What NFL Quarterbacks Looked Like in High School
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There's a long road to becoming an NFL starting quarterback. For most of the top passers in the world, that begins by becoming the starting quarterback on the local high school football team in their hometowns.
What we see on Sundays in the fall started on Friday nights in the fall, a long time before the multimillion-dollar contracts, endorsements, magazine covers and supermodel wives.
This is what NFL quarterbacks looked like when they were still in high school and before they became household names.
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray
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Born: Aug. 7, 1997 (Bedford, Texas)
High school: Allen High School (Allen, Texas)
College: Texas A&M/Oklahoma
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 207 pounds
Career: 3 seasons (2019-present)
Teams: Arizona Cardinals
Bottom Line: Kyler Murray
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is in the discussion of the greatest high school football players in Texas history.
Murray led Allen High to three consecutive state championships and only missed one game, going 42-0 as a starter. He capped off his career by being named National Gatorade Player of the Year.
Murray was also one of the top baseball prospects in the nation in high school.
Arizona Cardinals Throwback: Jake Plummer
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Born: Dec. 19, 1974 (Boise, Idaho)
High school: Capital High School (Boise, Idaho)
College: Arizona State
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 212 pounds
Career: 10 seasons (1997-2006)
Teams: Arizona Cardinals (1997-2002), Denver Broncos (2003-06)
Bottom Line: Jake Plummer
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Jake Plummer grew up playing sports in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho at his family's lumber mill and warehouse, eventually becoming a star athlete at Boise's Capital High School in football, basketball and baseball.
Plummer got the opening he needed with a scholarship offer from Arizona State, where he led the Sun Devils to within one game of a national title as a senior, when he was named Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan
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Born: May 17, 1985 (Exton, Pennsylvania)
High school: William Penn Charter School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
College: Boston College
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 217 pounds
Career: 14 seasons (2008-present)
Teams: Atlanta Falcons
Bottom Line: Matt Ryan
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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is one of the oldest quarterbacks in the NFL, and as such, even his high school career is a throwback on this list.
Ryan was a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball at William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia and threw for over 2,000 yards in each of his last two seasons.
Recruited by just a handful of schools, he eventually picked Boston College over Iowa.
Atlanta Falcons Throwback: Michael Vick
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Born: June 26, 1980 (Newport News, Virginia)
High school: Warwick High School (Newport News, Virginia)
College: Virginia Tech
Height/weight: 6-foot, 215 pounds
Career: 15 seasons (2001-15)
Teams: Atlanta Falcons (2001-08), Philadelphia Eagles (2009-13), New York Jets (2014), Pittsburgh Steelers (2015)
Bottom Line: Michael Vick
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In the great history of athletes who came out of Newport News, Virginia, almost no one can stand toe-to-toe with quarterback Michael Vick, a three-year starter at Warwick High.
Vick's college choices came down to Syracuse and Virginia Tech, with Virginia Tech winning out because it was closer to home. Within two years of his high school graduation, Vick was a household name.
In 2001, the Atlanta Falcons made him the No. 1 overall selection in the NFL draft.
Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson
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Born: Jan. 7, 1997 (Pompano Beach, Florida)
High school: Boynton Beach Community High School (Boynton Beach, Florida)
College: Louisville
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 212 pounds
Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)
Teams: Baltimore Ravens
Bottom Line: Lamar Jackson
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback and 2018 NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson took his first steps toward greatness at Boynton Beach High School in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Jackson established himself as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country at BBHS, where he racked up 2,263 passing yards and 31 touchdowns along with 1,624 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in his final two seasons.
Jackson was named Palm Beach County Player of the Year in 2014. Two years later, he won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Louisville.
Baltimore Ravens Throwback: Joe Flacco
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Born: Jan. 16, 1985 (Audubon, New Jersey)
High school: Audubon High School (Audubon, New Jersey)
College: Pittsburgh/Delaware
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 245 pounds
Career: 15 seasons (2008-present)
Teams: Baltimore Ravens (2008-18), Denver Broncos (2019), New York Jets (2020, 2021-present), Philadelphia Eagles (2021)
Bottom Line: Joe Flacco
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Joe Flacco was a three-star recruit out of hometown Audubon High before heading to the University of Pittsburgh, but transferred to Delaware after he couldn't beat out starter Tyler Palko.
Flacco thrived at Delaware, turning himself into the No. 18 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft and leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl win in 2012.
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen
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Born: May 21, 1996 (Firebaugh, California)
High school: Firebaugh High School (Firebaugh, California)
College: Wyoming
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 237 pounds
Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)
Teams: Buffalo Bills
Bottom Line: Josh Allen
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Most NFL starting quarterbacks get feted and told they are the greatest thing since sliced bread by the time they reach high school. That was not the case with Firebaugh High School quarterback Josh Allen.
Allen desperately wanted to play for his local college, Fresno State, but couldn't get a scholarship offer so he played at Reedley College, a two-year school, as a freshman in 2014. After lighting up juco competition, Allen again reached out to Fresno State about playing quarterback there, and they once again told him to kick rocks.
Allen went to the University of Wyoming, was drafted No. 7 overall by the Buffalo Bills in 2018 and has established himself as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks. Before the 2021 season, he signed a six-year, $258 million contract extension with $150 million guaranteed.
Buffalo Bills Throwback: Jim Kelly
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Born: Feb. 14, 1960 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
High school: East Brady High School (East Brady, Pennsylvania)
College: Miami
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 226 pounds
Career: 11 seasons (1986-96)
Teams: Buffalo Bills
Bottom Line: Jim Kelly
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High school quarterbacks don't get any tougher than ones who come out of Pennsylvania, and East Brady High's Jim Kelly was one of the toughest to ever do it.
Kelly was also a star in basketball at East Brady. He scored over 1,000 career points and had six 30-point games. But when he was offered a scholarship by in-state power Penn State, he turned them down. That's because they wanted him to play linebacker.
So he went to Miami and became a Hall of Fame quarterback.
Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton
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Born: May 11, 1989 (Atlanta, Georgia)
High school: Westlake High School (Atlanta, Georgia)
College: Florida/Blinn JC/Auburn
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 245 pounds
Career: 11 seasons (2011-present)
Teams: Carolina Panthers (2011-19, 2021-present), New England Patriots (2020)
Bottom Line: Cam Newton
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Coming out of Westlake High School in Atlanta, Cam Newton was one of the nation's most highly recruited quarterbacks and signed with the University of Florida.
Newton was ultimately kicked out of Florida, won a national championship at Blinn Junior College, won another national championship and the Heisman Trophy at Auburn, then was the No. 1 overall selection by the Carolina Panthers in the 2011 NFL draft.
Newton was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 2015.
Carolina Panthers Throwback: Jake Delhomme
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Born: Jan. 10, 1975 (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana)
High school: Lafayette Teurlings Catholic High School (Lafayette, Louisiana)
College: Southwestern Louisiana
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
Career: 15 seasons (1997-2011)
Teams: New Orleans Saints (1997-2002), Carolina Panthers (2003-09), Cleveland Browns (2010), Houston Texans (2011)
Bottom Line: Jake Delhomme
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Jake Delhomme's rise to being a starting NFL quarterback was one of the more improbable you'll ever hear about. He was a little-known recruit out of Teurings Catholic High in Lafayette, Louisiana, and stayed home to play for Southwestern Louisiana, which is now known as the University of Louisiana.
Delhomme went undrafted out of college, then made his bones in NFL Europe before becoming a Pro Bowl quarterback for the Carolina Panthers in 2005.
Chicago Bears: Justin Fields
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Born: March 5, 1999 (Kennesaw, Georgia)
High school: Harrison High School (Harrison, Georgia)
College: Georgia/Ohio State
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 217 pounds
Career: 1 season (2021-present)
Teams: Chicago Bears
Bottom Line: Justin Fields
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The nation got a chance to meet Justin Fields during the second season of the hit Netflix show "QB1: Beyond the Lights" and saw a player who looked as NFL ready as anyone in the last decade.
Fields' college career took an unexpected turn when he left home-state Georgia for Ohio State after one season and became a star in 2019, leading the Buckeyes into the college football playoff and becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Chicago Bears Throwback: Jim McMahon
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Born: Aug. 21, 1959 (Jersey City, New Jersey)
High school: Roy High School (Roy, Utah)
College: BYU
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
Career: 15 seasons (1982-96)
Teams: Chicago Bears (1982-88), San Diego Chargers (1989), Philadelphia Eagles (1990-92), Minnesota Vikings (1993), Arizona Cardinals (1994), Green Bay Packers (1995-96)
Bottom Line: Jim McMahon
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The people at Roy High School in Roy, Utah, must have been scratching their heads at what landed on their doorstep when Jim McMahon and his family moved to town in the late 1970s. McMahon had spent his first two years of high school in San Jose, California, before the family moved to Utah.
McMahon turned into a star at Roy High, then stayed in state to play for BYU, where he became an All-American.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow
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Born: Dec. 10, 1996 (Ames, Iowa)
High school: Athens High School (The Plains, Ohio)
College: Ohio State/LSU
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 221 pounds
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals
Bottom Line: Joe Burrow
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Joe Burrow was a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, and the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2015. Standing 6-foot-4, he was also an all-state basketball player who had offers to play hoops at several mid-major universities.
There was never any doubt what sport Joe Burrow would play in college. It was only a question of where he would play. He got 17 offers from FBS schools, although not from Nebraska, where Burrow's father and two older brothers played.
Burrow played three years at Ohio State, then came to LSU as a graduate transfer, where he led the Tigers to the 2019 national championship and won the Heisman Trophy. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and led the franchise to the Super Bowl in his second season.
Cincinnati Bengals Throwback: Boomer Esiason
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Born: April 17, 1961 (East Islip, New York)
High school: East Islip High School (East Islip, New York)
College: Maryland
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 224 pounds
Career: 14 seasons (1984-97)
Teams: Cincinnati Bengals (1984-92, 1997), New York Jets (1992-95), Arizona Cardinals (1996)
Bottom Line: Boomer Esiason
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Boomer Esiason got his nickname while he was still in the womb, when his mother Irene started calling him "Boomer" because he wouldn't stop kicking.
Esiason went on to start for hometown East Islip (N.Y.) High in football, basketball and baseball, before matriculating to the University of Maryland.
After the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the second round of the 1984 NFL draft, he was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1988.
Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield
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Born: April 14, 1995 (Austin, Texas)
High school: Lake Travis High School (Austin, Texas)
College: Texas Tech/Oklahoma
Height/weight: 6-foot, 215 pounds
Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)
Teams: Cleveland Browns
Bottom Line: Baker Mayfield
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield wasn't always as hated as he is now. At one point, he was totally doubted.
After Mayfield led Lake Travis High to the Texas Class 4A state championship in 2011, he walked on at Texas Tech and became the starter as a freshman. Former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury still didn't think Mayfield was worth a scholarship, and he transferred.
Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma, won the Heisman Trophy in 2017, and was the No. 1 overall pick by the Browns in 2018.
Cleveland Browns Throwback: Bernie Kosar
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Born: Nov. 25, 1963 (Youngstown, Ohio)
High school: Boardman High School (Boardman, Ohio)
College: Miami
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 215 pounds
Career: 12 seasons (1985-96)
Teams: Cleveland Browns (1985-93), Dallas Cowboys (1993), Miami Dolphins (1994-95)
Bottom Line: Bernie Kosar
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Bernie Kosar was a schoolboy phenom at Boardman High in football-crazy Ohio, where he was the Ohio Division I Player of the Year and also drew attention from MLB scouts as a pitcher.
Kosar turned his back on the frigid cold winters of the upper Midwest and headed to the University of Miami, where he won a national championship in 1983 before coming back to Ohio to play for the Cleveland Browns.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott
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Born: July 29, 1993 (Sulphur, Louisiana)
High school: Haughton High School (Haughton, Louisiana)
College: Mississippi State
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 228 pounds
Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)
Teams: Dallas Cowboys
Bottom Line: Dak Prescott
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Football fans won't be surprised at Dak Prescott's stat line from his senior year at Haughton High School in Haughton, Louisiana — 2,860 passing yards and 39 touchdowns to go with 951 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.
