High Schools With the Most Active NFL Players

These high schools have become pipelines for producing pro football players.

High Schools With the Most Active NFL Players

Some college football programs have a history of sending players to the NFL. The same is true for high schools. But what high schools have become pipelines to the NFL like universities?

We’ve sorted through all the high schools to find which ones have the most players in the NFL today. The schools are spread throughout the country with 21 different states represented. Texas and Florida lead the way with seven schools. California is the only other state with at least five schools.

These high schools have the most active NFL players.

34. (Tied) Daphne High School – 3 players

T.J. Yeldon put up big-time numbers at Daphne.

Note: All data is from Pro Football Reference for the 2019 NFL season. The number in parentheses is the player’s years in the league.

Location of school: Daphne, Alabama

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Kenny King (2003)

Bottom Line: Daphne High School

Daphne High is one of the youngest schools on this list, having opened its doors in 1989. In fact, of the eight total players who have gone on to the NFL from Daphne, half of those players are older than their high school.

The three current players are all younger than the school and were teammates together from 2008 to 2010. Two of them, T.J. Yeldon and Ryan Anderson, became teammates at the University of Alabama, which is about 200 miles north of Daphne High’s campus.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Daphne High School

Ryan Anderson (3)

Michael Pierce (4)

T.J. Yeldon (5)

34. (Tied) Grandview High School – 3 players

Location of school: Aurora, Colorado

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Joe Klopfenstein (2006)

Bottom Line: Grandview High School

Grandview High School was created in 1998 to accommodate the growing population in the Denver metropolitan area. Of the 2,025 players that suited up during the 2019 NFL season, only one player was born after Grandview opened.

Less than 10 years later, the Grandview football team won its first state championship, and defensive lineman Mike Pennel was a part of that team.

Pennel also tasted championship gold in the NFL as a reserve on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad in 2019.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Grandview High School

Evan Baylis (3)

Mike Pennel (6)

Eddie Yarbrough (2)

34. (Tied) Saint Louis School – 3 players

Marcus Mariota is a Saint Louis School legend.

Location of school: Honolulu, Hawaii

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Augie Cabrinha (1927)

Bottom Line: Saint Louis School

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Tyson Alualu (94) plays against the Cleveland Browns in 2017.

During the 2019 season, there were just nine NFL players who attended high school in Hawaii, and a third of them went to St. Louis.

Two were teammates on the Tennessee Titans — Heisman winner Marcus Mariota, who graduated from the school in 2011, and linebacker Kamalei Correa, who did the same a year later.

The school is poised to add another NFL alumni after former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

Mariota and Tagovailoa forged a close relationship in Hawaii, and one of the reasons why Tagovailoa chose to attend St. Louis School was to follow in his mentor’s footsteps.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Saint Louis School

Tyson Alualu (10)

Kamalei Correa (4)

Marcus Mariota (5)

34. (Tied) Cathedral High School – 3 players

Location of school: Indianapolis, Indiana

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Mark Clayton (1983)

Bottom Line: Cathedral High School

Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle celebrates a touchdown catch against the Tennessee Titans in 2019.

The Cathedral Fighting Irish are the all-time winningest high school football program in Indiana, and lots of great players have suited up for the school.

That includes Terry McLaurin, who was Indiana’s Mr. Football in high school, an award that is given to the best player in the state. McLaurin now plays for the Washington Redskins.

Another active player, Jack Doyle, didn’t have to travel far from home to join an NFL team. Doyle has spent his entire seven-year career with the Indianapolis Colts, who play just 11 miles away from Cathedral.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Cathedral High School

Jack Doyle (7)

Ted Karras (4)

Terry McLaurin (1)

34. (Tied) Dutchtown High School – 3 players

Justin Reid played his college ball at Stanford.

Location of school: Geismar, Louisiana

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Eddie Lacy (2013)

Bottom Line: Dutchtown High School

Safety Justin Reid of the Texans has lots of pressure on him to become a Pro Bowler as every other player from Dutchtown has done so.

Granted, there have been just three others, including Justin’s older brother, Eric Reid of the Panthers, but the younger Reid wants to keep the streak alive.

Apart from the Reids, the other active player from Dutchtown is Landon Collins, who shared a defensive backfield with Eric Reid.

That means Dutchtown had two future Pro Bowl safeties on the same team at the same time.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Dutchtown High School (Years in League)

Landon Collins (5)

Eric Reid (7)

Justin Reid (2)

34. (Tied) DeMatha Catholic High School – 3 players

Location of school: Hyattsville, Maryland

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Brendan McCarthy (1968)

Bottom Line: DeMatha Catholic High School

Tennessee Titans linebacker Cameron Wake.

Located in a suburb of Washington, D.C., DeMatha has one of the best athletic programs in the nation.

The school has produced NBA players in the Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medalists in track and field, even world champions in professional wrestling.

Its best NFL player was former Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, while the best active player is five-time Pro Bowler Cameron Wake.

But Wake is the best active player as of now. Former Ohio State standout Chase Young is ready to join that conversation shortly.

Active NFL Players Who Attended DeMatha Catholic High School

Ja’Whaun Bentley (2)

Rodney McLeod (8)

Cameron Wake (11)

34. (Tied) Gilman School – 3 players

Location of school: Baltimore, Maryland

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Victor Abiamiri (2007)

Bottom Line: Gilman School

New York Jets outside linebacker Brandon Copeland (51) celebrates after Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) is sacked during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J.

