The high schools with the most NFL players are the ones that consistently have the biggest impact on the scope of the game today. They’re known for producing the most high-quality, talented, and gifted players that go on to play with some of the best football stars in the world.
The road to the NFL is a long and grueling process that thousands of players hope to achieve every year, but only a select few actually find success at. For most of these players, their journey starts in high school — where they first start attracting recruiters from college campuses.
Those that play well at the high school level will have an opportunity to showcase their talent at the college level. From there, they must grab the attention of NFL scouts and coaches in hopes of getting a call on draft day — which is their real opportunity to make a name for themselves.
RELATED: 20 Football Records That May Never Be Broken
Ranking the Top Football High Schools With the Most NFL Players
Every year, the NFL welcomes a new draft class into the league and while those players often come from a wide range of different backgrounds, we can’t help but notice that some high schools produce more NFL players than others and they do it on a consistent, yearly basis.
There are a number of factors that play a role in this. A lot of the credit goes to the head coaches of these high school football teams, but you also have to understand that some high schools have better competition than others and some have better summer programs in the offseason.
Either way, the high schools with the most NFL players are the ones that college recruiters and NFL scouts spend a majority of their time at. If you want a player that’s ready for the next level, the high schools with the most NFL players are always a great place to start your search.
25. Junipero Serra High School
Total NFL Players: 22 players
Active NFL Players: 6 players
Notable Alumni: Robert Woods, Adoree’ Jackson, Marqise Lee, Paul Richardson, Phil Smith, Deon Figures, Bené Benwikere, Rasheem Green, Duke Ihenacho
Location: Gardena, California
Nickname: Junipero Serra Cavaliers
Robert Woods is arguably the best football player to come from Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, California. He has 552 receptions, 6,843 receiving yards, 33 receiving touchdowns, and 4 rushing touchdowns in 121 NFL games. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Rams.
24. Kiski School
Total NFL Players: 22 players
Active NFL Players: 0 players
Notable Alumni: Hunter Enis, Doc Elliott, Tony Bova, James Clark, Joe Crowley, Paul Riblett,
Location: Saltsburg, Pennsylvania
Nickname: Kiski Cougars
Kiski High School hasn’t produced an NFL player in a long time and currently don’t have any active players in the NFL. Hunter Enis was the last Kiski High School football player to make it to the NFL (1960), but he only lasted two years. Doc Elliott had the most success in the NFL.
23. William M. Raines High School
Total NFL Players: 23 players
Active NFL Players: 0 players
Notable Alumni: Rod Gardner, Jabar Gaffney, Shawn Jefferson, Harold Carmichael, Ken Burrough, Derrick Gaffney, Terry LeCount, Brian Dawkins, Leto Sheppard, Derrick Alexander
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Nickname: Raines Vikings
William M. Raines High School produced eight receivers with more than 1,000 receiving yards in the NFL — Harold Carmichael had the most with 8,985 yards and 79 touchdowns receiving. On defense, Brian Dawkins recorded 37 interceptions, 36 forced fumbles, and 26 sacks.
22. Glades Central High School
Total NFL Players: 23 players
Active NFL Players: 4 players
Notable Alumni: Travis Benjamin, Cre’von LeBlanc, Jatavis Brown, Clive Walford, Kelvin Benjamin, Santionio Holmes, Fred Taylor, Jessie Hester, Louis Oliver, Jimmy Spencer, Ray McDonald,
Location: Belle Glade, Florida
Nickname: Glades Central Raiders
Glades Central High School has produced several high-quality NFL players. Louis Oliver and Jimmy Spencer had a combined 53 interceptions in the NFL, Fred Taylor had 66 rushing touchdowns, and they had five wide receivers record more than 16 receiving touchdowns.
21. Compton High School
Total NFL Players: 23 players
Active NFL Players: One player
Notable Alumni: Datone Jones, Aaron Craver, Roy Jefferson, Marv Fleming, Walter Roberts, Mike Richardson, Robin Cole
Location: Compton, California
Nickname: Compton Tartar Babies
Compton High School currently has one player, Datone Jones, in the NFL and he has recorded 10 sacks, one interception, and one fumble recovery in his career. Roy Jefferson had the best career, finishing with 451 catches, 7,539 receiving yards, and 52 receiving touchdowns.