After Prescott led Haughton to the 2010 District 1-AAAA championship, he signed with Mississippi State and established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in college football.
Prescott was a fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 and became the starting quarterback as a rookie, won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and has been the face of the Cowboys' franchise since. Before the 2021 season, Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract with $126 million guaranteed.
Dallas Cowboys Throwback: Troy Aikman
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Born: Nov. 21, 1966 (West Covina, California)
High school: Henryetta High School (Henryetta, Oklahoma)
College: Oklahoma/UCLA
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 220 pounds
Career: 12 seasons (1989-2000)
Teams: Dallas Cowboys
Born: Nov. 21, 1966 (West Covina, California)
Bottom Line: Troy Aikman
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Troy Aikman was an all-state football and baseball player at Henryette High in Oklahoma, but won a state championship for his school in an entirely different competition — typing.
Aikman stayed close to home briefly, where he played for the University of Oklahoma for two seasons before finishing his career at UCLA.
Aikman was the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1989 NFL draft, and went on to win three Super Bowls for the franchise.
Denver Broncos: Russell Wilson
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Born: Nov. 29, 1988 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
High school: Collegiate School (Richmond, Virginia)
College: North Carolina State/Wisconsin
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 215 pounds
Career: 10 seasons (2012-present)
Teams: Seattle Seahawks (2012-21), Denver Broncos (2022-present)
Bottom Line: Russell Wilson
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Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson comes from a family of athletes, so it was no surprise when he became a football and baseball star at Richmond Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia, in the early 2000s.
Wilson led Collegiate to a state championship as a senior, when he threw for 3,009 yards and 34 touchdowns along with 1,132 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
Wilson spent his first three seasons playing for North Carolina State, but after spending spring training with the Colorado Rockies in 2011, he transferred to Wisconsin for his final season, where he was named Big Ten Quarterback of the Year and led the Badgers to the Big Ten championship.
Denver Broncos Throwback: John Elway
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Born: June 28, 1960 (Port Angeles, Washington)
High school: Granada Hills High School (Granada Hills, California)
College: Stanford
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Career: 16 seasons (1983-1998)
Teams: Denver Broncos
Bottom Line: John Elway
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One of the most coveted high school quarterbacks of all time, John Elway was the No. 1 player in the nation as a senior. The son of San Jose State head coach Jack Elway, John decided to play baseball and football at Stanford.
The Yankees drafted him in the second round of the 1981 MLB draft, but he decided to stick with football and forced the Colts to trade him to the Broncos after he was picked No. 1 in 1983.
Elway went on to play in five Super Bowls with the Broncos, winning his final two attempts.
Detroit Lions: Jared Goff
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Born: Oct. 14, 1994 (Novato, California)
High school: Marin Catholic High School (Kentfield, California)
College: Cal
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 222 pounds
Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Rams (2016-20), Detroit Lions (2021-present)
Bottom Line: Jared Goff
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The son of former MLB catcher Jerry Goff, Jared Goff turned into a star quarterback over three seasons at Marin Catholic High in Kentfield, California (shout out to Marin quarterback coach and former Marin quarterback Dan Munoz), where Jared Goff went 39-4 as a starter and 21-0 in the Marin County Athletic League.
Goff stayed local and played college football at Cal, was the No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft, and led the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2018. Before the 2019 season, Goff signed a four-year, $126 million contract extension, and his $110 million guaranteed was an NFL record at the time.
Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions before the 2021 season.
Detroit Lions Throwback: Andre Ware
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Born: July 31, 1968 (Galveston, Texas)
High school: Dickinson High School (Dickinson, Texas)
College: Houston
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
Career: 4 seasons (1990-93)
Teams: Detroit Lions
Bottom Line: Andre Ware
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Andre Ware was a true 1980s phenomenon — leading an over-the-top passing attack in a weird league with bright red uniforms who became a national obsession at the University of Houston.
In Ware's junior year, he threw for 4,699 yards and 44 touchdowns in the run-and-shoot offense on the way to winning the Heisman Trophy.
Before Ware starred at Houston, he was a two-sport standout at Dickinson High in football and basketball.
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers
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Born: Dec. 2, 1983 (Chico, California)
High school: Pleasant Valley High School (Chico, California)
College: Butte JC/Cal
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 222 pounds
Career: 17 seasons (2005-present)
Teams: Green Bay Packers
Bottom Line: Aaron Rodgers
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Long before he was one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Pleasant Valley High's Aaron Rodgers was a quarterback with no Division I scholarship offers. The closest he had was an offer as a walk-on at the University of Illinois.
Rodgers spent one season at Butte Community College, where he led the team to a NorCal Conference Championship and transferred to Cal after one season.
The rest is history. In 17 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers has been named NFL Most Valuable Player four times, won a Super Bowl and become one of the most polarizing professional athletes in recent memory.
Green Bay Packers Throwback: Brett Favre
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Born: Oct. 10, 1969 (Gulfport, Mississippi)
High school: Hanock North Central High School (Kiln, Mississippi)
College: Southern Mississippi
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 222 pounds
Career: 20 seasons(1991-2010)
Teams: Atlanta Falcons (1991), Green Bay Packers (1992-2007), New York Jets (2008), Minnesota Vikings (2009-10)
Bottom Line: Brett Favre
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Anyone familiar with Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre's backstory knows when he was in high school, one of the greatest passers in NFL history wasn't really allowed to pass the ball at all. He averaged four or five passes per game throughout his high school career.
What's even crazier about that story is that Favre's head coach at Hancock North Central High in Kiln, Mississippi, was his father, Irv Favre, who didn't want to change his wishbone-style offense just because his son had a good arm.
Whatever nepotism is, that's the opposite.