Despite winning 14 conference titles over the last 25 years, Gilman’s football team has produced just five total players over that span.

Its three active players were all teammates together in the 2008 season, which was, ironically, not one of its title-winning seasons.

While Gilman is one of the most prestigious schools in the DMV for both academics and athletics, that success comes at a cost, literally.

The high school tuition is over $30,000 per year, and the entire high school student body is 479 students, while many other schools on this list have over 3,000 students.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Gilman School

Brandon Copeland (5)

Darius Jennings (5)

Cyrus Jones (4)

34. (Tied) Northern Guilford High School – 3 players

Maurice Harris was a star wide receiver in high school.

Location of school: Greensboro, North Carolina

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Keenan Allen (2013)

Bottom Line: Northern Guilford High School

Northern Guilford first opened its doors in 2008, so the school’s most famous NFL alum was already halfway to graduation before the school came into existence.

Pro Bowl Chargers receiver Keenan Allen spent his first two years of high school across town at another school and then transferred to Northern Guilford right after it opened in 2008.

He developed into the top high school prospect in the state of North Carolina during his final two years before taking his talents to Cal Berkeley.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Northern Guilford High School

Keenan Allen (7)

T.J. Logan (2)

Maurice Harris (3)

34. (Tied) Saint Joseph Regional High School – 3 players

Devin McCourty has been a leader at every level of football.

Location of school: Montvale, New Jersey

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Tim Morabito (1996)

Bottom Line: Saint Joseph Regional High School

New England Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty against the New York Giants in 2019.

One of the easiest ways for a high school to end up on this list is by having NFL brothers pass through your halls.

The McCourty twins shared a defensive backfield at St. Joseph before doing the same at Rutgers and later with the New England Patriots.

The brothers were born and raised in New York, but they crossed state lines to attend this private high school due to both its athletics and academics.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Saint Joseph Regional High School

Devin McCourty (10)

Jason McCourty (11)

K’Waun Williams (6)

34. (Tied) Cleveland Heights High School – 3 players

Location of school: Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Larry Benz (1963)

Bottom Line: Cleveland Heights High School

Speaking of a pair of brothers helping a school land on this list, Cleveland Heights should thank the Kelce brothers.

Travis and Jason Kelce teamed up together for one year at the school with Travis, who’s now a tight end, playing quarterback and Jason, who’s now a center, playing running back.

They would team again at the University of Cincinnati before winning Super Bowls with their respective teams.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Cleveland Heights High School

Jason Kelce (9)

Travis Kelce (7)

Shelton Gibson (2)

34. (Tied) Woodland Hills High School – 3 players

Miles Sanders went to Penn State after playing at Woodland Hills.

Location of school: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Jason Taylor (1997)

Bottom Line: Woodland Hills High School

New York Jets defensive back Rontez Miles in 2015.

Two of the greatest players in NFL history suited up for the Woodland Hills Wolverines roughly 15 years apart.

The first was Jason Taylor, who was homeschooled for grades 10 to 12 but still allowed to play football for Woodland Hills because it was in his school district.

The other notable player is Rob Gronkowski, who attended the school as a senior even though his three NFL brothers all attended a high school near their home in Buffalo.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Woodland Hills High School

Quinton Jefferson (4)

Rontez Miles (7)

Miles Sanders (1)

34. (Tied) William Penn Charter School – 3 players

Location of school: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Kirk Hershey (1941)

Bottom Line: William Penn Charter School

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey in 2019.

While many schools on this list just popped up in the last 30 years, Penn Charter has been around since the 1600s. Founded in 1689, this K-12 school is the fifth-oldest elementary school in the United States.

Some 327 years after the school's opening, its most famous NFL alum, Matt Ryan, received the league’s highest honor as the 2017 NFL MVP.

Ryan was an all-everything in high school. In addition to being the captain of the football team, he also captained the basketball and baseball teams.

Active NFL Players Who Attended William Penn Charter School

Mike McGlinchey (2)

Matt Ryan (12)

Daryl Worley (4)

34. (Tied) DeSoto High School – 3 players

Location of school: DeSoto, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Tim Hendrix (1987)

Bottom Line: DeSoto High School

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller in 2019.

DeSoto is a suburb of Dallas, and it has had a great recent run of multiple alums in the NFL.

Since the 2004 season, DeSoto High has had at least three players in the NFL every season. The star player of that group is Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller.

Miller was more potential than production back in high school. Despite his talent, he notched just six sacks as a senior and wasn’t even one of the top 30 prospects in Texas.

Active NFL Players Who Attended DeSoto High School

Chris Lacy (2)

Jalen Mills (4)

Von Miller (9)

34. (Tied) Timpview High School – 3 players

Location of school: Provo, Utah

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Eric Bergeson (1990)

Bottom Line: Timpview High School

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Pita Taumoepenu in 2019.

Bottom line: Located just two miles from BYU’s campus, it comes as no surprise that many Timpview Thunderbirds then become BYU Cougars.

Half of the eight Timpview alums to play in the NFL played at BYU, including Bronson Kaufusi, who suited up for the Jets in 2019.

