All-Time High School Football GOATs From Every State

These are the greatest high school football players of all time from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

There’s a simple way to pick the greatest high school football player from every state — just think about it like a draft. You have the No. 1 pick for every state to build your all-time team … who do you take? That’s the simple way.

The more complicated way ends up being more like a math equation or grading for a class. How do you distinguish the greatest high school football player from every state from the greatest football player from every state? The way we’ve done it here is like a grade — 75 percent of our decision is based on the player’s high school career and 25 percent on everything else, like their time in college and the NFL.

Individual awards help. Individual stats help. State championships are golden. Here’s a look at the greatest high school football players from all 50 states — with one twist for California, in which we’ve broken it up into one player from the northern part of the state and one player from the southern part of the state — along with a player from the District of Columbia.

Alabama: Julio Jones, Wide Receiver

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Born: Feb. 8, 1989 (Foley, Alabama)

High school: Foley High School (Foley, Alabama)

Graduation year: 2008

College: Alabama

Career highlights: USA Today All-American (2007), Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year (2007), Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year (2007), Parade All-American (2007), Under Armour All-American (2007), two-time All-SEC (2008, 2010), SEC Freshman of the Year (2008), BCS National Champion (2009), five-time NFL All-Pro (2015-19), seven-time Pro Bowl (2012, 2014-19), NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, PFWA All-Rookie Team (2009)

Bottom line: Aside from Randy Moss, there has probably never been a better high school wide receiver than Foley High’s Julio Jones, who finished his high school career with 194 receptions for 3,287 yards and 43 touchdowns while earning the nickname “Waffle House” because he was always open.

The nation’s top wide receiver recruit in the Class of 2008, Jones went on to win a national championship at Alabama in 2009 and was selected No. 6 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2011 NFL Draft. Jones has led the NFL in receiving twice, and his 13,629 receiving yards through the 2022 season are No. 16 on the NFL all-time list.

Alaska: Zack Bowman, Defensive Back/Wide Receiver

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Born: Nov. 18, 1984 (Columbia, South Carolina)

High school: Bartlett High School (Anchorage, Alaska)

Graduation year: 2003

Colleges: New Mexico Military Institute/Nebraska

Career highlights: Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year (2002), ASAA Large School state champion (2002), three-time ASAA All-State (2000-02), NJCAA All-American (2004)

Bottom line: Few paths to football glory are more difficult for a high school player than coming out of Alaska, where football season starts one month earlier than the rest of the country in order to avoid the withering winter temperatures that would make playing football outdoors impossible in November and December.

Bartlett High’s Zack Bowman defied the odds, earning Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year honors after leading his team to the Large Schools state championship before becoming a JUCO All-American at New Mexico Military Institute and starring for Nebraska.

Bowman, who registered a 4.36-second 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine, played five years in the NFL and, in an interesting twist, wasn’t the only pro athlete to come out of Bartlett during that time. He also won a pair of state championships in basketball alongside future NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and NBA guard Mario Chalmers.

Arizona: Bijan Robinson, Running Back

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Born: Jan. 30, 2002 (Tucson, Arizona)

High school: Salpointe Catholic High School (Tucson, Arizona)

Graduation year: 2020

College: Texas

Career highlights: Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year (2019), USA Today All-American (2019), Doak Walker Award (2022), AP All-American (2022), two-time All-Big 12 (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: New isn’t always better — unless we’re talking about Salpointe Catholic High running back Bijan Robinson, who graduated in 2020 and set Arizona state records with 7,036 career rushing yards and 114 touchdowns. Robinson capped his career with 2,235 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior in 2019 on the way to being named Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year.

Robinson lit up the competition at Texas on the way to winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s collegiate running back in 2022 and was selected No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Arkansas: Mitch Mustain, Quarterback

Reinhold Matay / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 27. 1988 (Fayetteville, Arkansas)

High school: Springdale High School (Springdale, Arkansas)

Graduation year: 2006

Colleges: Arkansas/USC

Career highlights: USA Today National Player of the Year (2005), Gatorade National Player of the Year (2005), Class 5A state champion (2005), Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Mr. Football (2005), Hall Trophy (2006), Parade National Player of the Year (2006)

Bottom line: Few high school quarterbacks have been as lauded as Springdale High’s Mitch Mustain, who went 26-1 as a starter over his junior and senior seasons and capped his career by throwing for 3,817 yards and a state-record 47 touchdowns on the way to a 14-0 record and the 2005 Class 5A state championship.

Mustain swept all of the major national Player of the Year awards as a senior and picked Arkansas for college football, where he went 8-0 as a starter as a true freshman before he was benched by head coach Houston Nutt. Mustain transferred to USC, where he started one game over the next four seasons and ended up playing one season of Single-A baseball and two seasons in the Arena Football League.

Northern California: D.J. Williams, Linebacker

Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo

Born: July 20, 1982 (Sacramento, California)

High school: De La Salle High School (Concord, California)

Graduation year: 2000

College: Miami

Career highlights: USA Today Defensive Player of the Year (1999), PrepStar National Defensive MVP (1999), SuperPrep All-American (1999), USA Today All-American (1999), three-time North Coast Section champion (1997-99), BCS national champion (2001), two-time All-Big East (2002, 2003)

Bottom line: We made an exception for one state on this list by picking two players from California — one from Northern California and one from Southern California.

D.J. Williams came from the greatest era of the greatest high school football program in U.S. history at De La Salle High, where he never lost a game during his high school career — part of De La Salle’s amazing 151-game winning streak from 1992 to 2004 that included a national championship in 1998.

As a senior, Williams rushed for 1,974 yards and a school record 42 touchdowns while also racking up 130 tackles, six sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Williams won a BCS national championship at Miami in 2001 and was a two-time All-Big East pick before playing 11 seasons in the NFL.

Southern California: Reggie Bush, Running Back

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Born: March 2, 1985 (Spring Valley, California)

High school: Helix High School (La Mesa, California)

Graduation year: 2003

College: USC

Career highlights: Parade All-American (2002), USA Today High School All-American (2002), San Diego Union-Tribune Offensive MVP (2002), three-time Cal-Hi Sports All-State (2000-02), Super Bowl champion (2010), NFL All-Pro (2008), NFL PFWA All-Rookie Team (2006), BCS National Champion (2004), two-time AP National Champion (2003, 2004), Heisman Trophy (2005), Doak Walker Award (2005), Walter Camp Award (2005), AP College Football Player of the Year (2005), Sporting News Player of the Year (2004, 2005), two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (2005, 2005), two-time AP All-American (2004, 2005)

Bottom line: Few high school football players could have handled going directly to the NFL — Helix High’s Reggie Bush should definitely be on the list of those who might have pulled it off.

