Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Greene, Michael Strahan and Zach Thomas are among those NFL alumni who are Texas natives. According to an annual survey by the league office, their Lone Star State had the most players on NFL Kickoff Weekend rosters.
The statistic is measured by the number of players who graduated from high schools in states around the country.
Texas was represented by 190 players who had played their high school ball there. Florida (with 176 players), California (168) and Georgia (146) complete the Top Four. They also are the only states that produced 100-plus high school graduates on rosters during the first weekend of 2024 NFL play.
A total of 45 states and the District of Columbia, three international countries (Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands) and a U.S. territory (American Samoa) had at least one player on team rosters during the first regular season weekend. Alaska, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Vermont are the only five states that had no representatives in this survey which is based on the 1,726 players on Kickoff Weekend rosters.
Two of the cities with the most NFL high school grads on rosters this season are in Florida: Miami (with 17 players) tops the list and Bradenton (with 15) is third. Las Vegas (with 16 players) ranks in second place.
“High school programs always have played a crucial role in developing football players, including many of us alumni as well today’s great athletes,” says NFL Vice President and local NY-NJ Alumni Chapter President Roman Oben. “It’s a testament to the dedication of coaches, athletics directors, mentors, and player families who help these young men reach their full potential, demonstrating once again that the path to the NFL begins long before their professional journey starts.”