Kaufusi also suited up for Timpview’s basketball tea, as well as BYU’s, and his abilities on the hardwood later earned him the nickname of LeBronson, as a comparison to LeBron James.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Timpview High School

Bronson Kaufusi (3)

Xavier Su’a-Filo (6)

Pita Taumoepenu (2)

34. (Tied) Dan River High School – 3 players

Location of school: Ringgold, Virginia

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Trey Edmunds (2017)

Bottom Line: Dan River High School

Buffalo Bills middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds makes a tackle against the Houston Texans in a 2020 playoff game.

Dan River’s three active players are its only three players to make it to the NFL.

You only need one name to list the players, and that name is Edmunds. Trey, Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds are one of the few trios of brothers in the NFL, and all three joined the NFL between 2017 and 2018.

The brothers’ father, Ferrell, also played in the NFL in the 1980s and '90s, but he attended a different school in the area.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Dan River High School

Terrell Edmunds (2)

Trey Edmunds (3)

Tremaine Edmunds (2)

34. (Tied) Bellevue High School – 3 players

Location of school: Bellevue, Washington

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Bill Cahill (1973)

Bottom Line: Bellevue High School

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard David DeCastro plays against the Cleveland Browns in 2019.

Bellevue is just outside of Seattle, and the school’s football team had a 67-game winning streak from 2010 to 2014.

Current Arizona Cardinal Budda Baker was a part of those teams and went 42-0 while playing with the varsity. Another graduate from Bellevue is five-time Pro Bowler David DeCastro of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who was physically imposing as a future NFL star competing against 2A schools.

DeCastro was also on the Bellevue track and field team and won a state championship in the shot put shortly after his high school football career ended.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Bellevue High Schoo

Budda Baker (3)

David DeCastro (8)

Myles Jack (4)

34. (Tied) Pewaukee High School – 3 players

Location of school: Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Chris McIntosh (2000)

Bottom Line: Pewaukee High School

Just as Dan River High School made this list thanks to the Edmunds brothers, Pewaukee High School can give thanks to the Watts.

J.J., T.J. and Derek Watt all walked the halls of the school, but only middle brother Derek and youngest brother T.J. were teammates.

J.J. – despite being a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year – was a late bloomer and was just a two-star recruit coming out of high school while his two younger brothers were both three-stars.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Pewaukee High School

Derek Watt (4)

J.J. Watt (9)

T.J. Watt (3)

18. (Tied) Oxford High School – 4 players

Location of school: Oxford, Alabama

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Kwon Alexander (2015)

Bottom Line: Oxford High School

Cleveland Browns linebacker Tae Davis in 2019.

Our first of the four high schools residing in northeast Alabama is roughly a two-hour drive from both the campuses of Auburn and Alabama. But despite that, none of the current or former players from Oxford High stayed in the state for college.

That includes current 49er Kwon Alexander, who tore his pectoral muscle during the middle of the 2019 season. It was thought that Alexander would be out for the rest of the season, but he made a miraculous recovery in two months and suited up for the team in the postseason.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Oxford High School

Kwon Alexander (5)

Tae Davis (2)

Bobby McCain (5)

Roc Thomas (2)

18. (Tied) Helix High School – 4 players

Location of school: La Mesa, California

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Ed White (1969)

Bottom Line: Helix High School

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Davis in 2018.

Located near San Diego, Helix High became the first high school to have two Heisman finalists in the same year in 2004. Those two were Reggie Bush and Alex Smith, who were Helix teammates, and Smith is one of the four active players from the school even though he hasn’t played since 2018.

A former NFL player from the school is Bruce Walton, who was a lineman for three years in the 1970s. Walton didn’t have an eventful career, but his brother Bill Walton did. Bill also attended Helix and won an NBA MVP before being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Helix High School

Jalen Davis (2)

Jamar Taylor (7)

Levine Toilolo (7)

Alex Smith (15)

18. (Tied) La Costa Canyon High School – 4 players

Location of school: Carlsbad, California

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Kevin O’Connell (2008)

Bottom Line: La Costa Canyon High School

Tennessee Titans offensive lineman David Quessenberry in 2019.

Two linemen brothers comprise half of La Costa Canyon’s active NFL players with the Quessenberry brothers. Another lineman, Erik Magnuson, along with receiver Kenny Stills, makes up the rest of the Mavericks in the NFL.

But what this school is best known for is its rivalry with Torrey Pines High School. Since both are in the San Diego area, their rivalry football game is known as the Surf Bowl, and each year, the winning team takes possession of The Surfboard until the next game.

Active NFL Players Who Attended La Costa Canyon High School

Erik Magnuson (3)

David Quessenberry (6)

Scott Quessenberry (2)

Kenny Stills (7)

18. (Tied) Glades Central High School – 4 players

Location of school: Belle Glade, Florida

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Jessie Hester (1985)

Bottom Line: Glades Central High School

Los Angeles Chargers outside linebacker Jatavis Brown celebrates after recovering a fumble in 2019.

In the 2001 season, Glades Central had an NFL high of seven active players, and they’ve had 23 players all-time.

Those include all-time Jaguars leading rusher Fred Taylor and Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes, who are actually cousins.

Among the current players are Chargers teammates Travis Benjamin and Jatavis Brown.