Bush lit up some of the toughest high school competition in the U.S. for three seasons. As a junior in 2001, he had 3,135 all-purpose yards and 34 touchdowns, and as a senior in 2002, he had 1,691 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns despite missing four games with a broken wrist.

All scandals and vacancies aside, Bush helped lead USC to back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004 and came within seconds of a third straight in 2005 — the same year he won the Heisman Trophy — before the New Orleans Saints selected him No. 2 overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. Bush eventually played 11 seasons in the NFL, helped the Saints win a Super Bowl in 2010 and was an NFL All-Pro in 2008.

Colorado: Christian McCaffrey, Running Back

Valor Christian running back Christian McCaffrey

Barry Gutierrez / AP Photo

Born: June 7, 1996 (Castle Rock, Colorado)

High school: Valor Christian High School (Highlands Ranch, Colorado)

Graduation year: 2014

College: USC

Career highlights: Two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year (2012, 2013), three-time Class 5A state champion (2011-13), AP College Football Player of the Year (2015), Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year (2015), AP All-American (2015), two-time All-Pac-12 (2015, 2016), two-time NFL All-Pro (2018, 2019), two-time Pro Bowl (2019, 2022)

Bottom line: The son of two-time Super Bowl champion wide receiver Ed McCaffrey and Stanford soccer star Lisa McCaffrey, Valor Christian’s Christian McCaffrey set Colorado state career records for touchdowns (141), all-purpose yards (8,845), touchdown receptions (47) and the single-season record for all-purpose yards (3,032).

McCaffrey was also a winner, leading Valor Christian to three consecutive Class 5A state championships before following his parents to Stanford, where he was the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and AP College Football Player of the Year in 2015.

McCaffrey was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and has been a two-time NFL All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler.

Connecticut: Aaron Hernandez, Tight End

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Born: Nov. 6, 1989 (Bristol, Connecticut)

Died: April 19, 2017, 27 years old (Leominster, Massachusetts)

High school: Bristol Central High School (Bristol, Connecticut)

Graduation year: 2007

College: Florida

Career highlights: Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year (2006), John Mackey Award (2009), AP All-American (2009)

Bottom line: No player in Connecticut high school football history dominated like Bristol Central tight end Aaron Hernandez, who set state records with 1,807 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior in 2006, along with four blocked kicks, 72 tackles, 12 sacks and three forced fumbles.

Hernandez won a BCS national championship at Florida in 2009, when he also won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. Hernandez played three seasons in the NFL for the New England Patriots before his life spun into one of pro football’s greatest tragedies after he was convicted of first-degree murder for the killing of his friend, Odin Lloyd, in 2013, then acquitted of a double murder in 2017 before he died by suicide in prison a few months later.

All reference to Hernandez’s football career has been erased from the places that once celebrated him — Florida, Bristol Central and even Pop Warner Football have removed his name and likeness from anywhere it once existed.

Delaware: Kwame Harris, Offensive Line

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Born: March 15, 1982 (Jamaica)

High school: Newark High School (Newark, Delaware)

Graduation year: 2000

College: Stanford

Career highlights: USA Today All-American (1999), three-time Class 3A state champion (1997-99), three-time Class 3A All-State (1997-99), Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year (1999), two-time All-Pac-10 (2001, 2002), AP All-American (2002), Pac-10 Offensive Lineman of the Year (2002)

Bottom line: Newark High offensive lineman Kwame Harris led his school to three consecutive Class 3A state championships and capped his career as the Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year, USA Today All-American and the nation’s No. 1 offensive line recruit.

Harris was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection and All-American at Stanford before the San Francisco 49ers selected him at No. 26 overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. Harris played seven seasons in the NFL.

Florida: Emmitt Smith, Running Back

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Born: May 15, 1969 (Pensacola, Florida)

High school: Escambia High School (Pensacola, Florida)

Graduation year: 1987

College: Florida

Career highlights: USA Today Player of the Year (1986), Parade Magazine Player of the Year (1986), two-time Class 4A/3A state champion (1984, 1985), FHSAA All-Century Team (2007), FHSAA Player of the Century, AP All-American (1989), three-time All-SEC (1987-89), SEC MVP (1989)

Bottom line: The people who know more about high school football in Florida than anyone at the FHSAA named Escambia High’s Emmitt Smith as Florida’s High School Player of the Century in 2007 — by our estimation, no player has come through in the last 16 years to trump that, so this was an easy choice.

Smith led Escambia to two state championships and finished his career with 8,804 rushing yards and 106 touchdowns. He was an All-American at Florida before he won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s and is still the NFL’s career leading rusher. Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Georgia: Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback

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Born: Oct. 6, 1999 (Knoxville, Tennessee)

High school: Cartersville High School (Cartersville, Georgia)

Graduation year: 2018

College: Clemson

Career highlights: USA Today Offensive Player of the Year (2017), USA Today All-American (2017), U.S. Army All-American National Player of the Year (2017), two-time GHSA state champion (2016, 2017), two-time Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year (2016, 2017), CFP National Champion (2019), CFP Championship Game MVP (2019), Cotton Bowl MVP (2018), National Freshman of the Year (2018), Pro Bowl (2022)

Bottom line: Trevor Lawrence might be the greatest quarterback recruit of all time. He was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in the class of 2018 out of Cartersville High, where he closed out his career with 41 consecutive victories and back-to-back state championships. Lawrence led Clemson to the CFP national championship as a true freshman — the first true freshman to lead his school to a national title since 1985.

Lawrence left school one year early and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He led his team to the AFC Playoffs in his second season when he also made his first Pro Bowl.

Hawaii: Manti Te’o, Linebacker

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Born: Jan. 26, 1991 (Laie, Hawaii)

High school: Punahou School (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Graduation year: 2009

College: Notre Dame

Career highlights: USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year (2008), USA Today High School All-American (2008), two-time Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year (2007, 2008), two-time Honolulu Advertiser Defensive Player of the Year (2007, 2008), Honolulu Advertiser Defensive Player of the Decade (2009), Division I state champion (2008), Maxwell Award (2012), Lott Trophy (2012), Bednarik Award (2012), Walter Camp Award (2012), Butkus Award (2012), AP All-American (2012), Lombardi Award (2012)

Bottom line: Punaho’s Manti Te’o isn’t just the greatest high school football player to ever come out of Hawaii, but the former USA Today National High School Defensive Player of the Year is also one of the greatest college linebackers of all time.

Te’o had 128 tackles, 11 sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior in 2008, as he led Punahou to a Division state title and became the state’s first five-star recruit in almost a decade. At Notre Dame, Te’o capped his career by sweeping almost every major national defensive player of the year award and leading the Irish into the BCS national championship game, only to see his hard work come undone thanks to an ugly catfishing scandal. Te’o was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and played eight seasons for three different teams.

