Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
There are a number of colleges and universities that have a reputation for churning out players who end up taking their talents to the NFL. The vast majority of those guys made a name for themselves in high school before making the leap, and there are some programs at that level that stand out when it comes to the number of alumni who’ve ended up going pro.
These high schools have produced the highest number of future NFL players
There’s no state that takes high school football more seriously than Texas, and it trails only California when it comes to the ones that have produced the most NFL players (as of the end of 2025 season, the numbers were 2,971 and 3,331, respectively).
However, you may be surprised to learn there aren’t any high schools in The Lone Star State in the top ten when it comes to individual learning institutions that boast the highest number of former students who ended up playing at least one game in the NFL.
Ball High School in Gavelston currently sits in 14th place on the all-time list with 27, and here’s a look at the rest of the ones that lead the way along with some of their most notable alumni (I should note some of the schools on this list have prep programs and training academies, but I’m only including people who were actual high schoolers there per Pro Football Reference).
13. Glenville High School—Cleveland, Ohio: 28
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: Marshon Lattimore, Frank Clark, Ted Ginn Jr., Richard Bishop, Benny Friedman
Other Notable Alumni: Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, comedian and Family Feud host Steve Harvey
T-11. Miami Central Senior High School—Miami, Florida: 28
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: Dalvin Cook, James Cook, Devonta Freeman, Bruce Armstrong, Willis McGahee
Other Notable Alumni: MLB infielder Ronnie Belliard, WNBA player Tracy Reid
T-11. Male High School—Louisville, Kentucky: 28
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: Justin Green, Nate Hobbs, Michael Bush, Chris Redman
Other Notable Alumni: Hunter S. Thompson
T-9. IMG Academy—Bradenton, Florida: 31
Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images
Type: Private
Notable NFL Players: J.J. McCarthy, Tyler Booker, JC Latham, Grant Delpit
Other Notable Alumni: NBA player Zach Edey, LPGA golfer Nelly Korda, and a slew of other pro athletes who attended what is basically a talent factory
T-9. Hargrave Military Academy—Chatham, Virginia: 31
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Type: Private
Notable NFL Players: Shaq Lawson, Carlos Rogers, Leonard Pope, Charles Grant
Other Notable Alumni: Former NBA coach Larry Brown, former NASCAR driver Ward Burton
8. McKinley High School—Canton, Ohio: 33
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: Dominique Robinson, Percy Snow, Kenny Peterson, John Grimsley
Other Notable Alumni: NFL coach Josh McDaniels, NFL coach Wayne Fontes, WNBA player Kierstan Bell
7. St. Augustine High School—New Orleans, Louisiana: 34
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Type: Private
Notable NFL Players: Tyrann Mathieu, Leonard Fournette, James Hall, Derrick Rodgers
Other Notable Alumni: Musician Jon Batiste, rapper Jay Electronica,
6. Susan Miller Dorsey High School—Los Angeles, California: 36
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Na’il Diggs, Butch Johnson, Dennis Northcutt
Other Notable Alumni: Former NFL coach Hue Jackson, Judge Joe Brown, O.J. Simpson trial lawyer Robert Kardasiahn, Beach Boys member (and Kevin Love’s uncle) Mike Love, cocaine trafficker Rick Ross
5. DeMatha Catholic High School—Hyattsville, Maryland: 37
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Type: Private
Notable NFL Players: Chase Young, Rodney McLeod, Cameron Wake, Josh Wilson, Brian Westbrook,
Other Notable Alumni: Former NASCAR driver (and current team owner) Coy Gibbs, former Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey, NBA players Victor Oladipo and Markelle Fultz, NFL broadcaster James Brown
4. Miami Northwestern Senior High School—Miami, Florida: 41
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: Teddy Bridgewater, Tutu Atwell, Amari Cooper, Antonio Bryant, Marvin Jones, Brett Perriman
Other Notable Alumni: Rapper Trick Daddy, Gold-medal winning Olympian hurdler Brianna Rollins-McNeal
3. St. Thomas Aquinas High School—Fort Lauderdale, Florida: 51
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Type: Private
Notable NFL Players: Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, Phillip Dorsett, James White, Michael Irvin, Elijah Moore
Other Notable Alumni: PGA Tour golfer Jason Dufner, former pro tennis player Chris Evert, actor Billy Crudup
2. Long Beach Polytechnic High School—Los Angeles, California: 61
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Type: Public
Notable NFL Players: JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeSean Jackson, Willie McGinest, Marquez Pope, Tony Hill, Carl Weathers (yes, that Carl Weathers)
Other Notable Alumni: Retired MLB player Chase Utley, tennis player Billie Jean King, rappers Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Warren G, actress Cameron Diaz
1. Fork Union Military Academy—Fork Union, Virginia: 68
George Walker IV / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
Type: Private
Notable NFL Players: Eddie George, Vinny Testaverde, Dexter Coakley, Rickey Dudley, Robert Jones, Sonny Randle,
Other Notable Alumni: Virginia Tech basketball coach Mike Young, Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson, Under Armour founders Kevin Plank and Ryan Wood