Glades Central has sent a player from every position except quarterback to the NFL, and over half of those played either receiver or defensive back.

NFL Players Who Attended Glades Central High School (Years in League)

Travis Benjamin (8)

Jatavis Brown (4)

Cre’von LeBlanc (4)

Clive Walford (5)

18. (Tied) Norland High School – 4 players

Location of school: Miami, Florida

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Wilbur Summers (1977)

Bottom Line: Norland High School

In 2002, Norland High was led by a senior star receiver named Dwayne Bowe, who later became an NFL Pro Bowler.

A freshman during that year was another future Pro Bowl receiver by the name of Antonio Brown. By the time Brown was a senior, he was one of the best players in Florida and lined up everywhere from receiver to running back to quarterback.

Brown played in just one game in the 2019 season, and we’ll see if he gets another shot in the NFL to qualify for this list.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Norland High School

Antonio Brown (10)

Ereck Flowers (5)

Duke Johnson (5)

Xavier Rhodes (7)

18. (Tied) Booker T. Washington High School – 4 players

Location of school: Miami, Florida

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Larry Little (1967)

Bottom Line: Booker T. Washington High School

Washington High had four players active in the 2019 season, but two of those four were released in the same week in November.

First, there was Browns receiver Antonio Callaway, who was suspended to start the season, then activated before getting waived by the team after showing up late to practice.

His high school teammate and classmate Mark Walton was then cut by the Dolphins four days later after being arrested for the fourth time in 2019.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Booker T. Washington High School

Antonio Callaway (2)

Quinton Dunbar (5)

Chad Thomas (2)

Mark Walton (2)

18. (Tied) Peachtree Ridge High School – 4 players

Location of school: Suwanee, Georgia

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Cameron Heyward (2011)

Bottom Line: Peachtree Ridge High School

Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. in 2018.

Located in the Atlanta metro, Peachtree Ridge was home to a couple of second-generation NFL players.

Pro Bowl Steeler Cameron Heyward attended the school and is the son of former running back Craig "Iron Head" Heyward. Another second-generation Pro Bowler, Orlando Brown Jr., also was a Peachtree Ridge Lion, and his father of the same name was infamously nicknamed Zeus.

Fortunately, neither of the sons took the nicknames of their fathers, so there’s no "Baby Iron Head" or "Zeus Jr."

Active NFL Players Who Attended Peachtree Ridge High School

Orlando Brown Jr. (2)

Cameron Hayward (9)

Kevin Minter (7)

Bradley Roby (6)

18. (Tied) Our Lady of Good Counsel – 4 players

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School — Our Lady of Good Counsel is a private school in suburban Washington, D.C.

Location of school: Olney, Maryland

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Zachary Hilton (2003)

Bottom Line: Our Lady of Good Counsel

Stefon Diggs' journey to becoming one of the NFL’s best receivers began at Our Lady of Good Counsel in suburban Washington, D.C. Diggs was the No. 2 receiver in the nation coming out of high school, and he also spent a couple of years teaming with Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller.

What’s unique about Kendall Fuller is that he’s had three brothers who also played in the NFL, but none of those other three went to Good Counsel. In fact, of the four Fuller brothers, they attended three different high schools with all of them being in the DMV.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Our Lady of Good Counsel

Blake Countess (4)

Stefon Diggs (5)

Kendall Fuller (4)

Dorian O’Daniel (2)

18. (Tied) Olive Branch High School – 4 players

Location of school: Olive Branch, Mississippi

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Jeff Walker (1986)

Bottom Line: Olive Branch High School

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jalen Collins in 2019.

Olive Branch is in the northwestern part of Mississippi and is about 20 miles away from Memphis, Tennessee.

One of its current players, Titans linebacker Daren Bates, spent his first three years of high school at a private school in Memphis before transferring to Olive Branch where he was All-Region in his lone season.

Bates followed in the footsteps of longtime Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, who didn’t transfer but was all-state at Olive Branch.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Olive Branch High School

Daren Bates (7)

K.J. Wright (9)

Shon Coleman (2)

Jalen Collins (2)

18. (Tied) Don Bosco Prep – 4 players

Location of school: Ramsey, New Jersey

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Chris Port (1991)

Bottom Line: Don Bosco Prep

New York Giants free safety Jabrill Peppers during a game against the Chicago Bears in 2019.

Don Bosco is just two miles from the New Jersey/New York border so it attracts students from both states.

The school is one of the most successful football programs in the country and has won two national high school championships. One of those came in 2011 when the team was led by sophomore Jabrill Peppers, who doubled as a running back and cornerback.

Peppers now plays 20 miles away from Don Bosco’s campus with the New York Giants after being traded there as part of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Don Bosco Prep

Thomas Hennessy (3)

Al-Quadin Muhammad (3)

Jabrill Peppers (3)

Matt Simms (7)

18. (Tied) Northwestern High School – 4 players

Location of school: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Rick Sanford (1979)

Bottom Line: Northwestern High School

Chicago Bears wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson before a game in Minnesota in 2019.

Northwestern is located in South Carolina, just 30 minutes away from Charlotte, North Carolina, which produces an abundance of NFL talent. But South Carolina is gaining on its neighbors thanks to Northwestern.