Idaho: Jake Plummer, Quarterback

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Born: Dec. 19, 1974 (Boise, Idaho)

High school: Capital High School (Boise, Idaho)

Graduation year: 1993

College: Arizona State

Career highlights: Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year (1992), Division I state champion (1992), Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (1996), AP All-American (1996)

Bottom line: Jake Plummer led Capital High to the Division I state championship as a junior and came one missed PAT away from winning back-to-back titles his senior season when he was also named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year.

Plummer threw for a staggering 6,097 yards and 68 touchdowns over his final two high school seasons and was also a star in baseball and basketball. Plummer was committed to play for Cal, then flipped to Arizona State, where he led the Sun Devils to within seconds of a national title as a senior in 1996. Plummer played 10 seasons in the NFL, making a Pro Bowl in 2005.

Illinois: Bryan Cox, Linebacker

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Born: Feb. 17, 1968 (East St. Louis, Illinois)

High school: East St. Louis, Illinois

Graduation year: 1986

College: Western Illinois

Career highlights: Three-time Class 6A state champion (1983-85), USA Today High School Football National Champion (1985), Division I-AA All-American (1990), two-time All-Gateway Conference (1989, 1990)

Bottom line: Longtime NFL star Bryan Cox was the best player on one of the greatest high school football teams of all time at East St. Louis High, where he led his team to a 14-0 record and a third consecutive state championship in 1985. Cox, who played for legendary head coach Bob Shannon at East St. Louis, defeated Brother Rice 46-0 in the state championship game that year and swept the mythical high school football national championships.

Cox starred at Western Illinois, where he was an All-American in 1990. He played 13 seasons in the NFL, was a three-time Pro Bowler and won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2001.

Indiana: Jeff George, Quarterback

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Born: Dec. 8, 1967 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

High school: Warren Central High School (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Graduation year: 1986

Colleges: Purdue/Illinois

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (1985), USA Today Offensive Player of the Year (1985), USA Today High School All-American (1985), two-time Class 4A/5A state champion (1984, 1985), Sammy Baugh Trophy (1989), PFWA All-Rookie Team (1990)

Bottom line: Jeff George went 28-0 as a starter over his junior and senior seasons at Warren Central High, leading his school to back-to-back state championships and becoming the first Gatorade National Player of the Year in 1985.

George stayed in his home state and started college at Purdue but transferred to Illinois, where he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation’s top quarterback as a junior in 1989, and the Indianapolis Colts made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft.

George signed the biggest rookie contract in NFL history — $15 million — and developed a somewhat-unfair reputation as a malcontent. George ultimately played 16 seasons in the NFL for seven different teams.

Iowa: Roger Craig, Running Back

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Born: July 19, 1960 (Davenport, Iowa)

High school: Davenport Central High School (Davenport, Iowa)

Graduation year: 1979

College: Nebraska

Career highlights: Class 4A state champion (1976), Parade All-American (1978), All-Big 8 (1981), three-time Super Bowl champion (1984, 1988, 1989), NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1988), two-time NFL All-Pro (1985, 1988), four-time Pro Bowl (1985, 1987-89), NFL 1980s All-Decade Team

Bottom line: Few running backs in football history had the unique skillset that Roger Craig possessed, and he got his first taste of fame by helping lead Davenport Central High to the 1976 state championships as a sophomore and becoming a Parade All-American as a senior. Craig rushed for 353 yards and four touchdowns in his final high school game.

He shared a college backfield with Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier at Nebraska but became a bona fide star in the NFL, where he won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, was NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1988 and led the NFL in receptions in 1985.

Kansas: DeAngelo Evans, Running Back

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Born: Dec. 13, 1976 (Wichita, Kansas)

High school: Wichita Collegiate School (Wichita, Kansas)

Graduation year: 1996

Colleges: Nebraska/Emporia State

Career highlights: Two-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year (1994, 1995), Class 3A state champion (1994), four-time Class 3A All-State (1992-95), Collegiate Sports High School All-American (1995), Parade All-American (1995), All-Big 12 (1996), three-time Wichita Eagle Top 11 (1993-95)

Bottom line: Collegiate running back DeAngelo Evans still holds state records for career rushing yards (8,472), points (822) and touchdowns (131) almost 30 years since he graduated. Evans was the No. 1 running back recruit in the nation for the Class of 1996 and led Collegiate to the Class 3A state championship in 1994.

Evans played just one full season at Nebraska and was dominant as a true freshman, including earning Big 12 Championship Game MVP honors. He sat out all of the Huskers’ 1997 national championship season with an injury and played sparingly in 1998 before finishing his career at NCAA Division II Emporia State.

Kentucky: Tim Couch, Quarterback

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Born: July 31, 1977 (Hyden, Kentucky)

High school: Leslie County High School (Hyden, Kentucky)

Graduation year: 1996

College: Kentucky

Career highlights: USA Today High School All-American (1995), USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year (1995), SEC Player of the Year (1998), AP All-American (1998)

Bottom line: Tiny Leslie County High in Hyden, Kentucky — pop. 303 — became nationally known to sports fans in the mid-1990s when quarterback Tim Couch set national career records in high school for passing yards (12,104), passing touchdowns (132) and pass completions (872).

Couch was named the USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year and stayed in his home state for college to play for Kentucky, setting the SEC single-season record with 4,275 passing yards in 1998. Couch was selected No. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns in 1999 but was out of the NFL after five injury-plagued seasons.

Louisiana: Brock Berlin, Quarterback

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Born: June 30, 1979 (New Orleans, Louisiana)

High school: Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, Louisiana)

Graduation year: 2000

Colleges: Florida/Miami

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2000), USA Today National Offensive Player of the Year (2000), Parade All-American (2000), two-time Class 3A state champion (1997, 1998), Class 5A state champion (1999)

Bottom line: One of the most celebrated high school football recruits of all time, Evangel Christian’s Brock Berlin threw for 13,902 passing yards and 144 touchdowns and led his school to three consecutive state championships — his passing total is still in the top 10 all-time nationally.

Berlin signed with Florida but couldnt beat out Rex Grossman to become the starter and transferred to Miami for his final two seasons, where he went a combined 5-0 against Florida and Florida State. Berlin went undrafted in 2005 and played two seasons for the St. Louis Rams.

Maine: Tim Lawson, Running Back/Linebacker

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Born: Unknown

High school: South Portland High School (Portland, Maine)

Graduation year: 1997

College: Bowdoin College

Career highlights: Two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year (1995, 1996), two-time Class A state champion (1995, 1996)

Bottom line: South Portland High’s Tim Lawson led his school to back-to-back Class A state championships in 1995 and 1996 and was named Maine Gatorade Player of the Year both seasons. Thanks to the wondrous place we call the internet, you can actually watch the 1996 Class A state championship game between South Portland and Lawrence on YouTube.