Houston Texans: Davis Mills
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Born: Oct. 21, 1998 (Atlanta, Georgia)
High school: Greater Atlanta Christian School (Norcross, Georgia)
College: Stanford
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 225 pounds
Career: 1 season (2021-present)
Teams: Houston Texans
Career highlights: None
Bottom Line: Davis Mills
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Davis Mills was a five-star recruit out of Greater Atlanta Christian School and became Stanford's starter midway through the 2019 season and set the school record with 504 passing yards in a loss to Washington State.
Mills seemed poised for a breakout season in 2020 but only got to play five games in a pandemic-shortened season. He was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Houston Texans and became the de facto starter for the Texans as a rookie after an injury to Tyrod Taylor.
Houston Texans Throwback: David Carr
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Born: July 21, 1979 (Bakersfield, California)
High school: Stockdale High School (Bakersfield, California)
College: Fresno State
Height/weight: 6-foot-3. 212 pounds
Career: 11 seasons (2002-12)
Teams: Houston Texans (2002-06), Carolina Panthers (2007), New York Giants (2008-09, 2011-12), San Francisco 49ers (2010)
Bottom Line: David Carr
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David Carr was a well-known high school quarterback in central California. Not really outside of that.
In fact, Carr didn't see his name start to filter outside of the area he grew up in until his senior season at Fresno State, when he threw for 4,839 passing yards, 46 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
He then became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft by the Houston Texans.
Indianapolis Colts: Carson Wentz
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Born: Dec. 30, 1992 (Raleigh, North Carolina)
High school: Century High School (Bismarck, North Dakota)
College: North Dakota State
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 240 pounds
Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (2016-20), Indianapolis Colts (2021-present)
Bottom Line: Carson Wentz
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Carson Wentz grew from 5-foot-8 as a freshman at Century High in Bismarck, North Dakota, to 6-foot-5 as a senior and signed with FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
Wentz won five national championships at North Dakota State — one as a redshirt, two as a backup and two as the starter — before the Philadelphia Eagles selected him No. 2 overall in the 2016 NFL draft.
Wentz's best year as a starter was in 2017, when he was an NFL All-Pro but he got injured in the 14th game of the season. Backup Nick Foles took over and led the Eagles to the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
Indianapolis Colts Throwback: Peyton Manning
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Born: March 24, 1976 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
High school: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, Louisiana)
College: Tennessee
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 230 pounds
Career: 18 seasons (1998-2015)
Teams: Indianapolis Colts (1998-2011), Denver Broncos (2012-15)
Bottom Line: Peyton Manning
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Peyton Manning and his younger brother, Eli Manning, were both prep football sensations at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, where their father, Archie Manning, starred at quarterback for the New Orleans Saints.
What you need to know now is that there's another Manning at Newman who could be just as good, if not better. That would be Class of 2023 quarterback Arch Manning, the top-ranked quarterback in his class and the son of the Mannings' eldest son, former Ole Miss wide receiver Cooper Manning.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence
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Born: Oct. 6, 1999 (Knoxville, Tennessee)
High school: Cartersville High School (Cartersville, Georgia)
College: Clemson
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds
Career: 1 season (2021-present)
Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars
Bottom Line: Trevor Lawrence
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If there's such a thing as a perfect high school quarterback, it was Trevor Lawrence.
Another consensus No. 1 overall recruit across all of the major recruiting services, he led Cartersville High to two state titles and won 41 straight games at one point. When Lawrence left high school, he was already the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, which he eventually was by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
At Clemson, he led the Tigers to a national championship as a true freshman and back to the national title game as a sophomore.
Jacksonville Jaguars Throwback: Mark Brunell
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Born: Sept. 17, 1970 (Los Angeles, California)
High school: St. Joseph High School (Santa Maria, California)
College: Washington
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Career: 19 seasons (1993-2011)
Teams: Green Bay Packers (1993-94), Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2003), Washington Redskins (2004-07), New Orleans Saints (2008-09), New York Jets (2010-11)
Bottom Line: Mark Brunell
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Modern NFL fans might not remember Mark Brunell. He had his best years as a shifty quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the late 1990s, when he made three Pro Bowls.
Way before that, Brunell was a three-year starter for St. Joseph High in Santa Maria, California, where he led his school to the CIF championship game.
Brunell went on to play for the University of Washington and helped lead them to a national championship in 1991.
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
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Born: Sept. 17, 1995 (Tyler, Texas)
High school: Whitehouse High School (Whitehouse, Texas)
College: Texas Tech
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 230 pounds
Career: 5 seasons (2017-present)
Teams: Kansas City Chiefs
Bottom Line: Patrick Mahomes
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The son of former Major League Baseball pitcher Pat Mahomes, Patrick Mahomes was a three-sport star at Whitehouse (Texas) High in football, basketball and baseball. As a senior, he threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts.
But Mahomes' future was in football. He lit up the scoreboard at Texas Tech and was the No. 10 overall pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 NFL draft. In five seasons in the NFL, Mahomes has played in the AFC Championship game each of his four seasons as a starter, was named the 2018 NFL Most Valuable Player, won a Super Bowl following the 2019 season and made it back to the Super Bowl the next season.
Following the Super Bowl victory, Mahomes signed a 10-year, $503 million contract — the largest contract in the history of North American professional sports.
Kansas City Chiefs Throwback: Alex Smith
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Born: May 7, 1984 (Bremerton, Washington)
High school: Helix High School (La Mesa, California)
College: Utah
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 215 pounds
Career: 16 seasons (2005-20)
Teams: San Francisco 49ers (2005-12), Kansas City Chiefs (2013-17), Washington Redskins/Washington Football Team (2018-20)
Bottom Line: Alex Smith
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We feel bad for the high schools in Southern California who found themselves matched up against Helix High in the early 2000s. In two years as the starter for Helix, Alex Smith went 25-1 and was paired with another future NFL player, running back Reggie Bush.
When Bush and Smith were both Heisman Trophy finalists in 2004 — USC quarterback Matt Leinart would win — it was the first time high school teammates were Heisman finalists in the same year.
Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr
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Born: March 28, 1991 (Fresno, California)
High school: Bakersfield Christian High School (Bakersfield, California)
College: Fresno State
Height/weight:6-foot-3, 210 pounds
Career: 8 seasons (2014-present)
Teams: Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
Bottom Line: Derek Carr
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Derek Carr spent the first three years of high school at Clements High School in the Houston suburbs. At the time, older brother David Carr was the quarterback for the Houston Texans.
Derek Carr transferred back home to Bakersfield Christian High for his senior season and eventually played for Fresno State, where his older brother also played.
Derek Carr was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. In eight seasons, he's started all but two games for the franchise and hasn't missed a game since 2017.
Las Vegas Raiders Throwback: Ken Stabler
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Born: Dec. 25, 1945 (Foley, Alabama)
Died: July 8, 2015 (age 69, Gulfport, Mississippi)
High school: Foley High School (Foley, Alabama)
College: Alabama
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Career: 17 seasons (1968-1984)
Teams: Oakland Raiders (1968-79), Houston Oilers (1980-81), New Orleans Saints (1982-84)
Bottom Line: Ken Stabler
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Hall of Famer Ken Stabler was the greatest athlete in Foley (Ala.) High School history, where a football coach nicknamed him "Snake" for a long, winding touchdown run.
Stabler went 29-1 as Foley's starting quarterback, averaged 29 points per game for the basketball team and was a good enough left-handed pitcher that both the Houston Astros and New York Yankees offered him minor league contracts out of high school.
But he chose to stay home and play football at the University of Alabama. The Oakland Raiders selected Stabler in the second round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft, and he went on to become a Hall of Famer.
Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert
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Born: March 10, 1998 (Eugene, Oregon)
High school: Sheldon High School (Eugene, Oregon)
College: Oregon
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 240 pounds
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: Los Angeles Chargers
Bottom Line: Justin Herbert
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Justin Herbert was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, where he became a high school football star at Sheldon High.
Herbert's recruiting was thrown somewhat into question due to an incomplete junior year. He broke his leg in the third game of the season. Herbert shined as a senior but only had offers from FCS schools Northern Arizona, Portland State and Montana State before a pair of offers came in at the 11th hour from Nevada and hometown University of Oregon.
Herbert led the Ducks to a 12-2 record as a senior in 2019 and was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and made his first Pro Bowl in 2021.
Los Angeles Chargers Throwback: Philip Rivers
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Born: Dec. 18, 1981 (Decatur, Alabama)
High school: Athens High School (Athens, Alabama)
College: North Carolina State
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 228 pounds
Career: 17 seasons (2004-20)
Teams: San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2004-19), Indianapolis Colts (2020)
Bottom Line: Philip Rivers
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Philip Rivers' father, Steve, was his high school football head coach at Athens High in Athens, Alabama, where Rivers established himself as the top prep quarterback in the state.
Despite offers from several SEC schools that envisioned him as a long-term backup quarterback, Rivers graduated from high school early to play for North Carolina State, where he became the starting quarterback as a true freshman and was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2000 and ACC Player of the Year in 2003.
He was a first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in the 2004 NFL draft.
Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford
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Born: Feb. 7, 1988 (Tampa, Florida)
High school: Highland Park High School (Dallas, Texas)
College: Georgia
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
Career: 13 seasons (2009-present)
Teams: Detroit Lions (2009-20), Los Angeles Rams (2021-present)
Bottom Line: Matthew Stafford
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Matthew Stafford became the varsity starter at Dallas suburban high school Highland Park as a sophomore and led the school to a 15-0 record and Class 4A state championship as a senior.
The No. 1 quarterback recruit in the Class of 2006, Stafford picked the University of Georgia and was so highly thought of that NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. predicted he would eventually be the No. 1 overall selection in the NFL draft before he ever played a game for the Bulldogs.
Kiper was right. Stafford was picked No. 1 overall by the Detroit Lions in 2009 and after 12 seasons with the team was traded to the Los Angeles Rams before the 2021 season. He led the franchise to a Super Bowl win in his first year.
Los Angeles Rams Throwback: Kurt Warner
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Born: June 22, 1971 (Burlington, Iowa)
High school: Regis High School (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
College: Northern Iowa
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 214 pounds
Career: 11 seasons (1998-2009)
Teams: St. Louis Rams (1998-2003), New York Giants (2004), Arizona Cardinals (2005-09)
Bottom Line: Kurt Warner
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No player in NFL history had a more unlikely path to stardom than Kurt Warner, who stayed in the state of Iowa to attend the University of Northern Iowa but was third on the depth chart until his senior year, when he was named Gateway Conference Player of the Year.
Warner stocked shelves at a grocery store for the year after he left college before he got an opportunity to play in the Arena Football League and didn't make an NFL roster until 1998 — five years after his college career ended.
One year later, Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl win and won the first of two NFL Most Valuable Player awards.
Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa
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Born: March 2, 1998 (Ewa Beach, Hawaii)
High school: Saint Louis School (Honolulu, Hawaii)
College: Alabama
Height/weight: 6-foot, 217 pounds
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: Miami Dolphins
Bottom Line: Tua Tagovailoa
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Saint Louis School quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was mentored by Saint Louis alum and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota growing up in Hawaii and was a star in his own right, becoming one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country.
Tagovailoa signed with the University of Alabama, where he famously came off the bench to lead the Crimson Tide to a comeback win as a true freshman in the CFP national championship game, rallying to beat Georgia in overtime.
Tagovailoa was selected No. 5 overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft and has been the starter for the franchise for most of his first two seasons.
Miami Dolphins Throwback: Dan Marino
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Born: Sept. 15, 1961 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
High school: Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
College: Pittsburgh
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 224 pounds
Career: 17 seasons (1983-99)
Teams: Miami Dolphins
Bottom Line: Dan Marino
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Dan Marino was a high school quarterbacking sensation at powerhouse Central Catholic High in Pittsburgh. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the fourth round of the 1979 MLB draft but decided to play college football at the University of Pittsburgh instead.
Marino was named an All-American at Pittsburgh in 1981 and won NFL Most Valuable Player honors in 1984, his second season. He's widely considered to be the greatest player in NFL history to never win a Super Bowl.