Two Northwestern alums had eventful 2019 seasons, including Ben Watson of the Patriots. He initially retired after the 2018 season, then came back and joined the Patriots only to be suspended for PEDs.

Another graduate had an even more controversial season as it involved him getting smacked in the head with his own helmet. Mason Rudolph of the Steelers led Northwestern to a state championship in 2013 before becoming the target of Myles Garrett in 2019.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Northwestern High School

Johnathan Joseph (14)

Cordarrelle Patterson (7)

Mason Rudolph (2)

Ben Watson (16)

18. (Tied) Martin High School – 4 players

Location of school: Arlington, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Lane Taylor (2013)

Bottom Line: Martin High School

Denver Broncos linebacker Justin Hollins in 2019.

Speaking of Myles Garrett, guess which high school he attended in Arlington, Texas?

Garrett graduated from Martin High in 2014, and he became the No. 1 prospect in the nation during his time there thanks to 19.5 sacks as a senior. Garrett played with two other current defensive linemen at Martin, the Redskins’ Chris Odom and the Broncos’ Justin Hollins.

Three NFL pass rushers on the same defensive line at the same time wasn’t enough to get the Warriors any better than a 7-4 record when they were all together.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Martin High School

Myles Garrett (3)

Justin Hollins (1)

Chris Odom (3)

Lane Taylor (7)

18. (Tied) Westlake High School – 4 players

Location of school: Austin, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Brad Shearer (1978)

Bottom Line: Westlake High School

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is one the NFL's all-time great quarterbacks.

There are two high schools that have produced multiple Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks. One is the Manning brothers’ school of Isidore Newman in New Orleans. The other is Westlake High, which calls both Drew Brees and Nick Foles alums.

Brees was undefeated in high school with a 28-0-1 starting record and over 5,000 passing yards. In his junior year, he tore his ACL, and that scared off many recruiters, but he rebounded as a senior to lead Westlake to its first state championship.

Pro Bowl Ravens kicker Justin Tucker also went to Westlake, and he wasn’t always just a kicker. Tucker played receiver and defensive back in high school and scored two touchdowns on offense and one on defense.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Westlake High School

Drew Brees (19)

Nick Foles (8)

Bryce Hager (5)

Justin Tucker (8)

18. (Tied) Alief Taylor High School – 4 players

Location of school: Houston, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Martellus Bennett (2008)

Bottom Line: Alief Taylor High School

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Michael Bennett in 2019.

Alief Taylor attracts students from many different nationalities and backgrounds as over 21 percent of the student population are English Language Learners.

Three of the school's four active NFL players are of Nigerian descent, although none of the three are related. The fourth active player is longtime Seahawk Michael Bennett, who was in the same grade as his brother Martellus, despite being a year-and-a-half older.

Martellus is now retired, but when he was in high school, he also played basketball and even declared for the 2005 NBA draft when players could still skip college. He ultimately withdrew his name from the draft when he found out he wouldn’t be a first-round pick and decided to go to Texas A&M.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Alief Taylor High School

Michael Bennett (11)

Joshua Kalu (2)

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (1)

Duke Ejiofor (2)

18. (Tied) North Shore High School – 4 players

Location of school: Houston, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Lance Gunn (1993)

Bottom Line: North Shore High School

Carolina Panthers wide receiver DeAndrew White in 2019.

With nearly 5,000 students, North Shore is the largest high school by population in Houston and the second-largest in Texas. It’s had 13 total players in the NFL, but only one of those has been a skill position player, current Panthers receiver DeAndrew White.

While White is the biggest name among current players, North Shore has produced several great athletes all across sports. It has sent players to the NBA, MLB, even to the Olympics as boxers.

But perhaps their most famous alum comes outside of sports, and it’s John Bundrick, the longtime keyboardist for The Who.

Active NFL Players Who Attended North Shore High School

Dorance Armstrong (2)

Emeke Egbule (1)

Trey Hopkins (6)

DeAndrew White (5)

18. (Tied) Rowlett High School – 4 players

Location of school: Rowlett, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Marquis Goodwin (2013)

Bottom Line: Rowlett High School

Rowlett is located in a Dallas suburb, and its four active players are the only four NFL players the school has produced.

The most notable is wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who is more known for his track and field exploits than his football accomplishments. While at Rowlett he set the national high school record in the long jump and finished fifth at the USA Championships despite being just 18 years old.

Goodwin also won seven Class 5A state championships across multiple events, including long jump, triple champ and the 4x100 meter relay.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Rowlett High School

Marquise Goodwin (7)

Damontre Moore (7)

Charles Omenihu (1)

Zach Wood (3)

10. (Tied) Chandler High School – 5 players

Location of school: Chandler, Arizona

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Eddie Wilson (1962)

Bottom Line: Chandler High School

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan during a playoff game in 2020.

Future Hall of Famer Terrell Suggs attended Chandler High School in suburban Phoenix, but he later transferred so he’s not one of the five active players. But another Pro Bowl pass rusher is the Saints’ Cameron Jordan.

Coincidentally, both Suggs and Jordan were born in Minneapolis before moving to Arizona as kids. Jordan was born in Minnesota while his dad Steve was making Pro Bowls for the Vikings while Suggs spent his Minneapolis childhood as a youth football teammate of MLB MVP Joe Mauer.