Lawson stayed in his home state to play college football at NCAA Division II Bowdoin College, where he captained the Polar Bears as a senior in 2000.

Maryland: Tavon Austin, Athlete

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Born: March 15, 1990 (Baltimore, Maryland)

High school: Dunbar High School (Baltimore, Maryland)

Graduation year: 2009

College: West Virginia

Career highlights: Two-time Maryland Offensive Player of the Year (2007, 2008), three-time Class 1A state champion (2006-08), two-time Class 1A All-State (2007, 2008), Big East Special Teams Player of the Year (2011), two-time AP All-American (2011, 2012), two-time All-Big East (2011, 2012), Big 12 Special teams Player of the Year (2012), All-Big 12 (2012), PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013)

Bottom line: Tavon Austin led Dunbar High to three consecutive state championships while setting Maryland state career records for total offense (9,258 yards), rushing yards (7,962), touchdowns (123) and points (790) — numbers buoyed by his skill on special teams. As a senior, Austin racked up 3,106 all-purpose yards and 34 touchdowns, including 2,660 rushing yards.

Austin kept that same energy in college, becoming a two-time All-American at West Virginia and earning Special Teams Player of the Year honors in both the Big East and the Big 12. He was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and played nine seasons for four different teams.

Massachusetts: Ken MacAfee, Tight End

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Born: Jan. 9, 1956 (Portland, Oregon)

High school: Brockton High School (Brockton, Massachusetts)

Graduation year: 1974

College: Notre Dame

Career highlights: Two-time Division I state champion (1972, 1973), two-time Parade High School All-American (1972, 1973), two-time AP All-American (1976, 1977), Walter Camp Award (1977)

Bottom line: Brockton High’s Ken MacAfee dominated high school football in Massachusetts in the early 1970s — you can make a case he would have dominated no matter what era he played in.

MacAfee, 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, led Brockton to back-to-back state championships and was a two-time All-American before he signed with Notre Dame. MacAfee teamed with quarterback Joe Montana to lead the Irish to a national championship in 1977 and was a two-time All-American in college. MacAfee was the No. 7 overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and retired from football when the franchise tried to move him to guard in his third season. You know what’s fun? Catching passes. You know what’s not fun? Blocking defensive tackles.

Michigan: Charles Rogers, Wide Receiver

Charles Rogers Memorial Scholarship / Facebook

Born: May 23, 1981 (Saginaw, Michigan)

Died: Nov. 11, 2019, 38 years old (Fort Myers, Florida)

High school: Saginaw High School (Saginaw, Michigan)

Graduation year: 2000

College: Michigan State

Career highlights: Detroit Free Press Player of the Year (1999), Lansing State Journal Player of the Year (1999), Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year (1999), Division 2 state champion (1999), three-time Division 2 All-State (1997-99), USA Today High School All-American (1999), Parade High School All-American (1999), AP All-American (2002), Biletnikoff Award (2002), two-time All-Big Ten (2001, 2002)

Bottom line: Charles Rogers was a cheat code at Saginaw High, where he led his school to the 1999 Division 2 state championship and had a 60-yard touchdown reception in a 14-7 win over Brother Rice. Rogers went chalk across all the high school All-American teams in 1999 and ended up going to nearby Michigan State, where he redshirted one season and then spent two seasons annihilating big-time college competition with 135 receptions for 2,821 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns. The Detroit Lions selected him No. 2 overall in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Injuries and off-field issues derailed Rogers’ pro career, and he only played 15 games in three seasons before he was out of the league. Rogers died in 2019, at just 38 years old, after suffering massive liver failure. He was posthumously inducted into the Michigan State Hall of Fame in 2021.

Minnesota: Joe Mauer, Quarterback

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Born: April 19, 1983 (Saint Paul, Minnesota)

High school: Cretin-Derham Hall High School (St. Paul, Minnesota)

Graduation year: 2001

College: None

Career highlights: USA Today High School Football Player of the Year (2000), USA Today High School All-American (2000), Class 4A state champion (1999)

Bottom line: Joe Mauer was a three-sport star at Cretin-Derham Hall in football, basketball and baseball and the first high school athlete in the U.S. to be named USA Today National Player of the Year in both football and baseball.

Mauer’s skills as a quarterback were elite — he was committed to playing for Florida State in both sports — but his skills as a baseball player were generational. The Minnesota Twins made Mauer the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 MLB Draft, and he played his entire 14-season career there, making six All-Star teams, winning three Gold Glove Awards and earning American League MVP honors in 2009. Not totally sure Mauer made the right choice picking baseball? He also banked $223.7 million in career earnings.

Mississippi: Marcus Dupree, Running Back

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Born: May 22, 1964 (Philadelphia, Mississippi)

High school: Philadelphia High School (Philadelphia, Mississippi)

Graduation year: 1982

College: Oklahoma

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1981), Big Eight Newcomer of the Year (1982), AP All-American (1982)

Bottom line: Few high school football players have dominated on the level of Philadelphia High’s Marcus Dupree, who averaged 8.3 yards per carry in high school and finished his career with 7,355 rushing yards and 87 touchdowns, breaking Herschel Walker’s national high school record.

Oklahoma and head coach Barry Switzer won a fierce recruiting battle for Dupree, who was 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash. Dupree was arguably the best player in the nation as a true freshman, rushing for 1,393 yards and 12 touchdowns despite not starting until the seventh game. Dupree and Switzer butted heads, and he left Oklahoma, eventually playing two seasons in the USFL and two seasons in the NFL.

Missouri: Dorial Green-Beckham, Wide Receiver

Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham

L.G. Patterson / AP Photo

Born: April 25, 1993 (St. Louis, Missouri)

High school: Hillcrest High School (Springfield, Missouri)

Graduation year: 2012

College: Missouri

Career highlights: USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year (2011), two-time USA Today High School All-American (2010, 2011), two-time Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year (2010, 2011), U.S. Army All-American (2012), Sporting News Freshman All-American (2012), All-SEC (2013), Sporting News Freshman All-American (2012), All-SEC (2013)

Bottom line: Perhaps only Julio Jones can compare with Hillcrest High’s Dorial Green-Beckham when it comes to dominant receivers on the high school level.

Green-Beckham set the national high school career receiving record with 6,356 yards and was the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit for the Class of 2012, becoming the highest-recruited player to ever sign with the University of Missouri.

Green-Beckham was one of Missouri’s top receivers in his first two seasons of college football, but a pair of drug arrests and a domestic violence incident got him kicked off the team. Green-Beckham sat out one year at Oklahoma before entering the NFL Draft, where he was a second-round pick by the Tennessee Titans and was out of the league after two seasons.

