Sports · Ranked by Ainsworth Sports' all-time ratings

The 50 Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools, Ranked by Ainsworth Sports

By: Bob and Kyle
List: 50 NFL players
Video: 5:57
Updated: October 31, 2026

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Ray Lewis, Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders and Lamar Jackson all played high school football in Florida. Here are the 50 greatest NFL players from Florida high schools, by Ainsworth Sports' all-time ratings of 5,000 pro players, counted down to #1.

Ainsworth Sports rates 5,000 pro football players, and these are the 50 who played high school football in Florida. The order starts arguments right away. Emmitt Smith is the NFL's career rushing leader, and Lamar Jackson has two MVP awards and is the only quarterback on the list. Wait until you see where they land.

The map marks the hometowns of the 50 greatest NFL players from Florida high schools. Jacksonville and Miami tie for the most, four each, and the 50 come from 39 towns in all. Twenty of them are in the Hall of Fame.

Map of Florida marking the hometowns of the 50 greatest NFL players from Florida high schools — Jacksonville and Miami sent four players each, more than any other town. The 50 came from 39 towns across Florida.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida #50 to #41, Room to Climb

Two of the last three spots belong to players who are still active, and both have already won Defensive Player of the Year. #49 Patrick Surtain II, the Denver Broncos cornerback, won it in 2024, and his high school coach at American Heritage was his father, former NFL player Patrick Surtain. #48 Nick Bosa, the San Francisco 49ers defensive end, won it in 2022. Ainsworth's ratings run through the 2025 season, so expect both to move up.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools, #50 to #41
Rank	Player	High school	College	NFL years	Pro Bowls	First-team All-Pro	Hall of Fame
50	Fred Taylor Running back · Jacksonville Jaguars	Glades Central HS, Belle Glade, FL	Florida	1998–2010	1	0	No
49	Patrick Surtain II Cornerback · Denver Broncos	American Heritage School, Plantation, FL	Alabama	2021–now	4	2	No
48	Nick Bosa Defensive end · San Francisco 49ers	St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Fort Lauderdale, FL	Ohio State	2019–now	5	1	No
47	Ernest Givins Wide receiver · Houston Oilers	Lakewood HS, St. Petersburg, FL	Louisville	1986–1995	2	0	No
46	Sam Madison Cornerback · Miami Dolphins	FAMU DRS, Tallahassee, FL	Louisville	1997–2008	4	2	No
45	Lomas Brown Offensive tackle · Detroit Lions	Miami Springs HS, Miami Springs, FL	Florida	1985–2002	7	3	No
44	Bob Baumhower Defensive tackle · Miami Dolphins	Palm Beach Gardens HS, Palm Beach Gardens, FL	Alabama	1977–1986	5	2	No
43	Wilber Marshall Linebacker · Washington Redskins	Astronaut HS, Titusville, FL	Florida	1984–1995	3	2	No
42	Maurkice Pouncey Center · Pittsburgh Steelers	Lakeland HS, Lakeland, FL	Florida	2010–2020	9	2	No
41	Patrick Peterson Cornerback · Arizona Cardinals	Blanche Ely HS, Pompano Beach, FL	LSU	2011–2023	8	3	No

#50 Fred Taylor, the Jacksonville Jaguars running back, opens the countdown with the longest run in playoff history, a 90-yard touchdown in a 62–7 win over Miami. #45 Lomas Brown, the Detroit Lions tackle, once guaranteed a playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles opened the game on a 51–7 run and won 58–37. And #42 Maurkice Pouncey, the Pittsburgh Steelers center, played at Lakeland High. Remember that town when you get to #1.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida #40 to #31, Two Boxers and the Kitchen

This stretch could fill a fight card. #36 Rick Casares, the Chicago Bears fullback, was a Golden Gloves boxing champion at 15, and his mother wouldn't let him sign the pro contract he was offered. #32 Frank Gore, the San Francisco 49ers running back, actually went pro. After football he boxed an exhibition against former NBA player Deron Williams, then won his pro heavyweight debut in 2022 by knockout.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools, #40 to #31
Rank	Player	High school	College	NFL years	Pro Bowls	First-team All-Pro	Hall of Fame
40	Vince Wilfork Defensive tackle · New England Patriots	Santaluces HS, Lantana, FL	Miami (FL)	2004–2016	5	1	No
39	Chris Johnson Running back · Tennessee Titans	Olympia HS, Orlando, FL	East Carolina	2008–2017	3	1	No
38	Derwin James Safety · Los Angeles Chargers	Haines City HS, Haines City, FL	Florida State	2018–now	5	2	No
37	Wes Chandler Wide receiver · San Diego Chargers	New Smyrna Beach HS, New Smyrna Beach, FL	Florida	1978–1988	4	1	No
36	Rick Casares Fullback · Chicago Bears	Thomas Jefferson HS, Tampa, FL	Florida	1955–1966	5	1	No
35	Nate Newton Guard · Dallas Cowboys	Jones HS, Orlando, FL	Florida A&M	1986–1999	6	2	No
34	Bruce Armstrong Offensive tackle · New England Patriots	Miami Central HS, West Little River, FL	Louisville	1987–2000	6	0	No
33	Lemar Parrish Cornerback · Cincinnati Bengals	John F. Kennedy HS, Riviera Beach, FL	Lincoln (MO)	1970–1982	8	3	No
32	Frank Gore Running back · San Francisco 49ers	Coral Gables HS, Coral Gables, FL	Miami (FL)	2005–2020	5	0	No
31	Lavonte David Linebacker · Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Miami Northwestern HS, Miami, FL	Fort Scott CC / Nebraska	2012–2025	1	1	No

