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. had produced 63 NFL players, the most among the nation . 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. by Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Today November 1, 2021, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.. That is 48 more than the team with the next most Pro Bowl selections. A study conducted by Grand Canyon University found that Notre Dame has produced the most players in NFL history, with 495 of the league's 25,453 all-time players coming out of the school. Arkansas (274) 24. Louisiana is famous for its Cajun food, jazz music, Mardi Gras -- and quarterbacks. While Washington D.C., which isnt a state, has the best ratio of any place, it is followed by six states that feature SEC schools. Together these seven states are the birthplaces of 846 NFL players. That's reflective of Arizona's NFL history, which includes longtime backup Mike Pagel. 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). The schools that dominate on Saturdays have their alumni playing on Sundays. California and Texas are still at the top of the list. First-rounders: 6. Bottom line: While six states on this list landed multiple programs in the top 25, only one city accomplished the feat, and thats Los Angeles. Kelly never got the program to the promised land, and Oregon still is searching for its first national championship. Bottom line:Most people think of Michigan State as a basketball school, but the Spartans are one of the best football programs in the nation in producing elite receivers. Will Furrer. Here's a breakdown of the 10 states with the most NFL. Notre Dame, USC, and Ohio State have produced 400 or more NFL players in history. Despite ranking ninth in all-time NFL players, the Huskers rank just 26th in active NFL players. Note: All figures are NFL stats for players. We're dedicated to keeping Mississippians informed with our thorough reporting. Total enrollment: 46,810. At present he serves the Minnesota Vikings as their Chief Operating Officer, making him one of the highest-ranking executives in the organization with the 18th pick in this years draft. North Dakota State's Trey Lance could be the first Minnesota QB selected in the first round. Trevor Lawrence, of Cartersville High, and Justin Fields, of Harrison High, became the top two recruits in the nation in 2018. However, 13 Wolverines have reached 1,000 NFL rushing yards with the latest being the greatest, Tom Brady. Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke dominated in the 1960s and '70s, and the Fighting Illinis success also is in yesteryear. But the Texas total computes to only 8.5 players per 100,000, about one-third of what Mississippi has produced. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images). Nearly 900 players came from the USC and UCLA campuses (separated by just 11 miles), but the majority of those are singing "Fight On.". Despite that, Washington has attracted many of the top players in the nation and its reach goes beyond its Seattle campus. Bottom line:1980 was a landmark year for the Georgia Bulldogs football program as they claimed their first national championship while riding the legs of Herschel Walker. Among states that have produced at least 15 NFL quarterbacks, Washington has the highest average draft position at 71.3 for its 16 QBs selected in the NFL draft (not counting the supplemental draft). More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. 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? Most touchdowns in NFL: LeGarrette Blount (58), Most games played in NFL: George Martin (201). 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. They are from Pro Football Reference and through the 2022 NFL season. We know most people arent fans of the Arizona Cardinals, so we went ahead and made a similar graphic for every other team in the National Football League, which you can click through in the above slideshow. Most touchdowns in NFL: Mike Alstott (71), Most games played in NFL: Drew Brees (287). Chris Spencer (center for Tennessee Titans), Jamarca Sanford (defensive back for Minnesota Vikings) and Damien Lewis (offensive line for Seattle Seahawks) are all outstanding players from Mississippi. Keep this news free and accessible to all by becoming a member and giving a recurring donation of any amount today. All rights reserved. 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. 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. These high schools have produced the most NFL players. That is about 9% of the current active players in the league. While Brady (and his seven rings) is the headliner, the Golden State's dominance is more than just the Golden Boy, a sixth-round pick who graduated from Serra High School in 1995. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. That Mississippi led all other states, said Diallo, was the part we found super interesting.. Seven of the school's 11 national championships came in the first half of the 20th century, and none of those titles have come in the last 30 years. Texas has produced more active NFL players than any other U.S. state. In terms of 2018 rosters, however, it comes as no surprise that Alabama, the premier program in college football over the last decade, leads the way with 53 players, enough for an entire official NFL roster, suiting up during the most recent season. 