New York (Special to NFLNewsbyZennie62.com) – There were 17 players from Miami (Fla.) high schools on Kickoff Weekend rosters, the most of any city. Las Vegas (Nev.) had the second-most players (16) followed by Bradenton (Fla.) with 15 players in 2024.
“I think the mentality and competitiveness of the city of Miami is the reason for the success in football,” said Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David. “Everybody from Miami, we know how much talent is there, so you have to bring your individual talent level up. I started playing football when I was five or six years old. Once you get into it, then you see how big it is throughout the whole area. From the youth league parks to the high schools, you see how competitive it is and that is carried forward when guys go to their respective colleges. They keep that attitude in college and then they take it to the NFL. It’s all about winning.”
High School Programs Play A Crucial Role In Developing NFL Talent
“High school programs play a crucial role in developing National Football League talent by instilling skills, discipline, and character”, said NFL Vice President of Football Development Roman Oben, a 12-year National Football League veteran and a Gonzaga College High School (Washington, DC) and Fork Union (VA) Military Academy alum. “We continue to see the remarkable influence that high school programs have in shaping the future of NFL talent. The schools on this list are more than just high school football powerhouses; they are communities where young athletes learn the skills, discipline, and character necessary to excel at the highest levels of the game. It’s a testament to the dedication of coaches, mentors, and families who help these players reach their full potential, demonstrating once again that the path to the NFL begins long before the professional journey starts.”
High School Cities with Most National Football League Players
| Hometown | NFL Players | Hometown | NFL Players |
| Miami, Fla. | 17 | Tampa, Fla. | 13 |
| Las Vegas, Nev. | 16 | Plantation, Fla. | 12 |
| Bradenton, Fla. | 15 | Birmingham, Ala. | 10 |
| Atlanta, Ga. | 14 | Charlotte, N.C. | 10 |
| Detroit, Mich. | 14 | Cincinnati, Ohio | 10 |
| Houston, Texas | 13 | Indianapolis, Ind. | 10 |
| St. Louis, Mo. | 13 | Philadelphia, Pa. | 10 |
With 10 cities producing at least four players on Kickoff Weekend rosters, Texas, with 190 players, produced the most players of any state, followed by Florida (176), California (168) and Georgia (146).
States With Most NFL Players
| State | NFL Players | State | NFL Players |
| Texas | 190 | Pennsylvania | 48 |
| Florida | 176 | Maryland | 47 |
| California | 168 | New Jersey | 46 |
| Georgia | 146 | Virginia | 39 |
| North Carolina | 74 | Mississippi | 33 |
| Ohio | 65 | Missouri | 32 |
| Alabama | 59 | South Carolina | 32 |
| Louisiana | 58 | Tennessee | 32 |
| Illinois | 54 | Arizona | 26 |
| Michigan | 50 | Indiana | 25 |
IMG Academy in Bradenton (Fla.) produced the most National Football League players on 2024 NFL Kickoff Weekend rosters. South Florida continues to produce a plethora of National Football League talent, as three of the top five high schools with the most NFL players hail from the region.