Gore's 16,000 rushing yards are second on this list, behind only Emmitt Smith. #35 Nate Newton, the Dallas Cowboys guard, went undrafted, won three Super Bowls and got the nickname "the Kitchen" because he was bigger than William "the Refrigerator" Perry. #39 Chris Johnson, the Tennessee Titans running back, is the only player in NFL history with six touchdown runs of 80 yards or more.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida #30 to #21, the Only Quarterback

Only one quarterback made the 50, and he's #30. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens has won two MVP awards (2019 and 2023), and nobody else on the list has more than one. On Christmas 2024 he passed his childhood idol, Michael Vick, for the NFL record in career rushing yards by a quarterback. #30 feels low for a two-time MVP, but he's still playing and has time to move up.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools, #30 to #21
Rank	Player	High school	College	NFL years	Pro Bowls	First-team All-Pro	Hall of Fame
30	Lamar Jackson Quarterback · Baltimore Ravens	Boynton Beach HS, Boynton Beach, FL	Louisville	2018–now	4	3	No
29	Neal Anderson Running back · Chicago Bears	Graceville HS, Graceville, FL	Florida	1986–1993	4	0	No
28	Geno Atkins Defensive tackle · Cincinnati Bengals	St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Fort Lauderdale, FL	Georgia	2010–2020	8	2	No
27	Khalil Mack Linebacker · Los Angeles Chargers	Fort Pierce Westwood Academy, Fort Pierce, FL	Buffalo	2014–now	9	3	No
26	Clinton Portis Running back · Washington Redskins	Gainesville HS, Gainesville, FL	Miami (FL)	2002–2010	2	0	No
25	Chad Johnson Wide receiver · Cincinnati Bengals	Miami Beach HS, Miami Beach, FL	Santa Monica / Oregon State	2001–2011	6	2	No
24	Ottis Anderson Running back · St. Louis Cardinals	Forest Hill HS, West Palm Beach, FL	Miami (FL)	1979–1992	2	1	No
23	Isaac Bruce Wide receiver · St. Louis Rams	Dillard HS, Fort Lauderdale, FL	West Los Angeles / Santa Monica / Memphis	1994–2009	4	0	Yes
22	Andre Johnson Wide receiver · Houston Texans	Miami HS, Miami, FL	Miami (FL)	2003–2016	7	2	Yes
21	LeRoy Butler Safety · Green Bay Packers	Robert E. Lee HS, Jacksonville, FL	Florida State	1990–2001	4	4	Yes

#25 Chad Johnson, the Cincinnati Bengals receiver, once raced a Thoroughbred over a furlong for charity. He got a 110-yard head start and won by 12 lengths. #28 Geno Atkins, the Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle, played college ball at Georgia, where he asked Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan for an autograph before the Sugar Bowl and then sacked him out of the game. #21 LeRoy Butler, the Green Bay Packers safety, is credited with inventing the Lambeau Leap.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida #20 to #11, Derrick Henry at the Door

#11 Derrick Henry, the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens running back, is the highest-ranked active player and the first one out of the top ten. At Yulee High he broke the national high school career rushing record, which had stood almost 60 years, and he's the only player to run for 2,000 yards in a season in high school, college and the NFL. Ainsworth has him #117, 11 spots behind #10 Derrick Thomas. One more big season might do it.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools, #20 to #11
Rank	Player	High school	College	NFL years	Pro Bowls	First-team All-Pro	Hall of Fame
20	Brandon Marshall Wide receiver · Denver Broncos	Lake Howell HS, Winter Park, FL	UCF	2006–2018	6	1	No
19	Rickey Jackson Linebacker · New Orleans Saints	Pahokee HS, Pahokee, FL	Pittsburgh	1981–1995	6	0	Yes
18	Michael Irvin Wide receiver · Dallas Cowboys	Piper HS, Sunrise, FL	Miami (FL)	1988–1999	5	1	Yes
17	Edgerrin James Running back · Indianapolis Colts	Immokalee HS, Immokalee, FL	Miami (FL)	1999–2009	4	3	Yes
16	Harold Carmichael Wide receiver · Philadelphia Eagles	William M. Raines HS, Jacksonville, FL	Southern	1971–1984	4	0	Yes
15	Antonio Brown Wide receiver · Pittsburgh Steelers	Miami Norland HS, Miami Gardens, FL	Central Michigan	2010–2021	7	4	No
14	Bob Hayes Wide receiver · Dallas Cowboys	Matthew Gilbert HS, Jacksonville, FL	Florida A&M	1965–1975	3	2	Yes
13	Larry Little Guard · Miami Dolphins	Booker T. Washington HS, Miami, FL	Bethune–Cookman	1967–1980	5	5	Yes
12	Warren Sapp Defensive tackle · Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Apopka HS, Apopka, FL	Miami	1995–2007	7	4	Yes
11	Derrick Henry Running back · Tennessee Titans	Yulee HS, Yulee, FL	Alabama	2016–now	5	1	No