Montana: Chase Reynolds, Running Back

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Born: Oct. 22, 1987 (Drummond, Montana)

High school: Drummond High School (Drummond, Montana)

Graduation year: 2006

College: Montana

Career highlights: Three-time Class C state champion (2003-05), four-time Class C All-State (2002-05), three-time All-Big Sky (2008-10), two-time FCS All-American (2008, 2009)

Bottom line: The only exclusively eight-man football player to make it on this list, Drummond High’s Chase Reynolds led his school to three consecutive state championships and set the Montana state career record with 5,261 rushing yards along with scoring 114 touchdowns.

Drummond went 35-0 over Reynolds’ last three seasons, and he finished his career with a 10.1 yards-per-carry average. Reynolds stayed in his home state and starred at the University of Montana, where he was a three-time All-Big Sky Conference selection and two-time FCS All-American. Reynolds went undrafted in 2011 but still played six seasons in the NFL, all for the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, where he made a name as a special teams standout.

Nebraska: Gale Sayers, Running Back

William Straeter / AP Photo

Born: May 30, 1943 (Wichita, Kansas)

Died: Sept. 23, 2020, 77 years old (Wakarusa, Indiana)

High school: Omaha Central High School (Omaha, Nebraska)

Graduation year: 1961

College: Kansas

Career highlights: Two-time Class A All-State (1959, 1960), Class A state champion (1960), three-time All-Big Eight (1962-64), two-time AP All-American (1963, 1964), NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1969), NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1965), five-time NFL All-Pro (1965-69), four-time Pro Bowl (1965-67, 1969), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team, NFL 50th Anniversary Team, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team

Bottom line: Omaha Central’s Gale Sayers is the best of all time in two sports in Nebraska history — football and track and field. In football, he led his school to an unbeaten record and state championship as a senior, and in track and field, he jumped a national-best 24 feet, 10 inches in the long jump, which would remain the state record for almost 40 years.

Sayers was a two-time All-American at the University of Kansas — he was actually born in Wichita, Kansas — and finished his career with the Big Eight record for all-purpose yards (4.020), proving he was as dangerous at running back as he was in the return game. Sayers was a five-time NFL All-Pro, and his career took on mythic status with the release of the 1971 film “Brian’s Song,” which chronicled his friendship with the late Brian Piccolo. Sayers died in 2020 at 77 years old.

Nevada: Tate Martell, Quarterback

Tate Martell, Denis Willis II, Bryce Turner

Isaac Brekken / AP Photo

Born: Jan. 26, 1998 (San Diego, California)

High school: Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Graduation year: 2017

Colleges: Ohio State/Miami/UNLV

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2016), USA Today Offensive Player of the Year (2016), two-time Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year (2014, 2016), two-time USA Today High School All-American (2014, 2016), three-time USA Today High School Football National Champion (2014-16), three-time Class 4A state champion (2014-16), two-time Big Ten champion (2017, 2018)

Bottom line: No player in Nevada high school football history had a career like Bishop Gorman quarterback Tate Martell, who went 45-0 over three seasons as Bishop Gorman’s starter while winning three state championships and three national high school championships.

Martell was the National Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior in 2016 as well as a five-star recruit. His college career fizzled out after stints at Ohio State, Miami and UNLV — including an ill-fated switch to wide receiver at one point. Martell officially retired from football in January 2022.

New Hampshire: Greg Landry, Quarterback

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Born: Dec. 18, 1946 (Nashua, New Hampshire)

High school: Nashua High School (Nashua, New Hampshire)

Graduation year: 1964

College: Massachusetts

Career highlights: Division I state champion (1963), two-time All-Yankee Conference (1965, 1967), NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1976), NFL All-Pro (1971), Pro Bowl (1971)

Bottom line: Greg Landry’s legendary career got off and running when he led Nashua High to an upset of national powerhouse Everett in 1963, snapping Everett’s 33-game winning streak with his unique (to the 1960s) combination of passing and running along with his size, at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds.

Landry starred in college at UMass, where he was a three-year starter and two-time All-Yankee Conference selection before the Detroit Lions selected him No. 11 overall in the 1968 NFL Draft. Landry played 16 seasons in the NFL and is still thought of as one of the NFL’s greatest running quarterbacks.

New Jersey: Rashan Gary, Defensive Line

Tony Ding / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 3, 1997 (Plainfield, New Jersey)

High school: Paramus Catholic High School (Paramus, New Jersey)

Graduation year: 2016

College: Michigan

Career highlights: USA Today Defensive Player of the Year (2015), Under Armour All-American Game MVP (2016), USA Today High School All-American (2015), two-time All-Big Ten (2017, 2018)

Bottom line: Rashan Gary played his final two seasons at Paramus Catholic and became the nation’s No. 1 recruit across all the major recruiting services. He was also named USA Today Defensive Player of the Year in 2015.

Michigan won the fierce recruiting battle for Gary, and he was a two-time All-Big Ten selection before being selected No. 12 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Through four NFL seasons, Gary has been a solid-but-not-spectacular presence on Green Bay’s defensive front — he seemed poised for a breakout season in 2022 before tearing his ACL in Week 9.

New Mexico: Brian Urlacher, Athlete

Speedy Faith / New Mexico Activities Association

Born: May 25, 1978 (Pasco, Washington)

High school: Lovington High School (Lovington, New Mexico)

Graduation year: 1996

College: New Mexico

Career highlights: Class 3A state champion (1995), Class 3A All-State (1995), AP All-American (1999), NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2005), five-time All-Pro (2001, 2002. 2005, 2006, 2010), eight-time Pro Bowl (2000-03, 2005, 2006, 2010, 20110, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2000), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame (2018)

Bottom line: Brian Urlacher’s path to becoming one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history had humble beginnings at Lovington High, where he played five positions and starred on special teams in leading his school to a 14-0 record and the Class 3A state championship as a senior in 1995.

Urlacher got little in the way of college recruitment but landed at the University of New Mexico, where he blossomed into one of the most unique players in college football history. The sight of the 6-foot-4, 255-pound linebacker returning punts almost defied comprehension.

Urlacher was selected No. 9 overall in the 2000 NFL Draft and spent his entire 13-season career with the Chicago Bears, where he earned almost every accolade an NFL defensive player can hope for, including NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2005. Urlacher was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

New York: Mike Hart, Running Back

Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Born: April 9, 1986 (Syracuse, New York)

High school: Onondaga Central High School (Nedrow, New York)

Graduation year: 2004

College: Michigan

Career highlights: New York Gatorade Player of the Year (2003), three-time Class C/Class D state champion (2001-03), three-time All-Big Ten (2004, 2006, 2007), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2004)

Bottom line: Yes, we’re aware the late Jim Brown played high school football in New York — and we’re sure he dominated, but accurate records don’t really exist for that time.