NFL Players Who Attended Chandler High School (Years in League)

N’Keal Harry (1)

Brett Hundley (4)

Cameron Jordan (9)

Dion Jordan (7)

Paul Perkins (4)

10. (Tied) Servite High School – 5 players

Location of school: Anaheim, California

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Blaine Nye (1968)

Bottom Line: Servite High School

New York Jets center Ryan Kalil in 2019.

It’s a family affair when it comes to Servite alums. All of the active players have familial ties to other athletes.

There are the Kalil brothers, Ryan and Matt, who attended the school as did Matthew Slater, the son of Hall of Famer Jackie Slater.

Tight end Troy Niklas is part of perhaps football’s most accomplished family — the Matthews family. He calls Clay Matthews cousin and Bruce Matthews uncle.

Lastly, there’s Packers receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who’s already in the Name Hall of Fame, and while none of his relatives played football, his dad was a two-time Mr. Universe in bodybuilding.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Servite High School

Matt Kalil (9)

Ryan Kalil (13)

Troy Niklas (6)

Matthew Slater (12)

Equanimeous St. Brown (2)

10. (Tied) Lakewood High School – 5 players

Location of school: St. Petersburg, Florida

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Ernest Givins (1986)

Bottom Line: Lakewood High School

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin during a playoff game in 2020.

The 2011 Lakewood team had four future NFL players and somehow only finished with a 7-4 record.

All four of those players are currently active, including the Seattle Seahawks’ Griffin twins. Shaquill is a cornerback and Shaquem – who plays linebacker – is the first and only one-handed player in NFL history.

Also on that Norland defense was Dante Fowler, a first-round NFL pick, and Green Bay Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

How again did that team finish just 7-4?

Active NFL Players Who Attended Lakewood High School

Dante Fowler (5)

Shaquill Griffin (3)

Shaquem Griffin (2)

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (2)

Isaiah Wynn (2)

10. (Tied) Stephenson High School – 5 players

Location of school: Stone Mountain, Georgia

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Anthony Cannon (2006)

Bottom Line: Stephenson High School

Green Bay Packers linebacker Preston Smith in 2019.

Located about 15 miles from downtown Atlanta, Stephenson High specializes in getting after the quarterback as four of its five active players are pass rushers.

That includes Bruce Irvin, who dropped out of high school and obtained his GED, but he still makes this list because Stephenson was his final high school.

Other notable players include two guys who took similar paths from Stephenson to Mississippi State to the Washington Redskins. Preston Smith was a second-round pick by Washington in 2015, and then Montez Sweat bested him four years later by being Washington’s first-round selection.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Stephenson High School

Bruce Irvin (8)

Kenny Ladler (6)

Preston Smith (5)

Montez Sweat (1)

Jonathan Wynn (1)

10. (Tied) Tucker High School – 5 players

James Vaughters at Tucker High School before heading to Stanford to play college football.

Location of school: Tucker, Georgia

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: John McMakin (1972)

Bottom Line: Tucker High School

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Dwayne Harris in 2019.

Bears linebacker James Vaughters had quite the academic and athletic career at Tucker High School.

He not only helped lead the team to its first state championship, but he also did it while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He was an Under Armour All-American, a member of the National Honors Society and also a member of the Beta Club all at the same time.

Since going undrafted in 2015, Vaughters has been cut seven times compared to playing in just three games, but he finally made his NFL debut in 2019 and has also played in both the CFL and XFL.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Tucker High School

A.J. Bouye (7)

Dwayne Harris 9)

Duke Shelley (1)

Neiko Thorpe (8)

James Vaughters (1)

10. (Tied) Miami Northwestern High School – 5 players

Amari Cooper, Teddy Bridgewater — Amari Cooper and Teddy Bridgewater competing in high school.

Location of school: Miami, Florida

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Bobby Felts (1965)

Bottom Line: Miami Northwestern High School

Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Lavonte David celebrates an interception in 2018.

For two years, Miami Northwestern had one first-rounder passing to another as Teddy Bridgewater was under center and Amari Cooper was at receiver.

There was yet another first-rounder on the other side of the ball for those teams with cornerback Artie Burns, who plays for the Steelers.

But the best-ever Miami Northwestern team featured none of those three players, and it was the 2007 national championship-winning squad.

That team went 15-0 with the average score of its games being 42-10. The team was led by All-Pro linebacker Lavonte David and had a high-profile Week 3 matchup in Dallas, Texas, against Carroll High School.

In a matchup of the top two high school teams in the nation, No. 1 prevailed as Miami Northwestern ended Carroll’s 49-game winning streak, which was tied for the longest in Texas history.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Miami Northwestern High School

Deandre Baker (1)

Teddy Bridgewater (6)

Artie Burns (4)

Amari Cooper (5)

Lavonte David (8)

10. (Tied) St. Augustine High School – 5 players

Location of school: New Orleans, Louisiana

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Al Jenkins (1969)

Bottom Line: St. Augustine High School

Carolina Panthers offensive guard Trai Turner in 2019.

Very few freshmen even make their varsity football team, but not only did Leonard Fournette make the team and start as a freshman, but he was the best player on the entire St. Augustine squad.

Fournette ran for over 2,500 yards and 30 touchdowns before he was even old enough to drive, and his success made him the first-ever freshman to receive a scholarship offer from LSU.