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins
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Born: Aug. 19, 1988 (Barrington, Illinois)
High school: Holland Christian High School (Holland, Michigan)
College: Michigan State
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 205 pounds
Career: 10 seasons (2012-present)
Teams: Washington Redskins (2012-17), Minnesota Vikings (2018-present)
Bottom Line: Kirk Cousins
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If you want to know what it takes to become a big-time quarterback, simply study the career of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins broke his ankle as a junior at Holland Christian High School and had to hustle to get to various football camps the summer before his senior year just to get on the radars of college coaches.
Cousins was about to pick between Toledo and Western Michigan before all of Michigan State's top quarterback recruits bailed on them. The Spartans turned to Cousins, who led the school to the Big Ten Championship Game as a senior.
Cousins was picked in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins (now the Commanders). He signed with the Vikings in 2018, has been a three-time Pro Bowl pick and will have made $196.6 million in career earnings after the 2022 season.
Minnesota Vikings Throwback: Daunte Culpepper
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Born: Jan. 28, 1977 (Ocala, Florida)
High school: Vanguard High School (Ocala, Florida)
College: UCF
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 260 pounds
Career: 12 seasons (1999-2010)
Teams: Minnesota Vikings (1999-2005), Miami Dolphins (2006), Oakland Raiders (2007), Detroit Lions (2008-09)
Bottom Line: Daunte Culpepper
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Daunte Culpepper's NFL career took off like a rocket ship. He was named NFL All-Pro in his second season in 2000 and made the Pro Bowl three times in his first five seasons.
While Culpepper's career eventually came off the rails, before he became an NFL star, he was named Mr. Football in Florida following his senior season at Vanguard High in Ocala, Florida.
We don't know if you know this, but high school football is pretty competitive in Florida.
New England Patriots: Mac Jones
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Born: Sept. 5, 1998 (Jacksonville, Florida)
High school: The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida)
College: Alabama
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 214 pounds
Career: 1 season (2021-present)
Teams: New England Patriots
Career highlights: Pro Bowl (2022)
Bottom Line: Mac Jones
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You won't find many better places to go to high school than The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, where Mac Jones became one of the nation's top quarterback recruits.
Jones then won two national championships at the University of Alabama — the first as a redshirt in 2017, the second as the starter in 2020, when the Crimson Tide went 13-0. Jones left school with one year of eligibility remaining and was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the New England Patriots.
Jones became the Patriots' full-time starter as a rookie in 2021, when he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and made his first Pro Bowl.
New England Patriot Throwback: Drew Bledsoe
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Born: Feb. 14, 1972 (Ellensburg, Washington)
High school: Walla Walla High School (Walla Walla, Washington)
College: Washington State
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 238 pounds
Career: 14 seasons (1993-2006)
Teams: New England Patriots (1993-2001), Buffalo Bills (2002-04), Dallas Cowboys (2005-06)
Bottom Line: Drew Bledsoe
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Drew Bledsoe's NFL career has been defined by being the man who Tom Brady replaced in the New England Patriots' starting lineup, with Brady going on to lead the team to six Super Bowl wins.
Before that, Bledsoe was a star at Walla Walla High in rural Washington. He stayed home to play at Washington State, where he became the first true freshman starting quarterback in school history in 1990.
New Orleans Saints: Taysom Hill
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Born: Aug. 23, 1990 (Pocatello, Idaho)
High school: Highland High School (Pocatelo, Idaho)
College: BYU
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 221 pounds
Career: 5 seasons (2017-present)
Teams: New Orleans Saints
Bottom Line: Taysom Hill
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Say what you will about New Orleans Saint quarterback Taysom Hill not being able to do everything we think an NFL signal-caller should. What he does do well, he does better than almost anyone else.
What is that, exactly? Hill specializes in being an elite athlete who can do a little bit of everything — and he's been doing it for awhile. As a senior at Highland High School in Pocatello, Idaho, Hill threw for 2,269 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 1,491 yards and 24 touchdowns on the way to being named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year.
New Orleans Saints Throwback: Drew Brees
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Born: Jan. 15, 1979 (Dallas, Texas)
High school: Westlake High School (Austin, Texas)
College: Purdue
Height/weight: 6-foot, 209 pounds
Career: 20 seasons (2001-20)
Teams: San Diego Chargers (2001-05), New Orleans Saints (2006-20)
Bottom Line: Drew Brees
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College recruiters didn't think much of Drew Brees coming out of Westlake High in Austin, Texas, despite Brees playing against and dominating some of the best high school football competition in the United States.
Brees didn't spend much time feeling sorry for himself when he landed just two Division I offers — none from schools in Texas. Instead, he crafted an All-American career at Purdue and became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
New York Giants: Daniel Jones
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Born: May 27, 1997 (Charlotte, North Carolina)
High school: Charlotte Latin School (Charlotte, North Carolina)
College: Duke
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds
Career: 3 seasons (2019-present)
Teams: New York Giants
Bottom Line: Daniel Jones
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Daniel Jones passed for almost 7,000 yards and 98 touchdowns at Charlotte Latin School but didn't have any FBS scholarship offers as a senior and was committed to play for Princeton before Duke came in with a last-minute offer.
Jones made the most of his one chance to play big-time college football under head coach David Cutcliffe, starting three years for the Blue Devils and winning bowl games in his final two years before leaving school early for the NFL, where he was the No. 6 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2019 NFL draft.
New York Giants Throwback: Eli Manning
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Born: Jan. 3, 1981 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
High school: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, Louisiana)
College: Ole Miss
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 218 pounds
Career: 16 seasons (2004-19)
Teams: New York Giants
Bottom Line: Eli Manning
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Eli Manning followed in his older brother Peyton Manning's footsteps as a star quarterback and big-time college quarterback recruit at New Orleans' Isidore Newman School.
While most of us know what happened next — Manning starred for Ole Miss, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft, and won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants — there's another big-time NFL player who came out of Isidore Newman.
That would be Los Angeles Rams wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Odell Beckham Jr.