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. U.S. News rank: 57 (tie), National Universities. How 'bout them Hogs? Texas is a football crazy state where towns live and die by their local teams at every level. Nebraska - 346 6. Or should be. No. Of the 16 Tigers to make at least one All-Pro first team, 11 were offensive players including Hall of Famers Y.A. - Notre Dame, USC, and Ohio State are the schools with the most NFL players in history and the only colleges who have produced 400+ NFL players. The Penn State Nittany Lions, who began play in 1889, are among the most storied programs in . And giving them three is a bit generous since Troy Aikman started his career at OU, but finished it at UCLA. From 1960 to 1987, the franchise was located in St. Louis, and that westward move brought with it more players from the Southwest and Great Plains regions, as players from schools like Utah, Missouri and Nebraska starting appearing on the field more for the NFL franchise. Even with Aikman, Oklahoma has fewer Hall of Famers than Morgan State, San Francisco and Jackson State, all schools with fewer than 100 NFL players. Bottom line: Youll notice a trend with nearly all of the schools on this list most reside in small college towns and outside of major cities. 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. 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. Unfortunately, the two never shared a backfield while at Iowa, or maybe thats fortunate for opposing quarterbacks. Jake Rill contributes to news coverage for Saturday Down South. Heres a breakdown of every states active NFL players. However, Nebraska hasnt finished in the top 10 in the final AP poll since the 2001 season, and its once-abundant NFL pipeline has all but dried up. 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. He might be No. We also identified the college football programs that sent the most players to the NFL within those states. 13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field. Bottom line:The Auburn Tigers are not currently considered an SEC powerhouse, but it wasn't that long ago when they were. Any sources cited were From John Brodie and Jim Plunkett to John Elway and Andrew Luck, there's a reason Stanford has a reputation as Quarterback U. The only thing missing from Alabamas NFL resume is a shutdown cornerback. While that number seems impressive, its a low number for this list and ranks just 81st in terms of all college football programs. AV refers to approximate value and is PFRs attempt to quantify a players career value. All six of the Nittany Lions' Pro Football Hall of Famers come from those states, including Franco Harris and Jack Ham, who were Penn State teammates and then teammates with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 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 may be compensated for the links provided on this page. Rounding out the top five are USC (479), Ohio State (426), Penn State (359), and Nebraska (346). But the Texas total computes to only 8.5 players per 100,000, about one-third of what Mississippi has produced. There have been 149 players in NFL history to rush for 5,000 yards in a career, but none of them have donned the maize and blue. Please reload the page and try again. Here are some takeaways: - Notre Dame has produced more NFL players than any other college, with 495 athletes going on to play in the NFL. But the program has produced some elite NFL stars. None are bigger than Drew Brees, who threw for 80,358 yards in his NFL career, more yards than any other quarterback in NFL history. The most prolific quarterback state of the 2010s is Florida with nine, including Lamar Jackson and Teddy Bridgewater. Miami - 341 8. Arkansas football also produced Jerry Jones, Hall of Fame owner of the Dallas Cowboys, and Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer, two Super Bowl-winning coaches in Dallas. 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. Michigan - 346 7. In the City of Miami, State of Florida, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School produces the most NFL players. With 14 cities producing at least four players on Kickoff Weekend rosters, Texas surpassed Florida to lead the league in home states. Even though Florida has had over 385 former Gators suit up in the NFL, none of those players were ever drafted first overall out of UF. Bottom line:The U may not have the same prestige it had at the turn of the century, but there is no denying Miamis presence in the NFL. 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). There are 151 NFL players that came from colleges across California. Thanks to a slew of legendary coaches and a tradition . Bottom line:Whether or not Notre Dame is the greatest program in NCAA history is up for debate, but theres no denying the impact that the Fighting Irish football program has had on the NFL. Louisiana, with 25 NFL QBs, including Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, is No. 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. And in 2018 and 2019, one out of four quarterbacks who started Week 1 hailed from the Lone Star State. Time will tell! North Carolina Perhaps a surprise to some, North Carolina takes the fourth spot. Heres the full chart that Feldman shared on Twitter below: The District of Columbia, with one NFL player for every 54,702 residents, has the most NFL players per capita. It was enough to move . By Jackson. Dont forget to take advantage of Caesars Sportsbooks NCAAF odds week-in and week-out! A bust is waiting for Brees in Canton. By continuing to navigate this site you are consenting to the collection of information via our use of cookies. But the Texas total computes to only 8.5 players per 100,000, about one-third of what Mississippi has produced. Florida ranked third with 149. Bottom line:Michigan has the second most all-time wins in college football history (behind Alabama), produced perhaps the greatest quarterback in NFL history (Tom Brady) and even had a future president play for them (Gerald Ford). Rod Woodson already has a gold jacket and is the greatest Purdue football alum not named Brees. Others create politicians. 