In his high school career, Fournette totaled over 8,000 rushing yards and 100 touchdowns, and his play at St. Augustine made him the unanimous No. 1 running back in his high school class.

He ended up taking that offer from LSU before becoming a 1,000-yard running back with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Active NFL Players Who Attended St. Augustine High School

Leonard Fournette (3)

Charles Jones (1)

Tyrann Mathieu (7)

Stanley Morgan (1)

Trai Turner (6)

10. (Tied) West Monroe High School – 5 players

Location of school: West Monroe, Louisiana

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Jerry Stovall (1963)

Bottom Line: West Monroe High School

Located in northern Louisiana, West Monroe High has one of the most prestigious football programs in the state and has won eight state titles since 1993.

The Rams’ Andrew Whitworth is the oldest offensive lineman in the NFL (38), and while he wasn’t on that 1993 team, he was on two other title-winning teams in 1998 and 2000. Whitworth also was a promising tennis player while growing up in Monroe, and perhaps that sport is what gave him the agility to play 14 years as an offensive lineman.

Another active player from West Monroe is someone who would make the NFL Name Hall of Fame. Barkevious "KeKe" Mingo was all-state in high school and got his name from a combination of his mom’s name (Barbara) and a name she always liked (Kevious).

Active NFL Players Who Attended West Monroe High School

Barkevious Mingo (7)

Cam Robinson (3)

Andrew Whitworth (14)

Xavier Woods (3)

Michael Hunter (4)

3. (Tied) Long Beach Polytechnic – 6 players

JuJu Smith-Schuster — Long Beach Poly has been producing NFL players for a long time.

Location of school: Long Beach, California

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Bullet Baker (1927)

Bottom Line: Long Beach Polytechnic

In terms of all-time NFL players, only one other school has produced more players than Long Beach Poly’s 58. Outside of football, the school has produced such luminaries as Tony Gwynn, Billie Jean King, Snoop Dogg and Cameron Diaz.

The most famous active NFL alum is DeSean Jackson, who had to fill in at defensive back in his last high school game due to injuries. That contest was the state championship game, and Jackson responded with two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and the Jackrabbits prevailed.

Jackson may be the most famous football alum for now, but another receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster, is giving him a run for his money.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Long Beach Polytechnic

Jayon Brown (3)

Jurrell Casey (9)

DeSean Jackson (12)

Marcedes Lewis (14)

Jamize Olawale (8)

JuJu Smith-Schuster (3)

3. (Tied) Junipero Serra High School – 6 players

Location of school: Gardena, California

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Theophile Viltz (1966)

Bottom Line: Junipero Serra High School

Located just 10 miles south of the Los Angeles Coliseum, Junipero Serra has been a pipeline to USC for decades.

That is especially true now as four of the school’s six active players were once Trojans. That includes cornerback Adoree' Jackson and receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee.

If having two NFL receivers on the same team at the same time wasn’t enough, Serra added a third when future Redskin Paul Richardson transferred to the school in 2009. During that season with three future NFL receivers, Serra went 15-0 and won its first state championship in football.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Junipero Serra High School

Matt Dickerson (2)

Rasheem Grant (2)

Adoree’ Jackson (3)

Marqise Lee (6)

Paul Richardson (6)

Robert Woods (7)

3. (Tied) Miami Central High School – 6 players

Location of school: Miami, Florida

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Elvis Peacock (1979)

Bottom Line: Miami Central High School

Everywhere from Penn State to USC to Ohio State has claimed to be Running Back U. Well, if there’s such a thing as Running Back High, then it’s Miami Central.

Two active Pro Bowlers ran the rock at Miami Central — Dalvin Cook and Devonta Freeman. Cook is a few years younger than Freeman, and he didn’t even play football initially because he knew he had no chance to supplant Freeman.

Outside of those two, Miami Central has produced four other NFL running backs, including two-time Pro Bowler Willis McGahee and former Packer Najeh Davenport.

NFL Players Who Attended Miami Central High School (Years in League)

Dalvin Cook (3)

Devonta Freeman (6)

John Miller (5)

Carroll Phillips (3)

Ahmad Thomas (2)

evin Pamphile (6)

3. (Tied) Norcross High School – 6 players

Location of school: Norcross, Georgia

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Shelley Poole (1987)

Bottom Line: Norcross High School

Alvin Kamara gave a glimpse of his All-Pro ability during his time at Norcross when he was named Georgia’s Mr. Football. He had over 2,500 yards from scrimmage and 27 touchdowns as a senior in 2012, and that year ended with Norcross winning its first state championship.

Norcross repeated as state champion the following year without Kamara, but it did have two other players currently in the NFL.

The school has had 10 total graduates who played in the NFL, which ranks eighth among Georgia high schools, but Norcross ranks first in Georgia in terms of active players.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Norcross High School

Lorenzo Carter (2)

Geremy Davis (5)

Max Garcia (5)

Chris Herndon (2)

Alvin Kamara (3)

Jason Croom (2)

3. (Tied) Glenville High School – 6 players

Location of school: Cleveland, Ohio

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: Benny Friedman (1927)

Bottom Line: Glenville High School

The longtime football coach for Glenville High is Ted Ginn Sr. who is, of course, the father of speedy receiver Ted Ginn Jr.