20. Massillon Washington High School
Total NFL Players: 23 players
Active NFL Players: 2 players
Notable Alumni: Jim Houston, Chris Spielman, Tom Hannon, Steve Luke, Gareon Conley, Devin Smith, Horace Gillom, Gerry Allen
Location: Massillon, Ohio
Nickname: Massillon Tigers
Gareon Conley and Devin Smith are the only two active players that came from Massillon High School. They’re known for producing quality defensive players, including Tommy James with 34 interceptions, Chris Spielman with 1,363 tackles, and Jim Houston with 29.5 sacks.
19. South Oak Cliff High School
Total NFL Players: 24 players
Active NFL Players: 0 players
Notable Alumni: Mike Livingston, Karl Sweetan, Wayne Morris, Oscar Roan, Michael Downs, Tim Collier, Rod Jones, Harvey Martin
Location: Dallas, Texas
Nickname: South Oak Cliff Golden Bears
South Oak Cliff High School doesn’t have any active players in the NFL, but they’ve produced some talented players in the past. Harvey Martin’s 114.0 career (unofficial) sacks ranks 32nd all-time, Michael Downs had 35 interceptions, and Wayne Downs had 43 total touchdowns.
18. John Tyler High School
Total NFL Players: 24 players
Active NFL Players: 2 players
Notable Alumni: Earl Campbell, Greg Ward, Kendall Hunter, Charlie Milstead, Aaron Ross, Gary Baxter, Tyus Bowser, Tim Crowder
Location: Tyler, Texas
Nickname: Tyler Lions
John Tyler High School is most known for producing one of the greatest running backs to ever play. Earl Campbell finished his career with 9,407 rushing yards and 74 rushing touchdowns. Tyus Bowser and Greg Ward are the only two active players in the NFL from John Tyler HS.
17. Ball High School
Total NFL Players: 24 players
Active NFL Players: One player
Notable Alumni: Mike Evans, Charles Alexander, Kimble Anders, Whitney Paul, Eric Hill,
Location: Galveston, Texas
Nickname: Ball Tornadoes
Ball High School is best known for producing one of the best wide receivers in the league today — Mike Evans. In 111 games, he has 561 catches, 8,659 yards, and 65 touchdowns. Whitney Paul also had a great career with 47 sacks, 11 interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns.
16. Miami Central High School
Total NFL Players: 25 players
Active NFL Players: 6 players
Notable Alumni: Dalvin Cook, Devonta Freeman, John Miller, Carroll Phillips, Ahmad Thomas, Kevin Pamphile, Travaris Cadet, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Al Richardson, Bruce Armstrong
Location: Miami, Florida
Nickname: Central Rockets
Miami Central High School has produced six active players in the NFL right now and is known for producing some great running backs — including Dalvin Cook, Willis McGahee, and Devonta Freeman. Al Richardson had a nice career on the defensive end with 21.5 sacks.
15. Crenshaw High School
Total NFL Players: 25 players
Active NFL Players: 4 players
Notable Alumni: Wendell Tyler, Clint Sampson, De’Anthony Thomas, Duane Galloway, Kerry Justin, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Charles DeJurnett, Brandon Mebane, Reggie Lewis
Location: Los Angeles, California
Nickname: Crenshaw Cougars
Crenshaw High School currently has four active players in the NFL, but it’s Wendell Tyler and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila that are the two legends at this high school. Tyler had 66 total touchdowns in his career, while Gbaja-Biamila had 74.5 sacks and 17 forced fumbles.
14. Abraham Lincoln High School
Total NFL Players: 25 players
Active NFL Players: 0 players
Notable Alumni: Marcus Allen, Akili Smith, Terrell Davis, Dave Grayson, Wally Henry, Lew Barnes, Doug Reed
Location: San Diego, California
Nickname: Lincoln Hornets
Abraham Lincoln High School has produced one of the greatest halfbacks of all-time — Marcus Allen. He recorded over 17,600 total yards and 144 touchdowns in his career. Terrell Davis had 60 rushing touchdowns, Doug Reed had 22.5 sacks, and Dave Grayson had 48 interceptions.
13. Evanston High School
Total NFL Players: 25 players
Active NFL Players: One player
Notable Alumni: Emery Moorehead, Cecil Martin, Damon Jones, Alex Agase, Jim Purnell, Paddy Driscoll, Laurie Walquist
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Nickname: Evanston Wildkits
Evanston High School isn’t known for producing big names in the NFL, but they’ve produced 25 NFL players — enough for 13th in high schools with the most NFL players. Paddy Driscoll and Emery Moorehead are arguably the best Wildkits’ alumni, while Naquan Jones is the latest.