That said, Onondaga Central High’s Mike Hart dominated as much as any running back in high school football history and ended his career with national records for rushing touchdowns (204) and points (1,246) and was second in career rushing yards (11,045). In that time, Onondaga Central went 46-1 and won three consecutive state championships.

Hart starred at the University of Michigan, where he was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and set the school’s career rushing record with 5,040 yards. Hart played three seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and has been a college assistant coach since 2011 and at Michigan since 2021.

North Carolina: Will Grier, Quarterback

U.S. Army All-American East's Will Grier

Eric Gay / AP Photo

Born: April 3, 1995 (Davidson, North Carolina)

High school: Davidson Day School (Davidson, North Carolina)

Graduation year: 2014

Colleges: Florida/West Virginia

Career highlights: Two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year (2012, 2013), three-time NCISAA state champion (2011-13), U.S. Army All-American (2013), Parade All-American (2013), All-Big 12 (2018), Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year (2017)

Bottom line: Will Grier led Davidson Day School to three consecutive state championships and set a national record as a junior with 837 passing yards in a single game.

Grier was named North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year twice, and as a senior in 2013, he threw for 4,989 yards and 77 touchdowns while rushing for 1,242 yards and 13 touchdowns on 115 carries. Grier finished his career with 14,565 passing yards and a state-record 194 touchdown passes.

Grier started his college career at Florida before he transferred to West Virginia, where he was named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2017 and All-Big 12 in 2018. Grier is entering his fifth season as an NFL backup in 2023 after the Carolina Panthers selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

North Dakota: Connor McGovern, Offensive Line/Defensive Line

Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Connor McGovern

David Richard / AP Photo

Born: April 27, 1993 (Fargo, North Dakota)

High school: Shanley High School (Fargo, North Dakota)

Graduation year: 2011

College: Missouri

Career highlights: USA Today High School All-American (2010), three-time Class AA state champion (2008-10), two-time Class AA All-State (2009, 2010), North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year (2010)

Bottom line: Connor McGovern may have come from one of the wealthiest families in North Dakota, but that would do little to help him reach the football heights he’s achieved.

McGovern, 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, starred at Shanley High as a two-way lineman, becoming the only USA Today High School All-American to come out of North Dakota in 2010 while leading Shanley to back-to-back state championships in 2009 and 2010, including a 12-0 season as a senior in 2010. He was also named North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year in 2010.

McGovern won a pair of SEC East championships at Missouri in 2013 and 2014 before being selected by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He’s entering his eighth NFL season, now with the New York Jets, in 2023.

Ohio: Andy Katzenmoyer, Linebacker

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Born: Dec. 2, 1977 (Kettering, Ohio)

High school: Westerville South High School (Westerville, Ohio)

Graduation year: 1996

College: Ohio State

Career highlights: USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year (1995), USA Today High School All-American (1995), Ohio Mr. Football Award (1995), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (1996), three-time All-Big Ten (1996-98), Butkus Award (1997), AP All-American (1997), NFL All-Rookie Team (1999), Super Bowl champion (2001)

Bottom line: Westerville South High’s Andy Katzenmoyer had a high school career that seemed more like something born out of myths and legends than merely high school football accomplishments.

After being named USA Today’s National Defensive Player of the Year in 1995 and being widely regarded as the nation’s No.1. defensive recruit, Katzenmoyer starred at Ohio State for three seasons and won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top college linebacker in 1997.

Oklahoma: Will Shields, Offensive Line

NU Athletic Communications

Born: Sept. 15, 1971 (Fort Riley, Kansas)

High school: Lawton High School (Lawton, Oklahoma)

Graduation year: 1989

College: Oklahoma

Career highlights: Class 5A state champion (1987), two-time Class 5A All-State (1987, 1988), Oklahoma Offensive Lineman of the Year (1988), seven-time NFL All-Pro (1997, 1999, 2002-06), 12-time Pro Bowl (1995-2006), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, PFWA All-Rookie Team (1993), Outland Trophy (1992), AP All-American (1992), Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2003)

Bottom line: Few high school football teams can hold a candle to Lawton High’s undefeated 1987 state championship team, which featured two future MLB players in Kelly Stinnett and Butch Huskey and three future NFL players in Dewell Brewer, James Trapp and legendary offensive lineman Will Shields.

Shields won the Outland Trophy at Nebraska and played his entire 14-year pro career with the Kansas City Chiefs. Widely considered one of the greatest offensive linemen of all time, Shields is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Oregon: Kellen Clemens, Quarterback

Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

Born: June 7, 1983 (Burns, Oregon)

High school: Burns High School (Burns, Oregon)

Graduation year: 2001

College: Oregon

Career highlights: USA Today High School All-American (2000), Parade High School All-American (2000), Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year (2000), two-time Class 3A All-State (1999, 2000), All-Pac-10 (2004)

Bottom line: Don’t sleep on Oregon high school football — picking this state was one of the more challenging ones on the list.

Few players have come close to doing what Kellen Clemens did out of rural Burns High, where he led his school to the Class 3A state championship game as a junior and was named a high school All-American as a senior, setting state career records with 8,646 passing yards and 102 touchdowns. As a senior, Clemens threw for 3,464 yards and 37 touchdowns while rushing for 325 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Clemens starred at Oregon, where he started for three years and was an All-Pac-10 selection in 2004. He was drafted in the second round by the New York Jets in 2006 and played 12 seasons in the NFL.

Pennsylvania: Ron Powlus, Quarterback

Chris Pizzello / AP Photo

Born: July 16, 1974 (Berwick, Pennsylvania)

High school: Berwick High School (Berwick, Pennsylvania)

Graduation year: 1993

College: Notre Dame

Career highlights: Parade Magazine National Player of the Year (1992), Parade Magazine All-American (1992), USA Today High School All-American (1992), USA Today Offensive Player of the Year (1992), PIAA state champion (1992), Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year (1992), Gatorade National Player of the Year (1993)

Bottom line: Berwick High won the second of three national titles in 1992, going 15-0 with perhaps the most highly recruited high school football player of all time in quarterback Ron Powlus, who started his first varsity game in front of a crowd of 40,000.

After Powlus chose Notre Dame in 1993, former ESPN college football analyst Beano Cook predicted he would win the Heisman Trophy twice, but injuries derailed Powlus’ career. He still started all four years for the Irish and finished his career with 20 school records, but he went 0-2 in bowl games and was never an All-American.