The younger Ginn played for his dad at Glenville as did two players who played in the Pro Bowl for the 2019 season: Frank Clark of the Chiefs and Marshon Lattimore of the Saints.

For Ginn Sr.'s success as both a football coach and the school’s track coach, he was honored by having a street near the school named after him.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Glenville High School

Frank Clark (5)

Jayrone Elliott (6)

Ted Ginn Jr. 13)

Justin Hardee (3)

Marshon Lattimore (3)

Cardale Jones (4)

3. (Tied) Allen High School – 6 players

Location of school: Allen, Texas

Type of school: Public

First alumni in NFL: George Benyola (1987)

Bottom Line: Allen High School

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in 2019.

In what may be an all-time record, four graduates of Allen High made their NFL debuts in 2019.

The most famous of those four has quite the resume for a 22-year-old. He’s won the Heisman, was a first-round MLB selection, was the first overall NFL selection and won Offensive Rookie of the Year.

That, of course, is Kyler Murray, who won three state championships at Allen, while also becoming the first-ever two-time winner of the Texas Mr. Football Award.

And, for the record, yes, Murray did also play baseball at Allen and was good enough to be chosen for Under Armour’s All-American Game.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Allen High School

Bobby Evans (1)

Jalen Guyton (1)

Greg Little (1)

Kyler Murray (1)

Cedric Ogbuehi (5)

Jonathan Williams (4)

3. (Tied) Hargrave Military Academy – 6 players

Leonard Floyd at Hargrave Military Academy.

Location of school: Chatham, Virginia

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Carlos King (1998)

Bottom Line: Hargrave Military Academy

Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson in 2018.

For years Hargrave, had a post-graduate football program that prepared high school graduates for life in college. That program is no longer, but many of those alums are still in the NFL today. All six of Hargrave’s active players come from the defensive side of the ball such as pass rushers Leonard Floyd of the Bears and Shaq Lawson of the Bills.

This list includes players who were active at any point of the 2019 season, even if they were cut during the season. Thus, Zach Brown makes the cut for Hargrave as he started the year with the Eagles, infamously called out Kirk Cousins before a game versus Minnesota, and promptly lost his job after Cousins torched Brown and the Eagles.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Hargrave Military Academy

John Atkins (2)

Zach Brown (8)

Leonard Floyd (4)

Shaq Lawson (4)

Jarran Reed (4)

Cordrea Tankersley (3)

2 Fork Union Military Academy – 14 players

Location of school: Fork Union, Virginia

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: John Lascari (1942)

Bottom Line: Fork Union Military Academy

Denver Broncos strong safety Kareem Jackson celebrates after breaking up a pass against the Houston Texans in 2019.

If this was a list of most NFL players all-time, then Fork Union would hold the No. 1 spot with their 70 players. They’ve had past Heisman winners in Vinny Testaverde and Eddie George, a Pro Bowler in Plaxico Burress and even a WWE wrestler in Darren "Puke" Drozdov.

They also produced one of two wide receivers to win the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. Jerry Rice didn’t attend the school, which means Michael Thomas of the Saints did.

Thomas made a pitstop to Fork Union in between high school and Ohio State, where he roomed with future Buckeye hero Cardale Jones.

Active NFL Players Who Attended Fork Union Military Academy

Michael Badgley (2)

Anthony Castonzo (9)

Marquis Haynes (2)

Mack Hollins (3)

Carlos Hyde (6)

Kareem Jackson (10)

Zach Kerr (6)

Morgan Moses (6)

Olsen Pierre (3)

Linden Stephens (1)

Michael Thomas (4)

Russell Bodine (6)

Derek Rivers (2)

Cardale Jones (4)

1 St. Thomas Aquinas High School – 15 players

James White — St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the best high school football programs in the country.

Location of school: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Type of school: Private

First alumni in NFL: Brian Piccolo (1966)

Bottom Line: St. Thomas Aquinas High School

New England Patriots wide receiver Phillip Dorsett in 2018.

Located just north of Miami, St. Thomas Aquinas has become the premier high school football program in the country. This private school boasts over 2,100 students and is the largest Catholic high school in the nation in terms of enrollment.

The most-feared pass-rushing brothers in the league came through the school as Joey and Nick Bosa played there after their father’s career with the Miami Dolphins.

If you prefer Super Bowls over sacks, then look no further than James White of the Patriots. He and fellow Patriot Phillip Dorsett were high school teammates before teaming up again in New England. White, Dorsett and the Bosas wall ere parts of state championship-winning squads at St. Thomas Aquinas,wich has won eight titles since the 2007 season.

Just for comparison’s sake, there are 48 colleges that had more NFL players in the 2019 season than St. Thomas Aquinas' 15. But the high school still had more players than many Power 5 programs, including Colorado, Arizona State, Kentucky and Baylor.

Active NFL Players Who Attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Geno Atkins (10)

Giovani Bernard (7)

Joey Bosa (4)

Nick Bosa (1)

Bryan Cox (3)

Phillip Dorsett (5)

Bobby Hart (5)

Lamarcus Joyner (6)

Brandon Linder (6)

Michael Palardy (6)

Jordan Scarlett (1)

James White (6)

Sam Young (10)

Marcus Gilbert (9)

Jake Rudock (4)