New York Jets: Zach Wilson
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Born: Aug. 3, 1999 (Draper, Utah)
High school: Corner Canyon HIgh School (Draper, Utah)
College: BYU
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 214 pounds
Career: 1 season (2021-present)
Teams: New York Jets
Bottom Line: Zach Wilson
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The hopes and dreams of New York Jets fans rest solely on the career of talented quarterback Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft out of BYU.
Just three years before he was drafted, Wilson was lighting up opponents at Corner Canyon High in Draper, Utah, where he originally committed to play for Boise State before flipping to BYU.
New York Jets Throwback: Joe Namath
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Born: May 31, 1943 (Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania)
High school: Beaver Falls High School (Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania)
College: Alabama
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
Career: 13 seasons (1965-77)
Teams: New York Jets (1965-1976), Los Angeles Rams (1977)
Bottom Line: Joe Namath
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Joe Namath knew what cool was before most of us — as you can tell by him wearing sunglasses in team pictures at Beaver Falls High School in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
One cool story about Namath when he was in high school stood out to us. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, when nobody dunked, Namath had taken to dunking the ball in high school basketball games.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts
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Born: Aug. 7, 1998 (Houston Texas)
High school: Channelview High School (Channelview, Texas)
College: Alabama/Oklahoma
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 223 pounds
Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles
Bottom Line: Jalen Hurts
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Jalen Hurts played for his father, Averion, all four years of his high school career at Channelview High in Channelview, Texas, racking up 3,775 yards of total offense and 51 touchdowns as a senior.
Hurts led Alabama to the CFP national championship game as a freshman, where they lost to Clemson, and was benched in the national championship game the next year, which Alabama won.
He transferred to Oklahoma for his final season and was taken by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft and beat out Carson Wentz to become the starter in 2021.
Philadelphia Eagles Throwback: Randall Cunningham
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Born: March 27, 1963 (Santa Barbara, California)
High school: Santa Barbara High School (Santa Barbara, California)
College: UNLV
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 215 pounds
Career: 17 seasons (1985-2001)
Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (1985-95), Minnesota Vikings (1997-99), Dallas Cowboys (2000), Baltimore Ravens (2001)
Bottom Line: Randall Cunningham
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Before Randall Cunningham became one of the most exciting NFL players of the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was a standout punter and quarterback at Santa Barbara High in Santa Barbara, California, which seems like a pretty cool place to grow up.
Cunningham, who went on to play quarterback and punter for UNLV, had an older brother playing in the NFL when he was in high school. Sam Cunningham was a Pro Bowl running back for the New England Patriots.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Mason Rudolph
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Born: July 17, 1995 (Rock Hill, South Carolina)
High School: Northwestern High School (Rock Hill, South Carolina)
College: Oklahoma State
NFL career: 4 seasons (2018-present)
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers
Bottom Line: Mason Rudolph
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If you think there's something a little off-putting about Mason Rudolph, that's totally fine.
We do as well. We're hoping the former Northwestern High doesn't become the Steelers' starter — as he's already dubbed himself — and the cringeworthy quarterback is relegated back to sideline duty for the rest of his career.
Pittsburgh Steelers Throwback: Ben Roethlisberger
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Born: March 2, 1982 (Lima, Ohio)
High school: Findlay High School (Findlay, Ohio)
College: Miami (Ohio)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 240 pounds
Career: 18 seasons (2004-21)
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers
Bottom Line: Ben Roethlisberger
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Few high school coaching decisions may have been worse than what went down at Findlay High School in the late 1990s, when Findlay head coach Cliff Hite decided to play his son, Ryan, at quarterback over Ben Roethlisberger and kept Roethlisberger at wide receiver.
Roethlisberger finally became starting quarterback as a senior — after Ryan Hite graduated — before he starred at Miami of Ohio, then in the NFL. Ryan Hite became a wide receiver in college at NCAA Division III Denison University.
Cliff Hite was eventually elected a state senator in Ohio but resigned in 2017 after it came to light he'd repeatedly propositioned a state employee for sex.
San Francisco 49ers: Trey Lance
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Born: May 9, 2000 (Marshall, Minnesota)
HIgh School: Marshall Senior High School (Marshall, Minnesota)
College: North Dakota State
NFL career: 1 season (2021-present)
Teams: San Francisco 49ers
Bottom Line: Trey Lance
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Trey Lance has been dubbed the quarterback of the future for the San Francisco 49ers after the franchise selected him No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL draft — a far cry from where he was just three years earlier.
After starring at Marshall Senior High in Marshall, Minnesota, Lance could have played on the FBS level at wide receiver or defensive back but was determined to play quarterback and went to FCS powerhouse North Dakota State.
Lance led the Bison to a national title as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and won the Walter Payton Award as the top FCS player in the country. He played in just one game in 2020 because of the pandemic, then left school early to enter the NFL draft.
San Francisco 49ers Throwback: Joe Montana
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Born: June 11, 1956 (New Eagle, Pennsylvania)
High school: Ringgold High School (Carroll, Pennsylvania)
College: Notre Dame
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
Career: 16 seasons (1979-94)
Teams: San Francisco 49ers (1979-92), Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94)
Bottom Line: Joe Montana
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It seemed like Joe Montana was doubted on every level, including when he was trying to become the starting quarterback at Ringgold High in Carroll, Pennsylvania, where he wasn't given the chance to start until his junior season.
Montana, who would face some of the same doubts as a quarterback at Notre Dame, was actually an all-state basketball player at Ringgold as well, and almost accepted a scholarship offer to play both sports at North Carolina State.
Seattle Seahawks: Drew Lock
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Born: Nov. 10, 1996 (Columbia, Missouri)
HIgh School: Lee's Summit High School (Lee's Summit, Missouri)
College: Missouri
NFL career: 3 seasons (2019-present)
Teams: Denver Broncos (2019-21), Seattle Seahawks (2022-present)
Bottom Line: Drew Lock
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Drew Lock was a star at Lee's Summit High in Lee's Summit, Missouri, where he was the Kansas City Star All-Metro Player of the Year in 2014. Lock was picked in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos out of the University of Missouri.
