FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-51 10/8/98
LONG BEACH POLYTECHNIC TOPS LIST OF HIGH SCHOOLS WITH MOST NFL PLAYERS
Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California, heads the list of high schools with the most NFL players this year, based on the 1,590-man 1998 opening-day NFL rosters.
A league-high six NFL players attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, which ranks high on USA Today's "Super 25" list of 1998 high school football teams. Long Beach Poly alumni currently in the NFL are WILLIE MC GINEST, New England; MARQUEZ POPE, San Francisco; DON SASA, Carolina; MARK CARRIER, Detroit; OMAR STOUTMIRE, Dallas; and BRANDON WHITING, Philadelphia. Four high schools -- including three from Texas -- have five players each in the NFL this year: Ball in Galveston, Lake Highlands in Dallas and Westbrook in Beaumont plus Dorsey in Los Angeles, California.
Thirty-eight NFL players, past and present, attended Long Beach Poly, most of any high school in league history.
"There's a great history of athletes and stars, but everyone tries hard," said McGinest, who graduated from Long Beach Poly in 1990 and attended Southern California. "The coaches take their time and they teach well. Some have been there over 20 years. Last year they went undefeated and won the state championship. But in addition to sports, the academics are great -- the school has several accelerated and other special programs for its students."
California led the list of states with 202 NFL players in 1998 and Texas was second with 158 and Florida third with 136. Forty-six states, plus the District of Columbia, are represented in the NFL, as are nine countries or territories.
HIGH SCHOOLS WITH MOST 1998 NFL PLAYERS
High School, Town, State |
Number |
Players, NFL Team |
| 1. Long Beach Poly, Long Beach, CA | 6 |
Willie McGinest, NE; Marquez Pope, SF; Don Sasa, CAR; ; Omar Stoutmire, DAL; Mark Carrier, DET; Brandon Whiting, PHIL |
| 2. Ball, Galveston, TX | 5 |
Kimble Anders,
KC; Tim Denton, WASH; Eric Hill, StL; Terry Irving, ARZ; George McCullough, TEN |
| Dorsey, Los Angeles, CA | 5 |
Karim Abdul-Jabbar, MIA; Keyshawn Johnson, NYJ; Charles Mincy, TB; Chris Mims, SD; Lamont Warren, IND |
| Lake Highlands, Dallas, TX | 5 |
Marcus Coleman,
NYJ; Derrick Cullors, New England; Merton Hanks, SF; Detron Smith, DEN; Matt Stover, BAL |
| Westbrook, Beaumont, TX | 5 |
Jerry Ball, MIN; Michael Batiste, WASH; Calvin Collins, ATL; Earl Dotson, GB; Frank Middleton, TB |
| 6. Carter, Dallas, TX | 4 |
Jessie Armstead, NYG; Greg Hill, StL; Will Moore, JAX; Kendyl Jacox, SD |
| Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul, MN | 4 |
Matt Birk, MIN; Derek Engler, NYG; Steve Walsh, TB; Corbin Lacina, CAR |
| Glades Central, Belle Glade, FL | 4 |
Reidel Anthony,
TB; Roosevelt Blackmon, GB; Fred Taylor, JAX; Jimmy Spencer, SD |
| Lawton, Lawton, OK | 4 |
Daryl Gardener, MIA; Mike Minter, CAR; Will Shields, KC; James Trapp, OAK |
| Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL | 4 |
Terry Cousin, CHI; Samari Rolle, TEN; Duane Starks, BAL; Dave Thomas, JAX |
| Willowridge, Missouri City, TX | 4 |
Allen Aldridge, DET; O.J. Brigance, MIA; Derrick Harris, StL; Thurman Thomas, BUF |
STATES AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES WITH MOST NFL PLAYERS
State |
NFL Players |
State |
NFL Players |
| 1. California | 202 |
7. Louisiana | 62 |
| 2. Texas | 158 |
8. North Carolina | 59 |
| 3. Florida | 136 |
9. Alabama | 50 |
| 4. Pennsylvania | 80 |
Illinois | 50 |
| 5. Georgia | 63 |
New Jersey | 50 |
| Ohio | 63 |
Foreign Country |
Number |
Players, NFL Team |
| Canada | 10 |
Doug Brown, WASH; Ian Beckles, PHIL; Mitch Berger, MIN; Tim Biakabutuka, CAR; Steve Christie, BUF; Andrew Greene, SEA; Tom Nutten, StL; O.J. Santiago, ATL; Mike Vanderjagt, IND; Klaus Wilmsmeyer, MIA |
| American Samoa | 2 |
Lonnie Palelei, NYG; Spencer Reid, CAR |
| South Africa | 2 |
Gary Anderson, MIN; Jerome Pathon, IND |
| Australia | 1 |
Darren Bennett, SD |
| Denmark | 1 |
Morten Andersen, ATL |
| Germany | 1 |
Ron George, KC |
| Holland | 1 |
Harald Hasselbach, DEN |
| Iran | 1 |
Shahriar Pourdanesh, WASH |
| New Zealand | 1 |
David Dixon, MIN |
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HOMETOWNS
: Twenty-five NFL players hail from Houston, making it the leading hometown in the NFL, followed by Miami, which has 23 players in the NFL, and Dallas with 21.HOMETOWNS WITH MOST NFL PLAYERS
Hometown |
NFL Players |
Hometown |
NFL Players |
| 1. Houston | 25 |
Detroit | 16 |
| 2. Miami | 23 |
Los Angeles | 16 |
| 3. Dallas | 21 |
New Orleans | 16 |
| 4. San Diego | 18 |
9. Jacksonville | 13 |
| 5. Chicago | 16 |
10. Philadelphia | 12 |
NOTE
: To obtain a complete list of NFL players' high schools, hometowns and states, contact the NFL Communications Department (212/450-2500). The list of state rankings is also available on www.nflmedia.com -- click on the NFL NEWS icon.