12. Longview High School
Total NFL Players: 25 players
Active NFL Players: 5 players
Notable Alumni: Trent Williams, Chris Ivory, Rickey Watts, Willie Andrews, Josh Scobee, Mike Clark, Bobby Taylor
Location: Longview, Texas
Nickname: Longview Lobos
Longview High School has produced several good players over the past 70 years — three of which started their NFL careers recently. The big name players are Chris Ivory (32 total touchdowns), Josh Scobee (241 field goals), and Trent Williams (138 career starts at LT).
11. Glenville High School
Total NFL Players: 27 players
Active NFL Players: 7 players
Notable Alumni: Frank Clark, Marshon Lattimore, Ted Ginn Jr., Cardale Jones, Donte Whitner, Troy Smith, Chris Chambers, Jonathan Newsome, Richard Bishop, Benny Friedman
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Nickname: Glenville Tarblooders
Glenville High School has several dominant players in the NFL right now, including Marshon Lattimore and Frank Clark. They’ve also produced two extremely talented receivers in Chris Chambers and Ted Ginn Jr., as well as Donte Whitner (923 tackles), and Richard Bishop.
10. Louisville Male High School
Total NFL Players: 29 players
Active NFL Players: One player
Notable Alumni: Chris Redman, Michael Bush, D.J. Johnson
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Nickname: Louisville Male Bulldogs
Louisville Male High School has produced 29 NFL players, but none of them went on to have memorable careers. Michael Bush finished with 4,260 yards and 31 touchdowns, Chris Redman had a 4-8 record as a starting quarterback, and D.J. Johnson had 18 interceptions.
9. DeMatha Catholic High School
Total NFL Players: 29 players
Active NFL Players: 4 players
Notable Alumni: Cameron Wake, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Rodney McLeod, Chase Young, Cyrus Kouandjio, Brian Westbrook, Steve Smith, Tony Paige, Josh Wilson, J.B. Brown, Mike Johnson, Bobby Houston
Location: Hyattsville, Maryland
Nickname: DeMatha Catholic Stags
Between Cameron Wake, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Chase Young, and Rodney McLeod, DeMatha Catholic High School has produced some very talented defensive players in the past decade. That’s not all, they’ve also produced Brian Westbrook — 10,275 yards and 71 touchdowns.
8. Hargrave Military Academy
Total NFL Players: 30 players
Active NFL Players: 6 players
Notable Alumni: Leonard Floyd, Shaq Lawson, Jarran Reed, Zach Brown, Condrea Tankersley, Keiland Williams, Torry Holt, Carlos Rogers, Charles Grant, Quinton Coples, Leonard Pope
Location: Chatham, Virginia
Nickname: Hargrave Military Academy Tigers
Speaking of producing stout defensive players in recent years, Hargrave Military Academy has six active defensive players in the NFL. What’s even more impressive is the fact that they produced one of the greatest receivers to ever play, Torry Holt — a Hall of Fame finalist.
7. Canton McKinley High School
Total NFL Players: 30 players
Active NFL Players: 0 players
Notable Alumni: Marion Motley, Joe Morgan, Ray Ellis, Mike Doss, Reggie Corner, Nick Roman, Kenny Peterson
Location: Canton, Ohio
Nickname: Canton McKinley Bulldogs
Despite not having any active players in the NFL right now, Canton McKinley High School can rest easy knowing they produced Marion Motley — one of the strongest running backs in NFL history. He finished his career with 5,827 scrimmage yards and 38 total touchdowns.
6. St. Augustine High School
Total NFL Players: 32 players
Active NFL Players: 5 players
Notable Alumni: Leonard Fournette, Trai Turner, Tyrann Mathieu, Stanley Morgan Jr., Charles Jones, Leroy Hoard, Benjarvus Green-Ellis, Tyrone Hughes, Jackie Wallace, James Hall, Derrick Rodgers, Lonnie Marts, Raynoch Thompson
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Nickname: St. Augustine Purple Knights
St. Augustine High School has produced impressive players all over the place. Trai Turner, Leonard Fournette, and Tyrann Mathieu are all regular starters in today’s game. James Hall (63 sacks) and Leroy Hoard (6,394 yards, 51 touchdowns) were also dominant in their prime.
