Can you name the seven states that have not produced an NFL quarterback? Nearly 900 players came from the USC and UCLA campuses (separated by just 11 miles), but the majority of those are singing "Fight On.". Bottom line:Florida is the only state to place three schools in the top 25, and despite FSU having the most recent success of the three programs, the Seminoles rank last in the Battle for Florida. But great players in Norman havent translated to great players in the NFL. 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). The higher the AV, the greater the career he had. Another amazing fact: Jackson State, alone, has produced four Hall of Famers, three of them native Mississippians. Jim Druckenmiller. The Sunshine State comes in at #3 with 149 total players in the NFL. 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. 1. Across NFL draft history, Notre Dame and USC have seen the most alums get drafted, according to drafthistory.com -- and they are also the most popular programs for the Eagles over time. Jones was a Razorback starter at offensive guard and co-captain when the team won the national title. In the college game, Tennessee has fallen off over the last 20 years, recording just two top-10 finish over that span. Nick Saban has given NFL franchises 29 first-round picks during his time as Alabama's head coach 13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. And there are currently no players that were born in the state of Vermont. By Jackson. For the Cardinals, this means that Georgia Tech and Duke footballers last the longest with the franchise at nearly four seasons on average. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using. Read on to see the results. They both were middle linebackers and played for rival franchises in the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, respectively. 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. Here are the universities cultivating the talent: In Alabama, theres no denying which school is best at producing professional football players. Michigan - 346 7. More than 25 percent of its 98 Pro Bowl selections came from just four defensive backs: Mike Haynes (9), Eric Allen (6), Louis Wright (5) and Darren Woodson (5). Always has. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Half the players on NFL rosters are from just seven states, with Ohio being among the top producers of pro football talent. In Ohio, Cuyahoga County alone is the birthplace of 17 players. There are 151 NFL players that came from colleges across California. The state of Mississippi has placed the most players in the NFL capita, according to a by Sidelines. More NFL players (199) graduated from Texas than any. One of the first things we found was how many players have ever donned the teams uniform throughout the entirety of the franchises history. We also identified the college football programs that sent the most players to the NFL within those states. Mississippi averages 26.6 NFL players for every 100,000 citizens. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Any amount helps us keep producing quality journalism for Mississippi. 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). Of those 1,800+ players, the school that has produced the most Cardinals is Notre Dame, with an even 50, well ahead of LSU in second place. a proud member of the Without Fitzpatrick's 146 starts, the canyon between Arizona and runner-up Ohio, at 57.6% for its 34 QBs, would be even wider. Johnson was on that same Arkansas team in 1964 and played defensive end during his college days. And now, theres even data that would appear to back it up. Florida is another NFL-producing machine. Fortunately for the Sooners, Adrian Peterson is sure to increase that number five years after he retires. That is, the Magnolia State, relatively small and poor in so many ways, kicks tail when it comes to producing football talent. It is reflected in the NFL as well. Alabama, Ohio State, and LSU have been at the forefront of the supply chain of great talent for the NFL. To learn more about our cartoon syndication services. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. In terms of players by decade, the NFL relied heavily on schools from the Midwest such as Notre Dame and Minnesota in the early days, before shifting their focus out west to USC in the 70s and 80s before settling into a varied approach that has seen schools from the Midwest, California, and the Southeast regularly headlining NFL rosters over the last 30 years. 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. In 2016, Favre became the ninth native Mississippian inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You can only publish select stories individually not as a collection. Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama round out the top five. Unfortunately, the two never shared a backfield while at Iowa, or maybe thats fortunate for opposing quarterbacks. 1 overall pick in 1993, was one of four first-round picks from Washington and one of 12 taken within the first 100 selections. Action Network's list of the top 10 states with the most active NFL players is listed below: Texas- 211 California- 149 Florida- 149 North Carolina- 121 Alabama- 109 Pennsylvania- 106 Ohio- 104 Michigan- 103 Louisiana- 102 Georgia- 89 Advertise With Us For You . 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. 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. Using traditional offensive and defensive formations as our guide, we were able to create a unique starting lineup of college football teams, using their logos as stand-ins. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. Westlake (Austin, Texas) High and Isidore Newman (New Orleans) School represent the only two ZIP codes in the country to produce multiple Super Bowl-winning starting quarterbacks. Bottom line:Illinois never won a national championship, but the Illini had two of the most iconic players in NFL history. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images). In the City of Miami, State of Florida, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School produces the most NFL players. 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 . The 2022 season has seen 58 active players from the Alabama lineage. 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 Penn State Nittany Lions, who began play in 1889, are among the most storied programs in . But Texas surpassed the Golden State in the 2000s with 25 quarterbacks (to California's 22), and they are tied with eight in the 2010s. Second is Ohio State with 67, followed by LSU with 62. Weve looked at the top states for producing NFL players, but how about the most successful schools within those states? Their time will come. 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. Bottom line: The California Golden Bears have been playing football since 1916. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. And some make NFL players. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. About 20 miles on I-75 separate the Georgia high school homes of two of the draft's top QB prospects. Brett Favre, from Kiln and Southern Miss, is No. AV refers to approximate value and is PFRs attempt to quantify a players career value. LSU - 325 10. The District of Columbia, with one NFL player for every 54,702 residents, has the most NFL players per capita. This site .css-110721q{color:#0079F0;}contains commercial content. Arkansas has sent almost 300 players to the NFL. 1 in health, wealth and education? Second is California with 187, followed by Texas (160), Georgia (97), Ohio (80), Pennsylvania (66) and Louisiana (63). We do not sell or share your information with anyone. Now youre an History of Colleges Most Represented on NFL Rosters, 3300 West Camelback Road - Phoenix, AZ 85017, Criminal Justice, Government & Public Administration. But Michigan also has struggled when it comes to skill position players in the NFL. Note: Birthplace for 14 players could not immediately be determined. Evans . For a better experience, please consider using a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Yes, Bulldogs Dak Prescott and perhaps Fletcher Cox are future Hall of Famers but thats a few years away. But now, Florida has joined them as one of the three biggest producers of NFL talent. 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. Top 10 States that have produced the greatest NFL quarterbacks Graphic by Ryan Escobar 1. Troy Aikman, Jonathan Ogden and Jimmy Johnson all have rejected USC for Westwood and currently reside in the Hall of Fame. 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. It was enough to move . This college has also produced the second-most players in the 2021 season. 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. 2 following the 1962 season. 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. 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). 1 overall pick. Time will tell! Despite ranking fifth among all programs in NFL players produced, Penn State doesnt even lead the Big Ten in that regard, or even rank second. is known world wide for having some of the best athletes in the world. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. 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. From there, we ranked which state currently has produced the most NFL players. 13 Texas A&M at Kyle Field. Pennsylvania State University--University. necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Colorado . The Ohio State University has produced a total of 411 players since the 17th NFL season in 1936. More:Mississippi State upends 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. But that number dropped to 28 in 2022, due to some lean years for the Seminoles. 3 is Georgia (one in 78,761). Most touchdowns in NFL: James Lofton (76), Most games played in NFL: John Elway (234). Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Please reload the page and try again. 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. Despite that, Washington has attracted many of the top players in the nation and its reach goes beyond its Seattle campus. Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. Florida State (275) 23. For more information on our cookie collection and use please visit our Privacy Policy. Total enrollment: 46,810. Here's a breakdown of the 10 states with the most NFL. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. No. Alabama is ranked first in the country in terms of NFL players per capita, with one NFL player per 74,683 residents. Yale Lary is the only Hall of Famer in school history, and that one HOF selection is the fewest of any school on this list. Despite ranking ninth in all-time NFL players, the Huskers rank just 26th in active NFL players. Both J.J. Watt and Russell Wilson started their college careers elsewhere, then ended their playing days suiting up for the red and white of the Wisconsin Badgers. While that number seems impressive, its a low number for this list and ranks just 81st in terms of all college football programs. 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. 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. Some colleges excel at producing Fortune 500 CEOs. had produced 63 NFL players, the most among the nation . We also looked at career length to find which colleges players have the longest average careers on different NFL teams. 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). 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. Arkansas (274) 24. Thats more than much larger states such as New York (7) and New Jersey (6). Newman had Peyton and Eli Manning, and Westlake's Drew Brees and Nick Foles also led world champions. 