Raines High in Jacksonville gave the Philadelphia Eagles two Hall of Famers, #16 Harold Carmichael and #7 Brian Dawkins. Carmichael also played trombone in the Raines band. #14 Bob Hayes, the Dallas Cowboys receiver, is the only athlete to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring. #12 Warren Sapp, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle, gave future baseball star Johnny Damon a concussion in a high school game. In 2016 a shark bit Sapp while he was lobstering off Florida.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida #10 to #2, Built on Defense

The top of the list is a defense. Counting #1, eight of the top ten played defense and four were linebackers. There isn't a quarterback or a receiver among them. #10 Derrick Thomas, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, holds the NFL record with seven sacks in a game. He missed an eighth on the final play, and Seattle threw the winning touchdown. #5 Jack Youngblood, the Los Angeles Rams defensive end, played Super Bowl XIV on a fractured left fibula.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools, #10 to #2
Rank	Player	High school	College	NFL years	Pro Bowls	First-team All-Pro	Hall of Fame
10	Derrick Thomas Linebacker · Kansas City Chiefs	South Miami HS, Miami, FL	Alabama	1989–1999	9	2	Yes
9	Deacon Jones Defensive end · Los Angeles Rams	Hungerford Vocational HS, Eatonville, FL	South Carolina State / Mississippi Valley State	1961–1974	8	5	Yes
8	Steve Hutchinson Guard · Minnesota Vikings	Coral Springs HS, Coral Springs, FL	Michigan	2001–2012	7	5	Yes
7	Brian Dawkins Safety · Philadelphia Eagles	William M. Raines HS, Jacksonville, FL	Clemson	1996–2011	9	4	Yes
6	Deion Sanders Defensive back · Atlanta Falcons	North Fort Myers HS, North Fort Myers, FL	Florida State	1989–2005	8	6	Yes
5	Jack Youngblood Defensive end · Los Angeles Rams	Monticello HS, Monticello, FL	Florida	1971–1984	7	5	Yes
4	Ted Hendricks Linebacker · Oakland Raiders	Hialeah HS, Hialeah, FL	Miami (FL)	1969–1983	8	4	Yes
3	Derrick Brooks Linebacker · Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Booker T. Washington HS, Pensacola, FL	Florida State	1995–2008	11	5	Yes
2	Emmitt Smith Running back · Dallas Cowboys	Escambia HS, Pensacola, FL	Florida	1990–2004	8	4	Yes

Pensacola has both #2 Emmitt Smith and #3 Derrick Brooks. Smith, the Dallas Cowboys running back, ran for 8,804 yards at Escambia High and holds the NFL career rushing record, 18,355 yards. Brooks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker from Booker T. Washington High, sealed his Super Bowl XXXVII win with a 44-yard pick-six. And #6 Deion Sanders, the Atlanta Falcons defensive back, is the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

The #1 NFL Player from a Florida High School, Ray Lewis

1. Ray Lewis

Linebacker · Baltimore Ravens

High school: Kathleen HS, Lakeland, FL
College: Miami (FL)
NFL years: 1996–2012
Pro Bowls: 13
First-team All-Pro: 7
Hall of Fame: Yes

Ray Lewis is #10 of 5,000 in Ainsworth Sports' all-time ratings, the highest of any player from a Florida high school. The Baltimore Ravens linebacker played all 17 seasons in Baltimore, made 13 Pro Bowls and 7 first-team All-Pro teams (both the most on this list), won two Super Bowls and holds the NFL record for career tackles, 2,059. He wore #52 for the deck of 52 playing cards he used for push-ups, to get strong enough to protect his mother.

The case against him is #2 Emmitt Smith. Smith has the NFL career rushing record, three Super Bowl rings to Lewis's two, and a 1993 season no other running back has matched, when he won the Super Bowl, the league MVP, the rushing title and the Super Bowl MVP. Ainsworth puts Smith #18 of 5,000. Cowboys fans, the comments are open.