Lock was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Broncos in 2022.
Seattle Seahawks Throwback: Dave Krieg
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Born: Oct. 20, 1958 (Iola, Wisconsin)
High school: D.C. Everett High School (Schofield, Wisconsin)
College: Milton
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 193 pounds
Career: 19 seasons (1980-98)
Teams: Seattle Seahawks (1980-91), Kansas City Chiefs (1992-93), Detroit Lions (1994), Arizona Cardinals (1995), Chicago Bears (1996), Tennessee Oilers (1997-98)
Bottom Line: Dave Krieg
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Here's what colleges thought of Wisconsin native Dave Krieg coming out of D.C. Everett High. His only opportunity to play college football was at NAIA school Milton College in Milton, Wisconsin.
Krieg entered Milton as the college's seventh-string quarterback and worked his way up, making the Seattle Seahawks roster in 1980 as an undrafted free agent.
Krieg lasted 19 seasons in the NFL. Milton College closed in 1982.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tom Brady (Retired)
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Born: Aug. 3, 1977 (San Mateo, California)
High school: Junipero Serra High School (San Mateo, California)
College: Michigan
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 225 pounds
Career: 22 seasons (2000-present)
Bottom Line: Tom Brady
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Tom Brady would like people to believe he was always doubted as a quarterback. That's simply not true.
Brady was a star at Junipero Serra High in San Mateo, California, in the early 1990s, before going on to play for the University of Michigan, choosing the Wolverines over offers from Cal, USC, UCLA and Illinois. Not a real underdog story.
Before going on to become the greatest quarterback in NFL history and winning seven Super Bowls, Brady actually had an opportunity to play pro baseball. He was an elite catcher and was selected in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB draft by the Montreal Expos, who told his parents he had an opportunity to become an MLB All-Star.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Throwback: Vinny Testaverde
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Born: Nov. 13, 1963 (Brooklyn, New York)
High school: Sewanhaka High School (Floral Park, New York)
College: Miami
Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 233 pounds
Career: 21 seasons (1987-2007)
Teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-92), Cleveland Browns (1993-95), Baltimore Ravens (1996-97), New York Jets (1998-2003, 2005), Dallas Cowboys (2004), New England Patriots (2006), Carolina Panthers (2007)
Bottom Line: Vinny Testaverde
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Sewanhaka High's Vinny Testaverde became a star at the University of Miami and won the Heisman Trophy in 1986.
He had the bad luck of being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers No. 1 overall in the 1987 NFL draft, at a point in the franchise's history where the team was as bad as they ever were.
Testaverde turned that bad luck into one of the longest careers in NFL history, playing 21 seasons for seven different teams.
Tennessee Titans: Ryan Tannehill
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Born: July 27, 1988 (Big Spring, Texas)
High school: Big Spring High School (Big Spring, Texas)
College: Texas A&M
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 217 pounds
Career: 10 seasons (2012-present)
Teams: Miami Dolphins (2012-18), Tennessee Titans (2019-present)
Bottom Line: Ryan Tannehill
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Ryan Tannehill was a good enough athlete at Big Spring High in Big Spring, Texas, that Texas A&M had him play both quarterback and wide receiver his first three seasons.
Tannehill set a freshman record for receiving yards with the Aggies in 2008, led the team in receiving in 2009 and was an All-Big 12 pick. He finally got his shot at quarterback in 2010 and never let go, with the Miami Dolphins selecting him No. 8 overall in the 2012 NFL draft.
Before the 2019 season, Tannehill was traded to the Tennessee Titans and has thrived. He was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2019 after he led the NFL in passer rating and made his first Pro Bowl.
Tennessee Titans Throwback: Steve McNair
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Born: Feb. 14, 1973 (Mount Olive, Mississippi)
Died: July 4, 2009 (age 36, Nashville, Tennessee)
High school: Mount Olive High School (Mount Olive, Mississippi)
College: Alcorn State
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds
Career: 13 seasons (1995-2007)
Teams: Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (1995-2005), Baltimore Ravens (2006-07)
Bottom Line: Steve McNair
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Steve McNair was a sensation as a prep quarterback at Mount Olive High School in Mount Olive, Mississippi. He was just as good as a safety, where he set the state record with 30 career interceptions.
McNair had offers from Division I schools to play other positions, like running back and safety, but he bet on himself and went to tiny Alcorn State, where he could still play quarterback.
Selected No. 3 overall in the 1995 NFL draft, McNair went on to be named the 2003 NFL Most Valuable Player.
Washington Commanders: Taylor Heinicke
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Born: March 15, 1993 (Lawrenceville, Georgia)
High school: Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Georgia)
College: Old Dominion
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
Career: 6 seasons (2015-18, 2020-present)
Teams: Minnesota Vikings (2015-17), Houston Texans (2017), Carolina Panthers (2018), Washington Commanders (2020-present)
Bottom line: Taylor Heinicke
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Washington Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke had one of the most unusual paths to becoming an NFL starting quarterback.
After starring at Collins Hill High in Suwanee, Georgia, Heinicke was a two-time FCS All-American at Old Dominion and won the Walter Payton Award as the top FCS player in the nation in 2012.
Heinicke went undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft, then spent four seasons as a backup for the Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers. Heinicke was totally out of football for the 2019 season before landing with Washington, where he became the team's full-time starter in 2021.
Washington Commanders Throwback: Sammy Baugh
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Born: March 17, 1914 (Temple, Texas)
Died: Dec. 17, 2008 (age 94, Texas)
High school: Sweetwater High School (Sweetwater, Texas)
College: TCU
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 182 pounds
Career: 16 seasons (1937-52)
Teams: Washington Redskins (1937-52)
Bottom Line: Sammy Baugh
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Sweetwater High's Sammy Baugh ended up being one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. But if he'd had his way, he would've never played football beyond high school.
Baugh was headed to play baseball for Washington State before he injured himself sliding into a base as a senior in high school and lost his scholarship offer.
He ended up closer to home, playing football and baseball for TCU, then becoming an eight-time NFL All-Pro and two-time NFL champion with the Washington Redskins.