High Schools with the Most National Football League Players
| High School, City, State | Number | NFL Players |
| IMG Academy Bradenton, Fla. | 14 | Andre Cisco, JAX; Grant Delpit, CLE; Daniel Faalele, BAL; Hjalte Froholdt, ARI; Robert Hainsey, TB; J.C. Latham, TEN; Evan Neal, NYG; Greg Newsome, CLE; K.J. Osborn, NE; Eli Ricks, PHI; Cesar Ruiz, NO; Nolan Smith, PHI; Xavier Thomas, ARI; D.J. Turner, CIN |
| American Heritage Plantation, Fla. | 10 | Brian Burns, NYG; Tyson Campbell, JAX; Khalil Herbert, CHI; James Houston, DET; Mike Morris, SEA: Nesta Jade Silvera, LV; Tedarrell Slaton, GB; Pat Surtain II, DEN; James Williams, TEN; Marco Wilson, NE |
| Bishop Gorman High School Las Vegas, Nev. | 8 | Nick Gates, PHI; Jaden Hicks, KC; Brevin Jordan, HOU; Jalen Nailor, MIN; Rome Odunze, CHI; Ronnie Stanley, BAL; Cedric Tillman, CLE; Edefuan Ulofoshio, BUF |
| DeMatha Catholic High School Hyattsville, Md. | 8 | Ja’Whaun Bentley, NE; Nick Cross, IND; MarShawn Lloyd, GB; Rodney McLeod, CLE; Olusegun Oluwatimi, SEA; D.J. Turner, LV; Josh Wallace, LAR; Chase Young, NO |
| Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | 8 | Jordan Battle, CIN; Nik Bonitto, DEN; Joey Bosa, LAC; Nick Bosa, SF; Elijah Moore, CLE; Josh Palmer, LAC; Tyler Steen, PHI; Dallas Turner, MIN |
| Miami Northwestern Senior High School Miami, Fla. | 6 | Tutu Atwell, LAR; Artie Burns, SEA; Amari Cooper, CLE; Lavonte David, TB; Calijah Kancey, TB; Kamren Kinchens, LAR |
| Desoto High School Desoto, Texas | 5 | Ed Ingram, MIN; Von Miller, BUF, Byron Murphy, SEA; Xavier Newman-Johnson, NYJ; Laviska Shenault, SEA |
| Evangel Academy Shreveport, La. | 5 | Jarrick Bernard-Converse, NYJ; Elijah Chatman, NYG; Myles Cole, JAX; Jerry Tillery, MIN; Ar’Darius Washington, BAL |
| Mater Dei High School Santa Ana, Calif. | 5 | Quentin Lake, LAR; Curtis Robinson, SF; Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET; Ryan Stonehouse, TEN; Bryce Young, CAR |
| Peachtree Ridge High School Suwanee, Ga. | 5 | Robert Beal, SF; Orlando Brown, CIN; Payne Durham, TB; Cameron Heyward, PIT; Connor Heyward, PIT |
| St. Joseph’s Prep Philadelphia, Pa. | 5 | Marvin Harrison Jr., ARI; Jon Runyan, NYG; D’Andre Swift, CHI; Jeremiah Trotter, PHI; Olamide Zaccheaus, WAS |
Fourteen high schools had four players on NFL Kickoff Weekend rosters this year:
| High School; City, State | High School; City, State |
| Blair Academy; Blairstown, N.J. | Orem High School; Orem, Utah |
| Greater Atlanta Christian School; Norcross, Ga. | Plaquemine High School; Plaquemine, La. |
| Highland Springs High School; Highland Springs, Va. | Punahou School; Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Lake Travis High School; Austin, Texas | Saguaro High School; Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Lakewood High School; St. Petersburg, Fla. | Saint Ignatius High School; Cleveland, Ohio |
| Long Beach Polytechnic; Long Beach, Calif. | Temple High School; Temple, Texas |
| Oaks Christian School; Westlake Village, Calif. | Valor Christian High School; Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
Overall, National Football League players hail from high schools in 45 states and the District of Columbia, four countries – Australia, Canada, Netherlands and the United States – and a U.S. territory (American Samoa). The totals are based on the 1,726 players on Kickoff Weekend rosters.
NFL Players Per Capita: Georgia, with one NFL player for every 73,369 residents, leads the list of NFL players per capita. Louisiana (one in 80,306) and Alabama (one in 85,157) round out the top three. The national average is one NFL player per 194,512 U.S. residents.
States with Most NFL Players Per Capita
| State | Population* | NFL Players | NFL Players Per Capita |
| Georgia | 10,711,908 | 146 | 1 NFL player per 73,369 people |
| Louisiana | 4,657,757 | 58 | 1 NFL player per 80,306 people |
| Alabama | 5,024,279 | 59 | 1 NFL player per 85,157 people |
| Mississippi | 2,961,279 | 33 | 1 NFL player per 89,736 people |
| District of Columbia | 689,545 | 6 | 1 NFL player per 114,924 people |
| Florida | 21,538,187 | 176 | 1 NFL player per 122,376 people |
| Maryland | 6,177,224 | 47 | 1 NFL player per 131,430 people |
| Hawaii | 1,455,271 | 11 | 1 NFL player per 132,297 people |
| Utah | 3,271,616 | 24 | 1 NFL player per 136,317 people |
| North Carolina | 10,439,388 | 74 | 1 NFL player per 141,073 people |
| United States | 331,449,281 | 1,704 | 1 NFL player per 194,512 people |
*Based on most recent published U.S. Census Data (2020)
NOTE: To obtain a complete list of NFL players’ high schools, states and hometowns, click here.