Rhode Island: Xavier Truss, Offensive Line

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Born: July 13, 2001 (West Warwick, Rhode Island)

High school: Bishop Hendricken High School (Warwick, Rhode Island)

Graduation year: 2019

College: Georgia

Career highlights: U.S. Army All-American (2018), RIIL state champion (2018), two-time All-State (2017, 2018), Army All-American (2019), two-time CFP national champion (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: Rhode Island high school football has seen some great players, but few can compare to the heights reached by Bishop Hendricken offensive lineman Xavier Truss.

Truss helped lead Bishop Hendricken to a state championship as a senior in 2018 before he picked Georgia over Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas. At Georgia, the 6-foot-7, 320-pound Truss has won back-to-back national championships while being a key reserve in 2021 and starting all but one game in 2022.

South Carolina: Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End

South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney

Mike Stewart / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 14, 1993 (Rock Hill, South Carolina)

High school: South Pointe High School (South Pointe, South Carolina)

Graduation year: 2011

College: South Carolina

Career highlights: SCHSL state champion (2008), South Carolina Mr. Football (2010), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2012), two-time AP All-American (2012, 2013), three-time All-SEC (2011-13), three-time Pro Bowl (2016-18), NFL All-Pro (2016)

Bottom line: Jadeveon Clowney was the first player in the modern era to be a consensus No. 1 overall recruit across the major recruiting services, and with good reason.

As a senior, the 6-foot-6, 240-pound defensive end had 29.5 sacks, 162 tackles and a stunning five defensive touchdowns. He was just as good in college at the University of South Carolina, where he was a two-time All-American and left school one year early to enter the NFL Draft. Clowney was the No. 1 overall pick by the Houston Texans in 2014 and has been a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

South Dakota: Chad Greenway, Athlete

Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

Born: Jan. 12, 1983 (Mount Vernon, South Dakota)

High school: Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon, South Dakota)

Graduation year: 2001

College: Iowa

Career highlights: South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year (2000), Argus Leader Player of the Year (2000), two-time Class 9AA state champion (1999, 2000), three-time Class 9AA All-State (1998-2000), NFL All-Pro (2012), two-time Pro Bowl (2011, 2012), three-time All-Big Ten (2003-05), AP All-American (2004)

Bottom line: The only player to make this list who didn’t play 11-man football in high school is former Mount Vernon High star Chad Greenway, a future NFL All-Pro linebacker who played quarterback and free safety in high school, along with returning punts and kickoffs.

Greenway led Stickney/Mount Vernon High to back-to-back Class AA 9-Man state championships in 1999 and 2000 and capped his career by being named South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior when he racked up almost 3,000 yards of total offense to go with 132 tackles and four interceptions.

Greenway was an All-American at Iowa and was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2006. Greenway played his entire 11 seasons in the NFL with the Vikings and was a two-time Pro Bowler and 2012 NFL All-Pro.

Tennessee: Reggie White, Defensive End

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Born: Dec. 19, 1961 (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

Died: Dec. 26, 2004, 43 years old (Cornelius, North Carolina)

High school: Howard High School (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

Graduation year: 1980

College: Tennessee

Career highlights: Parade All-American (1979), SEC Player of the Year (1983), All-SEC (1983), AP All-American (1983), Super Bowl champion (1996), two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1998), three-time UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1987, 1991, 1995), 13-time NFL All-Pro (1986-98), 13-time Pro Bowl (1986-98), NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team

Bottom line: There has perhaps never been a more dominant defensive lineman in the history of football — not just high school football — than the late Reggie White, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound force of nature who cut his teeth at Howard High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

White was an All-American at Howard High as a senior when he racked up 140 tackles and 10 sacks on the way to being named the No. 1 recruit in Tennessee for the Class of 1979. He stayed in-state to play for the University of Tennessee, where he was a starter by the end of his freshman year and the SEC Player of the Year in 1983.

White played pro football in the USFL and NFL for 17 seasons and set the NFL record with nine seasons of 10-plus sacks. White, who was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame, died of cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. He was 43 years old.

Texas: Kyler Murray, Quarterback

Matt Strasen / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 7, 1997 (Bedford, Texas)

High school: Allen High School (Allen, Texas)

Graduation year: 2015

Colleges: Texas A&M/Oklahoma

Career highlights: Three-time Class 6A state champion (2012-14), National Gatorade Player of the Year (2015), Under Armour All-American (2014), Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (2018) Manning Award (2018), Davey O’Brien Award (2018), All-Big 12 (2018), AP All-American (2018), AP College Football Player of the Year (2018), Heisman Trophy winner (2018), NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2019), two-time Pro Bowl (2020, 2021)

Bottom line: Few high school accolades, however non-official, could be considered more prestigious than the unofficial title of being the best high school football player to ever come out of the state of Texas — in this case, that’s former Allen High quarterback Kyler Murray.

Murray went 42-0 as a starter and won three consecutive state championships as Allen High’s starter before signing with Texas A&M, where he lasted one season before he transferred to Oklahoma, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2018.

Murray was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals and turned his back on a career as an MLB outfielder — he was also the No. 9 overall selection by the Oakland Athletics in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Utah: Jaxson Dart, Quarterback

Young Kwak / AP Photo

Born: May 13, 2003 (Kaysville, Utah)

High school: Corner Canyon High School (Draper, Utah)

Graduation year: 2021

Colleges: USC/Ole Miss

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2020), MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2020), MaxPreps All-American (2020), Sports Illustrated High School All-American (2020), two-time Class 6A state champion (2020)

Bottom line: Jaxson Dart played three years for Roy High before transferring to Corner Canyon High for his senior season — wherever he played and whoever he played against, he lit up like a Christmas tree.

Dart was named National Player of the Year by Gatorade and MaxPreps as a senior when he threw for 4,691 yards and set the state record with 67 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,195 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Dart set the USC record for most passing yards in a career debut with 391 yards in a win over Washington State but transferred to Ole Miss following his freshman year. He was the Rebels’ starter in 2022, throwing for 2,363 yards and 16 touchdowns to go with 552 rushing yards.

Vermont: Bob Yates, Offensive Line

New England Patriots / Vermont Sports Hall of Fame

Born: Nov. 20, 1938 (Montpelier, Vermont)

Died: April 16, 2013, 74 years old (Spring Branch, Texas)

High school: Montpelier High School (Montpelier, Vermont)

Graduation year: 1956

College: Syracuse

Career highlights: High School Football All-American (1955), Vermont state champion (1955), College Football All-American (1959), College Football National Champion (1959), Vermont Sports Hall of Fame (2012)

Bottom line: Bob Yates dominated high school football in an era when little attention was paid to the sport in his home state of Vermont. Yates was a four-year starter at Montpelier High, led his team to the state championship and was a High School All-American as a senior in 1955.