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. Of that 82, 74 are playing in the NFL after spending time at Nick Saban's powerhouse football program. You may have been obsessed with becoming You may have already come across the term senioritis while in high school, and perhaps youve dealt with a bout of it already as you prepared for your high school graduation. And some make NFL players. And where does the 2021 NFL draft class of quarterbacks come from? Brees or Woodson at the top of the Purdue football alumni depth chart? Be sure to visit the Action Networks NCAAF Odds page each week to the lay of the land for betting lines. Looking at the current NFL landscape, Action Network was able to identify several hot spots where top talent came from. Florida was also the home of superstars like Dalvin Cook, Amari Cooper, Lavonte David, Derrick Henry, Calvin Ridley and Matthew Stafford. Their list of 10 Hall of Famers is sure to grow in the near future as Larry Fitzgerald, Darrelle Revis and Aaron Donald likely will receive their gold jackets one day. Some regions of the country, though, have become well known for regularly producing NFL-caliber talent. The state of California has produced the most players in today's NFL. 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. Notre Dame and USC were actually tied for the most draft selections ever entering the 2021 draft with 511. The remaining seven states to crack the top 10 are Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, North Carolina and New Jersey. Thats a no-brainer. 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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). They often get those TV slots since their players will be playing in the NFL in a few years. We center readers in everything we do, informingand engagingMississippians through reporting, podcasts, events and online communities. Would we Mississippians rather be ranked No. Help keep the momentum going by rejoining our member community today. Active NFL players from Texas include Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes; Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams. This makes up 2.79% of the NFL. Weve ranked the best NFL-talent producing universities in Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, and Alabama. Thats right, Mississippi, for its population, produces more pro football players than Texas, Florida, California and more than Louisiana and Alabama, as well. 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. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelors in journalism, Rick has worked for the Monroe (La.) 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. necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Bottom line:Wisconsin has the most NFL players of any school to never win a national championship their highest season-ending finish was No. Louisiana QBs have nine Super Bowl wins in 14 starts. 4-year graduation rate: 66%. Here is an in-depth look at the top five states. By state, NFL training-camp rosters had 336 former Texas high school players, 293 from Florida, 285 from California and 232 from Georgia. Those three states currently have 597 players in the NFL. The GLIAC has the most active NFL players with 10, followed by the Mid-America conference with 9. According to Pro Football Reference, Arizona has produced 19 NFL quarterbacks, eighth most in the country, but it has the lowest percentage of starts (55%) among states with at least 400 games . About Saturday Down South | Ethics and Editorial Standards | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Other Conferences: Big Ten | ACC | Pac-12. What state produces the most NFL players header image. The only thing missing from Washingtons NFL alumni is a successful wide receiver. . Oklahoma - 328 9. These colleges have produced the most NFL players, and they have a track record of success on the gridiron. The school has just one first-round NFL pick since the 2011 season with Prince Amukamara going 19th overall in that years draft. The NFLs all-time leading receiver and touchdown scorer is Jerry Rice, from Crawford and Mississippi Valley State. They are followed by Florida, Texas, Georgia and then Ohio. 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). is known world wide for having some of the best athletes in the world. More:Mississippi State upends No. 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. After starring at Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Woodson stayed close to home and became an All-American for the Boilermakers. In the last six years . Follow on Twitter @RichExner or see previous stories at cleveland.com/datacentral. Its not just quantity were talking about either. In Ohio, Cuyahoga County alone is the birthplace of 17 players. 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. The Volunteers can thank three players for boosting up their number of Pro Bowl selections: Peyton Manning (14), Reggie White (13) and Jason Witten (11) account for nearly 30 percent of those nods. But that number dropped to 28 in 2022, due to some lean years for the Seminoles. 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. 