The top 10 NFL players: 1. Ray Lewis, 2. Emmitt Smith, 3. Derrick Brooks, 4. Ted Hendricks, 5. Jack Youngblood, 6. Deion Sanders, 7. Brian Dawkins, 8. Steve Hutchinson, 9. Deacon Jones, 10. Derrick Thomas

How the Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools Are Ranked

The order comes from Ainsworth Sports' all-time pro football player rankings, which rate 5,000 pro players and are updated through the 2025 season. We kept every player who played high school football in Florida, in Ainsworth's order. That puts Ray Lewis (#10 overall) at #1 here and Fred Taylor (#630 overall) at #50.

Where a player was born doesn't matter, only where he played high school football. Ted Hendricks (#4) was the NFL's first Guatemalan-born player, and he counts for Florida because he played at Hialeah High. High schools, colleges, stats and honors come from Wikipedia and Pro Football Reference. Six of the 50 are still active, so their spots can change when Ainsworth updates.

Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools Video Chapters

Questions About the Greatest NFL Players from Florida High Schools

Who is the greatest NFL player from a Florida high school?

Ray Lewis is the greatest NFL player from a Florida high school by Ainsworth Sports' all-time ratings, #10 of 5,000 pro players. Lewis played at Kathleen High School in Lakeland, where he was also a state wrestling champion, and spent all 17 NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

Which Florida city has produced the most great NFL players?

Among the 50 greatest NFL players from Florida high schools, Jacksonville and Miami tie for the most, four each. Jacksonville has Brian Dawkins, Bob Hayes, Harold Carmichael and LeRoy Butler. Miami has Derrick Thomas, Larry Little, Andre Johnson and Lavonte David.

Did Lamar Jackson go to high school in Florida?

Yes. Lamar Jackson played at Boynton Beach Community High School in Boynton Beach, Florida. He's #30 among the greatest NFL players from Florida high schools and the only quarterback in the top 50.

How many Hall of Famers are among the greatest NFL players from Florida high schools?

Twenty of the 50 are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and all 20 rank in the top 23. The lowest-ranked Hall of Famer is #23 Isaac Bruce, the St. Louis Rams receiver who caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Sources

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Ray Lewis by Keith Allison (CC BY-SA 2.0); Emmitt Smith by Anthony Quintano from Honolulu, HI, United States (CC BY 2.0); Derrick Brooks by Spiderman789 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Ted Hendricks by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Charles E. Hill , USN (Public domain); Jack Youngblood by Howdythere at English Wikipedia (Public domain); Deion Sanders by U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lydia Gordon (Public domain); Brian Dawkins by Bertolinephotos (CC BY-SA 4.0); Steve Hutchinson by Bobak Ha'Eri (CC BY 3.0); Deacon Jones by ABC Television (Public domain); Derrick Henry by All-Pro Reels (CC BY-SA 2.0); Warren Sapp by Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 3.0); Larry Little by Whitehouse.gov (Public domain); Bob Hayes by Unknown authorUnknown author (Public domain); Antonio Brown by Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America (CC BY-SA 2.0); Harold Carmichael by Bertolinephotos (CC BY-SA 4.0); Edgerrin James by Collier County Public School District (Public domain); Michael Irvin by Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 3.0); Brandon Marshall by Cpl Jody Lee Smith (Public domain); LeRoy Butler by Compujeramey (CC BY 2.0); Andre Johnson by AJ Guel (CC BY 2.0); Isaac Bruce by MavsFan28 (CC BY-SA 3.0); Ottis Anderson by U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matt Thieme (Public domain); Chad Johnson by Keith Allison (CC BY-SA 2.0); Clinton Portis by DrivingtheNortheast (CC BY 2.0); Khalil Mack by All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0); Geno Atkins by Jeffrey Beaall (CC BY 3.0); Lamar Jackson by Maryland GovPics (CC BY 2.0); Lavonte David by Jeffrey Beall (CC BY-SA 3.0); Frank Gore by Mike Morbeck (CC BY-SA 2.0); Rick Casares by NBC (Public domain); Wes Chandler by Kiwanis (Public domain); Derwin James by All-Pro Reels (CC BY-SA 4.0); Chris Johnson by AJ Guel (CC BY 2.0); Vince Wilfork by Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0); Patrick Peterson by All-Pro Reels (CC BY-SA 2.0); Maurkice Pouncey by Blervis (CC0); Bob Baumhower by Miami Dolphins (Public domain); Lomas Brown by Detroit Lions/Oscar Mayer/Claussen/WJR/WHYT (Public domain); Nick Bosa by All-Pro Reels (CC BY-SA 2.0); Patrick Surtain II by All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0); Fred Taylor by JollyOldStNick08 (Public domain).