5. Susan Miller Dorsey High School
Total NFL Players: 33 players
Active NFL Players: 0 players
Notable Alumni: Keyshawn Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, Butch Johnson, Aaron Cox, Lamont Warren, Antonio Chatman, Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Charles Mincy, Bernard Jackson, Rahim Moore, Na’il Diggs, Chris Owens, Chris Mims,
Location: Los Angeles, California
Nickname: Dorsey Dons
Susan Miller Dorsey High School is one of the best football high schools. They’ve produced Chris Mims (42 sacks), Charles Mincy (23 interceptions), Keyshawn Johnson (10,571 yards, 64 touchdowns), and Dennis Northcutt (18 receiving touchdowns, 7 return touchdowns).
4. Miami Northwestern High School
Total NFL Players: 36 players
Active NFL Players: 6 players
Notable Alumni: Amari Cooper, Teddy Bridgewater, Lavonte David, Artie Burns, Tutu Atwell, Deandre Baker, Vernand Morency, Brett Perriman, Antonio Bryant, Marvin Jones
Location: Miami, Florida
Nickname: Miami Northwestern Bulls
Miami Northwestern High School has produced two linebackers with over 1,000 career tackles, three receivers with more than 5,600 receiving yards and at least 30 touchdowns, and one quarterback with 54 career starts (and counting). They know how to develop and it shows.
3. St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Total NFL Players: 42 players
Active NFL Players: 19 players
Notable Alumni: Giovani Bernard, James White, Brian Piccolo, Michael Irvin, Phillip Dorsett, Leonard Hankerson, Rashad Greene, Richard Goodman, Michael Palardy, Major Wright, Lamarcus Joyner, Geno Atkins, Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, Sterling Palmer
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nickname: St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders
If you have hopes of playing in the NFL, St. Thomas Aquinas High School is the place to be. Their 19 active players is the most by any high school and it includes the Bosa brothers, Geno Atkins, James White, Asante Samuel Jr., Brandon Linder, Damon Arnette, and more.
2. Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Total NFL Players: 58 players
Active NFL Players: 6 players
Notable Alumni: Leonard Russell, Johnny Morris, DeSean Jackson, Tony Hill, Gene Washington, Stephone Paige, Marcedes Lewis, Juju Smith-Schuster, Earl McCullouch, Samie Parker, Kaelin Clay, Bill Jessup, Mark Carrier, Maquez Pope, Willie McGinest, Brandon Whiting, Jayon Brown, Omar Stoutmire, Jurrell Casey,
Location: Long Beach, California
Nickname: Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits
Perhaps no other high school has produced as many quality wide receivers as Long Beach Polytechnic High School. Nine of their receivers recorded more than 1,000 career receiving yards, including five that recorded more than 5,000 yards and three above 50 touchdowns.
1. Fork Union Military Academy
Total NFL Players: 67 players
Active NFL Players: 13 players
Notable Alumni: Vinny Testaverde, Don Majkowski, Plaxico Burress, Mike Quick, Sonny Randle, Michael Thomas, Rickey Dudley, Josh Morgan, Eddie George, Ernest Wilford, John Hilton, Carlos Hyde, Jacoby Ford, Michael Badgley, Gaines Adams, Dexter Coakley, Robert Jones, Kareem Jackson, Zach Kerr, Antonio Allen, C.J. Spillman
Location: Fork Union, Virginia
Nickname: Fork Union Military Academy Blue Devils
Known for producing running backs and wide receivers, Fork Union Military Academy has produced 67 NFL players and has 13 actively playing right now. Eddie George played high school football here, as well as Plaxico Burress and Vinny Testaverde to name a few.
From High School Hero to NFL Legend, Anything Is Possible
In high school, most players dream of one day stepping foot on an NFL field, wearing an NFL jersey with their last name across the back. A majority of those players will never get to live out this dream, but those that do are the ones that give 110% effort, 100% of the time.
Now that we know the high schools with the most NFL players, you can start to understand which high school programs have a knack for developing quality players — and why so many scouts are eager to visit them. You never know what you might see in a high school game.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 25 of the Strongest Running Back in NFL History
Some extra little nuggets of information that might interest you, there are only seven states in the US with more than 100 active players in the NFL right now — Alabama (100), Louisiana (100), Ohio (115), Georgia (188), California (288), Texas (297), and Florida (336).
Contents
What to Read Next...
At The Buzzer, or ATB is the place for those who love sports, life, family, community, and so much more. We are far from the run-of-the-mill 24/7 sports news websites. We not only bring you what’s happening in the world of sports in terms of trades and breaking news, but we also bring you the news that goes on behind the scenes, like big life moments, and so much more. So take a minute and read one of our articles, we promise you won't regret it.