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. Mississippi State has produced four fewer first-round picks this century than its Egg Bowl rival, Ole Miss, but it's gaining ground on that front . First-rounders: 6. Heres the breakdown: There are three colleges that have dominated Florida football for decades. You cant edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Twenty-eight states have fewer.The Cuyahoga natives, with the listed place of birth, are: Rankings could vary slightly because the birth places for 14 players were not immediately available, and rosters can change daily. accurate as of the publish date. We're dedicated to keeping Mississippians informed with our thorough reporting. Of those, 74 have made it to the big game, with three former Buckeyes making four Super Bowl appearances each.. But the Ducks have had a lot of talent over the years. Total enrollment in fall 2021: 13,139. 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. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. 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. They often get those TV slots since their players will be playing in the NFL in a few years. 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. Nebraska - 346 6. And in 2018 and 2019, one out of four quarterbacks who started Week 1 hailed from the Lone Star State. (You can find them here.). Brees also won a Super Bowl (XLIV), was Super Bowl MVP, a 13-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro. The most notable star to come from the Sunshine State is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. 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. Colleges That Have Produced the Most NFL Players Alabama's Crimson Tide has 58 former student-athletes in the NFL, producing more pro players recently than other colleges. Eleven ZIP codes have produced three NFL QBs, and 60 can boast two. Then he starred for the Steelers, Ravens, 49ers and Raiders in the NFL. Ousmane Diallo, a data analyst for Rise at Seven, led a team of five that did the research and tallied the results. 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 cleveland.com review of opening week. Try selecting a different location. Colleges with the most NFL players all time . Many of the schools on this list are poised to send another great class of rookies to the NFL next season. After Georgia the drop-off is significant. LSUs alums rank fifth all-time in touchdowns scored, with most of their best players lining up on the offensive side of the ball. So we set out to determine what state produces the most NFL players. Bottom line: Smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania, Penn State isnt far from Ohio, New York and New Jersey. All four of those states are among the top 10 in producing NFL players, so Penn State is in an ideal location to land top talent. After all, our hometown Arizona Cardinals have the first overall pick! Three of those Razorbackers became Hall of Famers: wide receiver Lance Alworth, defensive lineman Dan Hampton and free safety Steve Atwater. 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. While everything may be bigger in Texas, the Aggies come up small in terms of Pro Football Hall of Famers. Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports shared a chart on Twitter on Thursday that breaks down which states have the most NFL players per capita. We prefer Author Name, Mississippi Today in the byline. Of that 82, 74 are playing in the NFL after spending time at Nick Saban's powerhouse football program. While ranking 22nd in all-time NFL players, Auburn ranks 23rd in active players after ranking eighth in 2019, pointing to their recent struggles. Rod Woodson already has a gold jacket and is the greatest Purdue football alum not named Brees. Ohio has 71 players in the league followed by Alabama with 61, Virginia with 58 (and that so many played at prep school in that state helps) and North . U.S. News rank: 57 (tie), National Universities. But in recent years, the states that are football factories has shifted a little. 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. Heres a breakdown of every states active NFL players. Heck, it doesnt even finish in the top two in its own division thanks to the two participants of "The Game" beating them out. Follow on Twitter @RichExner or see previous stories at cleveland.com/datacentral. That is 48 more than the team with the next most Pro Bowl selections. Ohio State's Justin Fields was a five-star recruit at Harrison High. 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). Additionally, Miami wins the all-important Battle for Florida since it has more Pro Bowl selections (181) than Florida State (103) and Florida (89). Bottom line:No program has more wins or a better win percentage since World War II than Oklahoma a testament to the great players who have come through Norman. 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. Oliver Luck hailed from St. Ignatius, but the 44113 doesn't get credit for his son Andrew, who went to high school in Texas. Tittle, Steve Van Buren and Kevin Mawae. But that is debatable. Walter Payton, from Columbia and Jackson State, is the NFLs second all-time leading rusher. Despite all of that success in the defensive backfield, the Sun Devils never have won a national championship, making them just one of six teams on this list without a natty. NFL draft picks since 2000: 57. Would we Mississippians rather be ranked No. In fact, since Saban became coach in 2007, the Crimson Tide have more first-round picks (39) than losses (27). By continuing to navigate this site you are consenting to the collection of information via our use of cookies. Led by Manning and league MVPs Brett Favre and Steve McNair, they made 732 starts in 802 games played (91.3%). Mississippi State upends No. Meanwhile, the Magnolia State has plenty to celebrate when it comes to football or writers and entertainers, for that matter. Warner collected 71 of his 311 career college wins at Stanford and changed the game with the forward pass. Only five players in the program's history have been selected first . We support responsible gambling. California ranked second among all U.S. states with 151 players drafted. The only thing missing from Washingtons NFL alumni is a successful wide receiver. The only thing missing from Alabamas NFL resume is a shutdown cornerback. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Most touchdowns in NFL: Tony Gonzalez (111), Most games played in NFL: Tony Gonzalez (270). 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. These five state's account for close to 50% of. Heres how the rest of the list shakes out: The college football landscape is already taking shape for the 2022-23 season. 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. 2 Alabama, SEC Women's Basketball Tournament action suspended due to weather delay, 2 SEC players named to late-season watch list for Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy, Overrated? The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not Note: All figures are NFL stats for players. The Buckeye State had 78 players in the NFL ranks in 2014. And some make NFL players. 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. He might be No. 3 is Georgia (one in 78,761). 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. Pennsylvania - 443.4 Most touchdowns in NFL: Mike Alstott (71), Most games played in NFL: Drew Brees (287). Here is an in-depth look at the top five states. The most NFL players have come from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Miami, Florida, and the state of Florida. But Florida State is rising up the ranks, and of its four Hall of Famers, three have been enshrined in Canton this decade. Keep this news free and accessible to all by becoming a member and giving a recurring donation of any amount today. The United States of quarterbacks will add more members to the club April 29-May 1 with the NFL draft (on ESPN/ESPN App) and maybe someday make some QB-starved states proud (we're looking at you, Utah and Minnesota). 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? Kelly never got the program to the promised land, and Oregon still is searching for its first national championship. Despite putting 54 defensive backs in the NFL, including 14 first-rounders, no Bama corner has ever made a Pro Bowl. Or should be. California is more than just Tom Brady, and the great state of Texas hasn't been so great when it comes to producing NFL QBs, according to our formula, which counts a player's home state as the one in which he finished his high school career. Although the Magnolia State has boasted just 11 NFL quarterbacks during the Super Bowl era (tied for 12th among all states), almost all of them were QB1s. We are particularly interested in which colleges have been the most successful at sending players to the pros. Louisiana QBs have nine Super Bowl wins in 14 starts. North Carolina can claim 121 current NFL players in the league. Together these seven states are the birthplaces of 846 NFL players. At the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota, Delaware, and New Hampshire are each the birthplace of a single player in the NFL. Florida was also the home of superstars like Dalvin Cook, Amari Cooper, Lavonte David, Derrick Henry, Calvin Ridley and Matthew Stafford. Thanks to a slew of legendary coaches and a tradition . Thats right, Mississippi, for its population, produces more pro football players than Texas, Florida, California and more than Louisiana and Alabama, as well. With the 2020 season officially underway, CBS unveiled an incredible graphic that shows which states produce the most NFL players. Notably, however, LSU was the school most represented on the 2018 Cardinals roster. Will Texas cede its dominance, or will it hold strong as the top NFL-producing state? The most prolific quarterback state of the 2010s is Florida with nine, including Lamar Jackson and Teddy Bridgewater. 1 overall picks and 6,532 TD passes. 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. Mississippi averages 26.6 NFL players for every 100,000 citizens. pic.twitter.com/bxIOhq6fqz, Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) September 13, 2018. That's the highest start percentage of any state with at least 400 games played. Miami - 341 8. 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. With the 2021 NFL Draft now firmly in the rearview mirror, here's an updated look at the 25 schools with the most all-time NFL Draft picks. These rankings are based on rosters published by Stats LLC on Monday afternoon, three days before the start of the season. How 'bout them Cowboys? In third place for most NFL players is California, which gets to claim two legendary players in Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. One of the exciting things about going to college is that youll have the opportunity to direct the course of your own education. 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. Before making life miserable for NFL defenses, they were doing the same to opponents in college. City of Miami, State of Florida, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Produce Most NFL Players Which state has most NFL players per capita? The data was analyzed through the lenses of number of quarterbacks, Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Super Bowl wins and NFL approximate value (AV). With 56 players, Alabama's roster in 2019 is the largest. From John Brodie and Jim Plunkett to John Elway and Andrew Luck, there's a reason Stanford has a reputation as Quarterback U. Coach Urban Meyer preparing players for the NFL also was a huge attraction as many of those 65 players came under his tenure. California, with 141 quarterbacks, is tops in the union with 14 Super Bowl wins in 25 starts, three Hall of Famers, seven No. Ohio State - 426 4. 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.