined in Canton due to his work as a coach rather than a player. When you factor in population, the state produces 26.6 pro football players for every 100,000 people. Brees or Woodson at the top of the Purdue football alumni depth chart? Kiper's two-round mock draft: Top-five trade, record QB haul, Kiper's favorite draft prospects at every position, Biggest question marks for draft's top quarterbacks. Time will tell! City of Miami, State of Florida, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Produce Most NFL Players Which state has most NFL players per capita? Eleven ZIP codes have produced three NFL QBs, and 60 can boast two. is known world wide for having some of the best athletes in the world. While not every former SEC player is from the state where they went to college, many of them did choose to stay close to home, either in their own state or a state close by. But the program has produced some elite NFL stars. At the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota, Delaware, and New Hampshire are each the birthplace of a single player in the NFL. However, players of that caliber have been few and far between in recent years as the majority of Michigan States NFL alums played in the early days of the NFL. Is it any surprise that the Lone Star State tops the ranking? Position U - Which schools produce the most college football talent at You have to credit Mississippi Today. Founded in 2016 as the states first nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom, Mississippi Todays roots in Capitol coverage have grown to encompass a myriad of beats beyond politics and policy, including education, public health, justice, environment, equity, and, yes, sports. Oliver Luck hailed from St. Ignatius, but the 44113 doesn't get credit for his son Andrew, who went to high school in Texas. Bottom line: Arkansas has a great football tradition. Here are the universities cultivating the talent: In Alabama, theres no denying which school is best at producing professional football players. But that is debatable. In fact, 12 of their Pro Bowl players played either running back or fullback. Iowas defense-heavy mindset seemed to carry on to all of its NFL players as they come up on the short end of touchdowns scored in the NFL. They have won just two conference titles in the last 35 years, and of their 61 Pro Bowl players, only one was drafted in the last 15 years (Vontae Davis, 2009). Only 44 wide receivers in NFL history have reached 10,000 receiving yards, and three of them came from MSU Andre Rison, Muhsin Muhammad and Derrick Mason. Don Majkowski. LSU's 3 permanent rivals for 9-game SEC schedule have been set, per report, Quinten Dormady, former Tennessee QB, under playbook investigation in XFL, Alabama basketball adds commitment from 4-star forward, Billy Napier addresses Florida staff openings at start of spring practice, BetMGM Massachusetts Bonus Code: How to Claim the $200 Bonus Bet Offer This Weekend, FanDuel Massachusetts Promo: Pre-Launch Special Scores $100 in Bonus Bets, Jalin Hyatt impresses in limited NFL Combine showing, WynnBET Mass Promo Code: How to Claim Big Value with Pre-Launch Bonus, BetMGM UFC 285 Promo Code: Claim $1,000 First Bet Offer on Any Fight, Texas A&M punctuates impressive SEC season with upset of No. They are followed by Florida, Texas, Georgia and then Ohio. Here's a breakdown of the 10 states with the most NFL players: It's always fun to see which states generate the most NFL talent. Rounding out the top five are USC (479), Ohio State (426), Penn State (359), and Nebraska (346). Others create politicians. It also doesnt count, for instance, a player such as Peyton Manning whose roots are firmly in Mississippi soil and who spent much of his childhood in the Magnolia State. That's why they call scouting an inexact science. Ousmane Diallo, a data analyst for Rise at Seven, led a team of five that did the research and tallied the results. necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Pitt has produced the best defensive lineman in a generation in Aaron Donald, but the DLU rsum increased in 2021 too, with three players selected in this year's draft. A winning tradition brings recruits from all over the country, and Ohio States all-time winning percentage of .754 ranks first among Power 5 programs. Cardale Jones. Yet Texas leads the U.S. in Super Bowl wins above expectation. So we didnt. Among states with SEC schools, the per capita numbers are: Mississippi (first, 26.6), Louisiana (fourth, 21.2), Alabama (fifth, 17), Arkansas (12th, 13.4), Tennessee (13th, 13.3), South Carolina (14th, 11.5), Kentucky (16th, 9.9), Texas (23rd, 8.5), Florida (34th, 6), Georgia (35th, 6) andMissouri (38th, 5.3). In terms of schools that have produced the most NFL players all-time, Notre Dame just edged out USC for the top spot, with Ohio State joining those historic programs as the only ones to send more than 400 players to the NFL. Madison, Wisconsin, may not be the first location that many transfers think of when deciding where they want to finish their college careers, but it has proven to be a much-sought-after destination for some of the NFLs best players. 4 on the leagues all-time passing yardage list. Any sources cited were Where do NFL quarterbacks come from? The best and worst states, how it Brees also won a Super Bowl (XLIV), was Super Bowl MVP, a 13-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro. The Lone Star State produced a plethora of talented quarterbacks, such as Drew Brees, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Ryan Tannehill. Bottom line:While many of the aforementioned schools have had recent success but not decades of winning, the exact opposite can be said for Nebraska. That would be Grand Canyon University Athletics Hall of Fame member and Antelopes basketball legend Kevin Warren, who has been an executive for multiple NFL teams stretching back to the 1990s. It only seems as though Tom Brady has been playing long enough to have hung out with the Lizard King himself, and that Jim Morrison was talking about Brady and California QBs when he crooned, "The West is the best, get here and we'll do the rest." Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. SEC schools continually churn out the most NFL talent. Heck, it doesnt even finish in the top two in its own division thanks to the two participants of "The Game" beating them out. We limited this data to schools who have had at least five players make the all-time roster to weed out one-off outlier players. Miami Hurricane alums rank second in NFL touchdowns scored and fourth in Pro Bowl selections, despite having 60-70 percent of the number of players that the top two schools have produced. Keep this news free and accessible to all by becoming a member and giving a recurring donation of any amount today. The remaining seven states to crack the top 10 are Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, North Carolina and New Jersey. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. AV refers to approximate value and is PFRs attempt to quantify a players career value. Beyond that local rooting interest, there is at least one Grand Canyon graduate that has a major impact on the fortunes of an NFL franchise, even if most of his work takes place away from the field. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Clemson's Trevor Lawrence went 52-2 as a starter at Cartersville High, winning two state titles. The most NFL players have come from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Miami, Florida, and the state of Florida. Some regions of the country, though, have become well known for regularly producing NFL-caliber talent. Iowa not only has the NFLs all-time interceptions leader in Paul Krause (81), but it also has the second all-time interceptions leader in Emlen Tunnell (79). Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. And some make NFL players. While the Razorbacks are no longer the class of the tough SEC, they have won 14 conference championships in program history and brought home a national championship to Fayetteville in 1964. Nor does that number reflect on native Mississippians who should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame such as Charlie Conerly, Kent Hull and Jimmie Giles. The sheer size of California and the number of universities within it has propelled the state to #2 on the list. Second is California with 187, followed by Texas (160), Georgia (97), Ohio (80), Pennsylvania (66) and Louisiana (63). Read on to see the results. The Boilermakers started playing football in 1892 and have sent big names to the NFL. Its quality, as well. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelors in journalism, Rick has worked for the Monroe (La.) and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who rated as the top prospect from the Lone Star State for the 2014 national recruiting cycle before signing with Texas A&M. Current NFL players: 37. Penn State - 359 5. Led by Manning and league MVPs Brett Favre and Steve McNair, they made 732 starts in 802 games played (91.3%). LSUs alums rank fifth all-time in touchdowns scored, with most of their best players lining up on the offensive side of the ball. The Bruins are considered a basketball school while nearby USC is considered the citys football school, but UCLA gets more than just the Trojans leftovers. The universities to follow Alabama were Ohio State, Florida, Louisiana State and Michigan, all courtesy of its football programs. The Sunshine State comes in at #3 with 149 total players in the NFL. Heres the breakdown: There are three colleges that have dominated Florida football for decades. Which Schools Have the Most NFL Players? West Virginia University's Morgantown recruits many of these athletes. After Georgia the drop-off is significant. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. The higher the AV, the greater the career he had. BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 09: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens rushes against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. Bottom line: Stanford didn't invent football, but the school helped popularize it in the 1920s and '30s with Pop Warner, who coached the Cardinal from 1924 to 1932. How 'bout them Hogs? Stay up to date with what you want to know. Rod Woodson already has a gold jacket and is the greatest Purdue football alum not named Brees. The school has just one first-round NFL pick since the 2011 season with Prince Amukamara going 19th overall in that years draft. With your help, we've gotten a lot done but we're not finished yet! The Alabama Crimson Tide has produced the most NFL players out of all college football teams. And that team just happens to be the only one that outpaced USC in NFL players produced. The school actually has more Heisman winners (2) than Pro Football Hall of Famers (1), though Von Miller or even Shane Lechler may one day even things up. The state of Mississippi has placed the most players in the NFL capita, according to a by Sidelines. 13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field. Recent post: What Color Is Associated With The Number 5? We also looked at career length to find which colleges players have the longest average careers on different NFL teams. Nebraska,. States with the most active players in the NFL, NBA and MLB - Audacy . 1. But that number dropped to 28 in 2022, due to some lean years for the Seminoles. Ohio, a traditional Midwest football-mad state, is fifth on the list in terms of NFL players. The Longhorns are no longer on top, and they are chasing Oklahoma for Big 12 supremacy in terms of NFL players produced. California and Texas are still at the top of the list. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. And some make NFL players. a proud member of the With 14 cities producing at least four players on Kickoff Weekend rosters, Texas surpassed Florida to lead the league in home states. Only Purdue (676), Oregon (687) and Arkansas (706) have fewer NFL touchdowns. The dominance of Florida, Florida State and Miami has dwindled slightly over the years, but they are still producing NFL players at a high rate. You could say it all started with the godfather of football, Pop Warner. To explain what we did, we cant think of a better team to spotlight than the aforementioned Arizona Cardinals, owners of the top overall pick this weekend. 15 colleges that have produced the most Super Bowl players