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. Ohio State - 426 4. According to Pro Football Reference, Arizona has produced 19 NFL quarterbacks, eighth most in the country, but it has the lowest percentage of starts (55%) among states with at least 400 games played. Which city has the most NFL players in 2020? Their time will come. Current NFL players: 37. Mississippi not only produces the most NFL players per capita, but not only that, the state also produced the most Pro Football Hall of Famers per capita, as well, Diallo said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Led by Manning and league MVPs Brett Favre and Steve McNair, they made 732 starts in 802 games played (91.3%). And that Mississippi number doesnt count such NFL legends as Ray Guy, Robert Brazile and Gene Hickerson, who played their college ball in Mississippi after growing up in nearby states. The Boilermakers started playing football in 1892 and have sent big names to the NFL. Mississippi averages 26.6 NFL players for every 100,000 citizens. Will Texas cede its dominance, or will it hold strong as the top NFL-producing state? Alabama (17) was a distant fifth. Notre Dame - 495 2. The universities to follow Alabama were Ohio State, Florida, Louisiana State and Michigan, all courtesy of its football programs. Mississippi averages 26.6 NFL players for every 100,000 citizens. California ranked second among all U.S. states with 151 players drafted. 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. That is reflected by the Gators having the fifth-most active players in the NFL despite being outside the top 10 in total players. 1 in health, wealth and education? The most notable star to come from the Sunshine State is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. It is reflected in the NFL as well. The rest of the country and other places around the world are home to 838 players. We will be watching alongside our fellow fans to see how it all unfolds and watch the young men getting drafted move on to the next phase of their lives. 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. Second is Ohio State with 67, followed by LSU with 62. NFL Players By College - Overall Top 10 All-Time 1. While ranking 22nd in all-time NFL players, Auburn ranks 23rd in active players after ranking eighth in 2019, pointing to their recent struggles. Every April, a new crop of young men try to make the leap from college to the pros where they will try to carve out a career for themselves in the NFL. Eventually, we had gathered data on every player to ever appear on an active NFL roster, including their position, who they played for, how long they played in the league and of course which college they attended. 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. In Georgia, one NFL player is played for every 81,409 people, while in Florida, one is played for every 91,847 people. Brees also won a Super Bowl (XLIV), was Super Bowl MVP, a 13-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro. His work as a syndicated columnist and celebrated sports writer has appeared in numerous magazines, periodicals and newspapers. Or should. North Carolina can claim 121 current NFL players in the league. That group includes former No. Which ZIP code has produced the most NFL quarterbacks? The research was done by Sidelines, a sports technology and digital media company, which also found that Texas has produced the most NFL players (2,515) of any state. And of those, 11 come from high schools located within 30 miles of Atlanta. Here is a breakdown of the states where the most active NFL players were born Sign up for notifications from Insider! CLEVELAND, Ohio - Half the players on NFL rosters are from just seven states, with Ohio being among the top producers of pro football talent. Cardale Jones. Despite having more pro players than Arizona State, Iowa alums have scored 363 fewer touchdowns (730 to 1093), which places them close to last on this top 30 list. Its one of the most exciting times of the year for football fans around the country. 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. Mississippi State upends No. About 20 miles on I-75 separate the Georgia high school homes of two of the draft's top QB prospects. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with Mississippi Today. The only thing UCLA is missing is an elite NFL receiver since theyve had Pro Bowlers at every position except out wide. Texas A&M led all Texas college football programs with 37 current NFL players, followed by the University of Texas (29), TCU (25), Baylor (23) and Houston (20). North Carolina can claim 121 current NFL players in the league. 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. 13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. No matter who you root for, the NFL Draft represents an exciting time in the lives of football fans, one that brings the promise and potential of new talent and new hopes for on-field success. Interestingly, the 1988 move to Phoenix marked an end to regionality having an outsize influence on roster decisions, with Michigan Wolverines playing for the Cardinals at a greater clip than any other school in both the 2000s and 2010s. 64 overall) of the San Diego Chargers in the 1973 NFL draft. You cant edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. But the Ducks have had a lot of talent over the years. Bottom line:Another one of the schools without a national title, the Hawkeyes are a perfect nickname for Iowa because their best two players seemingly had hawk eyes. The Alabama Crimson Tide has produced the most NFL players out of all college football teams. After Georgia the drop-off is significant. Bottom line:Illinois never won a national championship, but the Illini had two of the most iconic players in NFL history. 211 current NFL players came from a school in Texas. Historically, Texas, California, and Pennsylvania have been hotbeds for football talent. Out of all colleges, Notre Dame has produced 521 players selected in the NFL draft. Notre Dames lack of recent success bears out in the number of active players the Irish have in the NFL. 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. restaurant revitalization fund update 2022,