Yates wasn’t done winning, however. He was part of Syracuse’s undefeated national championship team in 1959 and blocked for 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Yates played six seasons in the AFL and was named to Syracuse’s all-century team.

Virginia: Terry Kirby, Running Back

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Born: Jan. 20, 1970 (Hampton, Virginia)

High school: Tabb High School (Tabb, Virginia)

Graduation year: 1988

College: Virginia

Career highlights: Parade High School Football All-American (1987), USA Today High School Football All-American (1987), VHSL state champion (1987), VHSL Hall of Fame (2007), two-time All-ACC (1990, 1992)

Bottom line: The de facto choice for the greatest high school football player in Virginia history seems to always be Hampton High quarterback Ronald Curry, who was a great player. No shade there, and Virginia high school football is traditionally stacked.

That said — for my money, Tabb High’s Terry Kirby, a do-everything offensive weapon wherever he lined up, was the best ever to do it on the prep level. Kirby led Tabb to a state championship in 1987 and was a high school All-American and still holds state career records for most 100-yard rushing games (36), most consecutive 100-yard games (26) and career rushing attempts (995). He’s also still in the Top 10 for career points scored, career touchdowns and career rushing yards with 7,428.

Kirby went on to set the career rushing record at the University of Virginia, led the ACC in rushing twice and led the team in receptions twice. He then went on to play a decade in the NFL.

Washington: Myles Jack, Linebacker/Running Back

Ted S. Warren / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 3, 1995 (Scottsdale, Arizona)

High school: Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Washington)

Graduation year: 2013

College: UCLA

Career highlights: Class 3A state champion (2012), U.S. Army All-American (2013), two-time All-Pac-12 (2013, 2014), Seattle Times Player of the Year (2012), Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2013), Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2013)

Bottom line: Bellevue High went 14-0 and won the national championship in 2012 with the greatest high school football player in state history on its roster — linebacker/running back Myles Jack, who had 98 tackles and an astonishing 24 sacks as a senior.

One year later, Jack captured a unique piece of college football history at UCLA when he was named Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2013. He was later selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

West Virginia: Randy Moss, Wide Receiver

Fred Jewell / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 13, 1977 (Charleston, West Virginia)

High school: Dupont High School (Belle, West Virginia)

Graduation year: 1995

College: Marshall

Career highlights: Two-time Class AAA state champion (1992, 1993), two-time Gatorade West Virginia Player of the Year (1993, 1994), two-time Gatorade West Virginia Basketball Player of the Year (1994, 1995), Division I-AA national champion (1997), AP All-American (1997), five-time NFL All-Pro (1998, 2000, 2003, 2007), six-time Pro Bowl (1998-2000, 2002, 2003, 2007), NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1998), NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2007), PFWA All-Rookie Team (1998)

Bottom line: Randy Moss left Dupont High as one of the greatest high school football players of all time — not just in West Virginia.

Moss was a two-time West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year in two different sports — football and basketball — and led Dupont to back-to-back state championships in football in 1992 and 1993. Off-the-field problems kept Moss from big-time college football, but he still set NCAA records at Marshall, where he scored 54 touchdowns in two seasons and won a Division I-AA national championship in 1997.

Moss played 15 seasons in the NFL, making the NFL All-Pro Team five times and leading the NFL in receiving yards five times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Wisconsin: Derek Watt, Running Back/Linebacker

Morry Gash / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 7, 1992 (Waukesha, Wisconsin)

High school: Pewaukee High School (Pewaukee, Wisconsin)

Graduation year: 2011

College: Wisconsin

Career highlights: USA Today High School All-American (2010), AP Wisconsin Player of the Year (2010)

Bottom line: While older brother J.J. Watt and younger brother T.J. Watt may have been more celebrated in college and the NFL, middle brother Derek Watt was the best of the three in high school and the only to be named a USA Today High School Football All-American.

As a senior, Derek Watt rushed for 1,506 yards and 25 touchdowns, along with 277 receiving yards and two touchdowns. On defense, he had 80 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles. On special teams, he converted 32 extra-point attempts and returned a punt for a touchdown.

Watt played college football for Wisconsin, where he blocked for a record-setting running back in fellow Wisconsin native Melvin Gordon and played alongside younger brother T.J. Watt. All three brothers ended up in the NFL — Derek Watt has been a fullback in the league since 2016.

Wyoming: Colson Coon, Athlete

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Born: June 17, 2004 (Sheridan, Wyoming)

High school: Sheridan High School (Sheridan, Wyoming)

Graduation year: 2023

College: Montana State

Career highlights: Two-time Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year (2021, 2022), two-time Class 4A state champion (2021, 2022), Wyoming MaxPreps Player of the Year (2022), two-time Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: Sheridan High do-it-all star Colson Coon became Wyoming’s first two-time Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior following one of the greatest seasons in state history.

In 2022, Coon, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, led Sheridan to a 12-0 record and a second straight Class 4A state championship after he rushed for 2,195 yards and 34 touchdowns while also racking up 93 tackles as well as being the team’s kicker and punter. In a 63-42 win over Cheyenne Central in the state semifinals, Coon ran for a state-record 517 yards. In a 34-23 win over Cheyenne East in the class 4A state championship game, Coon rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns, returned an interception for a touchdown, had 13 tackles, kicked two field and four PATs. Coon added another title when he won the 2023 Class 4A 182-pound state championship in wrestling.

Both of Coon’s older brothers, Evan and Garrett, were also stars at Sheridan, with Garrett earning Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020. Colson will join Garrett, a running back, at Montana State in 2023.

District of Columbia: Caleb Williams, Quarterback

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 18, 2001 (Washington, D.C.)

High school: Gonzaga College High School (Washington, D.C.)

Graduation year: 2021

Colleges: Oklahoma/USC

Career highlights: WCAC champion (2018), D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year (2018), two-time Washington Post All-Metropolitan (2018, 2019), Elite 11 Finals MVP (2020), USA Today High School All-American (2019), All-Big 12 (2021), Heisman Trophy (2022), Maxwell Award (2022), Walter Camp Award (2022), AP College Football Player of the Year (2022), Sporting News College Football Player of the Year (2022), AP All-American (2022), Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year (2022), All-Pac-12 (2022)

Bottom line: Gonzaga College High’s Caleb Williams was good enough in high school to earn this spot despite not even playing his senior season because of the pandemic.

Williams led Gonzaga to the WCAC championship in 2018 and was named D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year. He was also a two-time Washington Post All-Metro Team pick in 2018 and 2019 — and in his only high school action in 2020, he was named Elit Eleven Finals MVP.

Williams began his college career at Oklahoma, where he was named All-Big 12 as a true freshman despite starting only half the season. He transferred to USC for his sophomore season and won the Heisman Trophy in 2022. He’s widely regarded as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.